On hold: Flow delays mobile data rate increase

Flow has delayed a planned increase in post-paid mobile data charges after public criticism, while consumer advocates have asked the Fair Trading Commission to investigate the proposed hike.

The telecommunications company had informed customers that its rates were set to increase from November 1 this year.

But after the public outcry, the company said it would defer the hike until February 1 next year.

The rise follows a recently introduced “enhancement” to the way mobile data is captured and recorded, it said.

Flow also acknowledged receiving questions from some consumers who were seeing higher-than-usual data usage on their most recent bills.

Some customers complained that the planned hike came without prior notice, Barbados TODAY has learned.

Some of these complaints have gone viral on social media, with reports of bills skyrocketing from $130 to $165; $95 to $140; $410 to $589.32; and from $265 to $435.

Veteran utility rate advocate Ricky Went told Barbados TODAY on Thursday that he contacted the FTC to question the justification and magnitude of the rate hike.

Went said he requested that “steps be taken to avoid future issues”.

The Barbados Consumer EmpowermentNetwork (BCEN) has also stepped into the issue and written to the FTC, Barbados TODAY has learned.

Flow Barbados is owned by Liberty Caribbean, formerly Cable & Wireless Communications, a subsidiary of the parent company Liberty Latin America.

The American cable magnate is the largest shareholder of the firm which trades publicly on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

(EJ)