By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday said an $8 million fibre network investment will enable it to launch its FlowTV product on Grand Bahama within the next two weeks.

Leon Williams, its chief executive, told Tribune Business that the company was using the infrastructure damage inflicted by Hurricane Matthew to develop a better network for customers.

"Hurricane Matthew destroyed a lot of our plant, and so rather than build a copper plant we will rebuild with fibre, which gives the Grand Bahama residents an even better network," Mr Willams said. "As a result of Hurricane Joaquin, islands like San Salvador and Mayaguana now have fibre to the home."

Mr Williams added that apart from the FlowTV offering, BTC provides Flow To Go, which allows its mobile customers to access 29 channels for free.

He said the carrier was still "holding its own", despite the arrival of mobile competition, adding that this had pushed the quad-play provider to increase its productivity and innovation.

Speaking with Tribune Business at BTC's Southwest Plaza outlet, Mr Williams said: "So far things have been good. There were the doubters who said that when competition came BTC would go under, but we're holding our own.

"I think competition is healthy. It just means that we have got to be more creative, more innovative, and develop new revenue streams. We also have to ensure that we improve customer services."

The Bahamas' second mobile provider, which operates under the brand Aliv, launched its mobile services last November. To-date, its executives say the company has more than 60,000 subscribers out of a thought to be at least 315,000-strong.

Mr Williams said: "Unlike our competitors, who are in just one or two spaces, we provide full telecommunications services and that is sometimes our challenge. We're in fixed-line, broadband, fibre to the home, prepaid and post-paid.

"Again, that is an opportunity for us. We also have got to service from Inagua in the south to Grand Bahama in the north. I can say that we are holding our own. It is making us a bit more agile, more productive and more innovative."