Dear Editor

Starlink has been a welcome addition to The Bahamas. It has given many people, especially in the Family Islands, access to Internet service that simply was not available before.

That is why reports of a $1,000 congestion surcharge for customers in New Providence deserve public attention.

Starlink says the surcharge is necessary because the network is congested. Fair enough. But that immediately raises another question. How do we know the network is congested?

Who decides that? Is there an independent assessment, or does Starlink simply make that determination itself? Is there a standard that must be met before a surcharge can be imposed, or is it entirely a matter for the company?

If Starlink decides when congestion exists, decides how much customers must pay because of it, and decides when the surcharge should end, there is very little independent oversight. That should concern consumers.

More importantly, what precedent does this set?

If one licensed telecommunications provider can impose a $1,000 congestion surcharge, what prevents other providers from introducing their own special fees? Could cable companies impose congestion charges in busy neighbourhoods? Could providers charge extra because a customer's home is more expensive to serve or because demand in a particular area is high?

Once these types of charges become accepted, where does it end?

Starlink is a licensed telecommunications provider in The Bahamas. The public is entitled to know whether the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) has any oversight of a surcharge like this. Was URCA consulted before it was introduced? Does it have the authority to review the basis for the charge, or is this entirely a commercial decision beyond regulatory scrutiny?

This is not about preventing companies from making a profit. It is about ensuring that consumers are protected, and that clear rules apply equally to every licensed provider. If this surcharge is acceptable today, Bahamians deserve to know what similar charges could become acceptable tomorrow.

These are questions that URCA must answer.

A concerned Bahamian