LIME sues Digicel

Telecommunications Company, LIME, has filed a lawsuit against Digicel over the call charges being imposed to call Digicel mobile phones from LIME landlines.

LIME is taking issue with Digicel for allegedly increasing the rates for LIME’s landline customers to call Digicel mobile phones.

This development is the latest in a series of battles in recent years involving LIME, formerly Cable and Wireless, and Digicel.

In a release this afternoon, LIME said it’s seeking $100 million in damages for losses, which it claims it has incurred because of Digicel’s pricing structure.

LIME says in January this year, Digicel started to charge LIME’s landline customers as much as $8.50 a minute to call Digicel mobile phones.

At the same time Digicel was charging its landline customers only four dollars per minute to call Digicel mobile phones.

LIME’s country manager, Geoff Houston, says the pricing structure makes it impossible for LIME to cover its costs and meet or beat Digicel’s retail rate.

Mr Houston is insisting that the rate charged by Digicel is discriminatory.

He is also accusing Digicel of using its competitive edge in the telecommunications market to act in an anti-competitive manner.

According to LIME, it has filed a complaint with the Fair Trading Commission, but it’s yet to receive any reprieve.

It is against this background that LIME wants the Supreme Court to have Digicel reduce its rates for calls from the LIME network.