As its cellular clientele on both the TDMA and GSM networks top the 200,000 mark, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) is continually upgrading its service to ensure improved clarity in coverage to this growing customer base.

It is in this light, that GT&T recently commissioned its newest cellular site at Brighton on the East Berbice Corentyne Coast.

This tower, which will ensure improved reception for cellular users residing or traversing along the Corentyne Coast, is the 52nd site to be installed by the Company as it strives for seamless coverage throughout the various communities its service reaches.

This latest cell site has facilitated vastly improved reception quality for subscribers in a five mile radius of the base station, which includes some areas where service had previously been non-existent.

A resident of the area, Carlene Norah, was impressed with the quality of reception she is now getting on her cell phone. "The service has greatly improved. I noticed the difference in the quality of the reception, although I was not aware that a new cell site had been installed." Ms Norah did realize that something was different about her service when she noticed that she had been getting clearer signals on her phone.

According to the Company's Marketing Director, Michael George, there are still some holes in the service on the Corentyne Coast and the intention is to plug those holes.

Additionally, GT&T is committed to pushing ahead with improvements in its cellular service, with the installation of additional sites along the Georgetown to Timehri corridor especially in the area of Garden of Eden. Similar signal strengthening exercises are planned for the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, particularly around Long Creek, as well on the Georgetown to Parika link. GT&T, George said, is also committed to ensuring better cellular coverage between Georgetown and New Amsterdam, and New Amsterdam to Fyrish on the Corentyne Coast.

These improvements aimed at eliminating holes in the service, are expected to be completed in GT&T's Phase 3 plan for cellular development slated for the latter part of 2005 and early 2006, George indicated.

"It is a major challenge and we are meeting that challenge by completing the improvement works in Georgetown while at the same time making sure that Cellink, by the quality of its service not only retains its customer base but expands to accommodate all who could appreciate the excitement that the new technologies offer," George said.