offer its customers reduced international calling rates.

Cable & Wireless Plc has filed a writ through the law firm of Cox & Wilkinson against a Government Minister's decision to back a Commission's rejection of its plans to offer discounted rates to its customers.

C&W, which until this year was the only provider of Bermuda's overseas telecommunications, is now in competition with TeleBermuda International Ltd.

It submitted a proposal to the Telecommunications Commission to give its customers a six percent rebate for international calls made in June, July and August.

The company also wanted to expand its regular discount periods for calls to the US, the UK and Canada but its applications were turned down by the Commission in July.

C&W appealed the decision to then-Telecommunications Minister John Barritt and submitted a plan for new extended discount calling rates to the Commission.

The Commission's decision was upheld by the Minister and C&W is entitled to appeal the decision in the courts under the Telecommunication Act 1986, said lawyer David Kessaram of Cox & Wilkinson.

The proposed rate changes were submitted to the Commission on April 29, a few months before TeleBermuda began operations.

The Commission ruled the proposal failed to satisfy Government's telecommunications policy and in rejecting the proposals called for the company to submit a "comprehensive'' rate package.

Government warned it would not allow "predatory pricing'' by Cable & Wireless in a policy paper on telecommunications.

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