hold while it awaits a decision from Government on whether it will get a licence.

For recommendations on an application for a license by Bermuda Digital Communications Ltd. (BDCL) are waiting to be read by Technology Minister John Barritt.

Mr. Barritt last week said he was expecting to receive the report shortly but telecommunications inspector Ted Pitman later said the report was ready.

Mr. Pitman added that he did not think the Minister had been able to read it because he was inundated with paper work.

Upon hearing the news Mr. Barritt said he would collect the report and deal with it.

Under the Telecommunications Act the Minister makes a decision on the granting of a license after he has read the report from the committee.

BDCL chief operating officer Michael Leverock said: "I hope he gets to look at them soon so we can get a decision on the license. We hope we'll hear something this week or at least by Christmas.

"We can't go on paying monies without knowing when we'll get the go ahead.

The money will run out if we don't begin generating revenues and we're ready to go.'' Meanwhile TeleBermuda -- another telecommunications competitor -- has been offered a license and is set to begin offering its international service.

The company is recruiting staff and is going ahead with a new telephone cable from Bermuda to the US and a satellite link.

Just last week the Development Applications Board approved plans for the company to dig 30 feet of underground trenching at Kindley Field Road for its telecommunication system and new satellite dish.

Mr. Leverock said original problems which caused conflict between BDCL and North Atlantic Telecommunications (NAT) -- which also had to reapply for a licence -- had been sorted out through an agreement between the two firms.

Both had initially wanted to use the same radio frequency for their cellular operations, he explained.

NAT had also applied for a license to do fibreoptic service and decided to pursue that route while BDCL concentrated on cellular operations.

Mr. Leverock said : "We're at the point now where we are just waiting for Government to offer us a licence. We had planned to be operational by now.

"We have implemented as much of our business plan as we can but can't progress any further without the offer of a licence.''