TBI will not be putting on hold future plans for development if Cable and Wireless is granted regulatory and shareholder approval to purchase KeyTech.

TBI?s new president and chief operating officer Gregory Swan said the C&W/KeyTech deal would change the telecommunications landscape in Bermuda but TBI will continue to dictate its own game plan.

Mr. Swan has become the first Bermudian to hold the top post at TBI after joining the company as vice president responsible for the development and expansion of TBI?s voice and data services.

Yesterday he reiterated his concern, reported in The Royal Gazette last month, that if the take-over of KeyTech is approved it will fundamentally alter the telecommunications landscape.

?Cable and Wireless would have the ability to offer a full suite of telecommunications products and services, solely from subsidiary companies, providing every service to every customer without ever leaving the Cable and Wireless family,? he said.

?With that they would have the ability to price products and services accordingly.?

Despite the implications of the massive deal, Mr. Swan said TBI operations should continue to grow.

?At this point in time it is only the regulatory framework that will impact how we move forward,? he said.

As president, Mr. Swan hopes to maximise the potential of the company?s core services ? primarily voice and international data services ? over the course of his tenure.

He also wants to develop TBI?s infrastructure in order to provide state-of-the-art telephony services and solutions.

?Most importantly we want to provide for our customers, giving value added solutions,? he added.

?And, for our corporate customers, enterprise solutions geared specifically toward their business sectors.?

Mr. Swan succeeds the former TBI CEO James Fitzgerald who retired at the end of May after a telecommunications career spanning 40 years, the last eight with TBI.

During his tenure, Mr. Fitzgerald built up TBI?s presence in Bermuda and successfully duplicated the model in the Cayman Islands, guiding the company to play a leading role in Bermuda?s telecommunications sector.

?Obviously we have unique styles, but I think the foundation laid by him, basically provides solid groundwork for the company going forward,? Mr. Swan said.

?The industry is very dynamic and our current focus is geared towards current market demands and requirements.

?In March of this year, I assumed the role of chief operating officer of TBI and we have already started the process of gearing up for the next phase of development of the company and we are well poised to implement these plans for 2007 and beyond.?

Mr. Swan said he expects the configuration of telecommunications, products and services will be very different three years from now, but the future will be bright for TBI.