with existing companies awaiting responses from Government, according to the Minister of Management and Technology.

Dr. Grant Gibbons said the applications of Deltronics Ltd., BermudaNet Ltd., and Telecommunications (Bermuda and West Indies) Ltd. (Telecom) will receive a "separate hearing as part of the review process'' by the Telecommunications Commission.

A public hearing is slated for Monday at 2 p.m. in Senate Chamber on the three licence applications received in February.

"I am reluctant to comment on any of these applications before the commission makes recommendations,'' he added.

Deltronics is seeking a licence to provide a radio paging service while BermudaNet is applying for a licence to access Internet data. Telecom is seeking licensing to offer a packet radio data network service.

Deltronics principals are Mr. H. David Cardell and Ms Romana J. Cardell. Mr.

Cardell and Ms Angelita DeSilva currently operate the Cellular Centre which is anticipated to become an asset of Deltronics.

BermudaNet, through two services -- bermudanet and bermudafax -- is proposing an Internet facsimile transmission service which they claim will reduce fax costs by 30-40 percent.

Busycomm Ltd president Mr. Keith Clifton is also president of BermudaNet while former senator Mr. Charles Marshall is head of Telecom.

Hearings into the companies licence applications could be reviewed similar to those of Internet Bermuda Ltd. (IBL) and Bermuda Computer Services, companies that sought, and received approval to transmit data.

Dr. Gibbons has yet to respond to the commission's recommendations on applications by nine other companies.

The commission recommended voice transmission companies that would add infrastructure to the Island be approved while recommending the Minister reject those wanting to provide telephone callback and resale services.

Last year, the commission recommended some applications be approved to create competition at the domestic level with the Bermuda Telephone Company Ltd. and with Cable and Wireless at the international level. Both these companies currently enjoy monopolies in the Bermuda telephone market.

The commission's rationale behind increased competition was to create improved rates.

Dr. Gibbons said he is currently looking at other jurisdictions like the UK, Australia and New Zealand to determine how they framed their legislation in the process of opening up telecommunications to competition.

"I would like to resolve this as soon as possible but it is a watershed decision,'' he added.

But he gave no indication as to when he would announce decisions on the recommendations.