Mr. Sonji Myles, OfReg Executive Director ICT

Utilities regulator OfReg has expressed deep concern following the unscheduled outage on FLOW’s fixed-line network on Tuesday, 21 November, which impacted calls to emergency services, including calls to 911. Mobile calls from a FLOW mobile line to 911 were unaffected by the outage.

OfReg Executive Director ICT, Mr. Sonji Myles, met with FLOW immediately after the incident to gain insights into the nature and causes of the outage. 

In response to the incident, the regulator has formally requested FLOW to submit a detailed resolution report, providing in-depth analysis of the factors contributing to the outage, measures taken for immediate resolution, and a comprehensive plan to prevent such occurrences in the future. OfReg is also considering aspects of FLOW’s compliance with its licence conditions in regard to delivery of calls to 911.The regulator emphasised the critical importance of uninterrupted access to emergency services and is committed to ensuring that service providers maintain the highest standards of reliability and responsiveness in the interest of public safety.

Mr. Myles said, “Outages generally, but especially those impacting 911 services are a matter of concern, and we are pursuing a comprehensive understanding of the incident. FLOW has been very responsive and cooperative, and we expect the resolution report from FLOW to shed light on the root causes of the outage, the steps taken to rectify the situation promptly and plans put in place to prevent any reoccurrence in the future. Fixed-line networks are a critical part of our emergency services infrastructureand we will act to ensure they are properly maintained and protected by operators.”

OfReg will continue to closely monitor the situation and collaborate with FLOW to implement any necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

– ENDS

ABOUT OFREG

The Utility Regulation and Competition Office (‘OfReg’) is the independent regulator established by section 4 of the Utility Regulation and Competition Act (as revised) (the ‘URC Act’) for the electricity, information, and communications technology, water, wastewater, and fuel sectors in the Cayman Islands. 

OfReg provides the opportunity for consistency and collaboration in regulation across the energy, fuel, ICT, and water sectors; better utilisation of skills and resources resulting in more efficient and effective regulatory processes; encouraging competition where appropriate and feasible; championing sustainability and innovation across markets, contributing to the economic and social goals of the Cayman Islands.