LTA orders MTN Liberia to reconnect Comium

National regulator the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) has ordered domestic mobile operator MTN Liberia, trading under the Lonestar Cell brand, to reconnect rival operator Comium Liberia ‘with immediate effect’. The watchdog’s ruling, which was issued at 5pm yesterday (local time), was delivered by its acting director of public and consumer affairs, E Blamo Robinson. The decision followed a complaint from Comium that MTN Liberia had illegally disconnected the interconnection on the trunk network between the two firms on 18 May 2012. In issuing the order, the LTA has warned MTN Liberia that its failure to comply with the mandate will result in the commencement of proceedings to suspend its operating licence and ‘other appropriate actions’. In a statement the regulator said: ‘The LTA has been pushed to the extreme due to Lonestar’s [MTN’s] consistent disregard of LTA’s regulations and the government of Liberia’s policies on telecommunications.’ For its part, the under-fire cellco said it was unaware of the LTA’s mandate, and would respond accordingly upon receipt of the communique.