The death bell has probably sounded for Laqtel who following up on our coverage here and here have now been fined $150,000 for breaching its license to provide mobile telecommunication services to the country.

They will also have to pay an additional $10,000 for each day it remains in breach, and if it fails to do so, the company’s property may be seized and auctioned off to pay the debt.

Magistrate Maureen Bab-oolal-Gafoor, ordered that Laqtel pay the fine by November 16 or face a distress warrant. That means the complainant, the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT), can levy on the premises of Laqtel and seize $150,000 worth of property.

If Laqtel had managed to evade this charge, would they even have the resources to launch and furthermore what market share would they have captured in the already saturated market with two heavyweight contenders.

The other question is if TATT had done its due diligence while screening and selecting Laqtel as the third provider and the benefit to the consumer that a third capable provider may have provided if any repercussions for TATT or the opening of tenders for another competitor.

Bonus - just as Monday is elections and Laqtel is part of a trio of phone companies, which political party is closest to suffering Laqtel’s fate?