KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican consumers fed up with substandard mobile phone connectivity are set to see long-awaited regulatory intervention in the island’s telecommunications sector, with the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) on track to gain the ability to independently audit service quality within the next several months. Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications Daryl Vaz shared this update during an official ministerial briefing hosted by the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) at Kingston’s PCJ Building Thursday, speaking with JIS CEO Giovanni Dennis. For years, consumers across Jamaica have lodged consistent complaints about pervasive telecom service failures, from frequent dropped calls to unexpected diversion of incoming calls directly to voicemail. Until now, the regulatory body has lacked the independent tools to confirm these consumer reports against the mandatory minimum service standards already enshrined in Jamaican law, Vaz explained. “There is a minimum quality of service level that has been established. I think the issue has been that the OUR has not had a way to independently verify the metrics,” he told attendees. Vaz also clarified that ongoing service challenges long predate the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island in October 2025. While the storm exacerbated existing connectivity issues, the two dominant telecom providers operating in Jamaica — Digicel and Flow — have advised the ministry that full post-hurricane infrastructure restoration, including realignment of damaged network antennas and other critical repairs, is scheduled for completion by July of this year. Even with full restoration finished, however, Vaz warned that the sector’s deep-seated quality problems will not be resolved by repair work alone. “I do believe that the equipment and the ability of the OUR to verify independently, and with their own equipment, the quality of service, will go a far way,” he said, noting that once the new verification tools are in place, the OUR will also gain the authority to levy legally mandated penalties against providers that fail to meet required service standards. Beyond the new testing equipment, Vaz signaled that broader sweeping reforms are on the horizon for Jamaica’s telecom sector, including upcoming reviews of the OUR’s institutional structure, existing telecom legislation, and the regulator’s enforcement powers. The minister also highlighted that increased market competition is a core pillar of the government’s strategy to improve service outcomes for consumers. Currently, the Jamaican market is controlled by two major providers, while a third licensed telecom operator has not yet fully launched its commercial services across the island. Vaz expressed optimism that the new entrant will be ready to begin full operations by the end of 2026, a shift that he expects will drive incumbents to improve their service quality to retain customers. “I do believe that competition will play a critical role in getting better quality service by telecoms,” he added.