Digicel Fiji still negotiating with Commerce Commission

Digicel Fiji has stopped selling the permanently sealed mobile handsets until further notice.

The company’s Commercial Director Daryn Mclean said Digicel met with the Commerce Commission officials late yesterday to try and resolve issues in relation to the commission not allowing the company to sell the sealed handsets.  

Mclean said the meeting was very constructive and they hope to conclude the outcomes over the next few days.

It has also been confirmed by Digicel that the sealed mobile handsets that the commission officials had confiscated yesterday, are still being retained by the commission.

Commission chairman Doctor Mahendra Reddy has been in meetings today and could not be reached for a comment.

Doctor Reddy earlier confirmed to Fijivillage that they have reason to believe that Digicel has allegedly engaged in deceptive, restrictive and unfair trade practices during the months of October and November with the launch of permanently sealed phone handsets.

He said while the commission has signed an agreement on Tuesday which obligates Digicel to stop such practices upon running out of the existing stock of permanently sealed handsets, the commission had received new evidence that a new handset with battery and sim sealed were released in the market by Digicel.

He said the commission had clearly informed Digicel on Tuesday that the sale of permanently sealed handsets is not allowed.

Story by: Vijay Narayan