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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2016
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 13. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Regulatory and Litigation Matters The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to certain regulatory and legal proceedings and other claims arising in the ordinary course of business, some of which involve claims for damages and taxes that are substantial in amount. The Company believes that, except for the items discussed below, for which the Company is currently unable to predict the final outcome, the disposition of proceedings currently pending will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. As of September 30, 2016 the Company had approximately $10.6 million in letters of credit payable to USAC outstanding to cover its Mobility Fund obligations and there were no drawdowns against these letters of credit. The letters of credit accrue a fee at a rate of 1.75% per annum on the outstanding amounts. If the Company fails to comply with certain terms and conditions upon which the Mobility Funds are to be granted, or if it loses eligibility for Mobility Fund support, USAC will be entitled to draw the entire amount of the letter of credit applicable to the affected project including penalties. The results of the Company’s Mobility Fund projects are included in the Company’s “U.S. Telecom” segment. Currently, the Company’s Guyana subsidiary, GTT, holds a license to provide domestic fixed services and international voice and data services in Guyana on an exclusive basis until December 2030. Since 2001, the Government of Guyana has stated its intention to introduce additional competition into Guyana’s telecommunications sector. In connection therewith, the Company and GTT have met on several occasions with officials of the Government of Guyana to discuss potential modifications of GTT’s exclusivity and other rights under the existing agreement and license. On July 18, 2016, the Guyana Parliament passed telecommunications legislation, and on August 5, 2016, the legislation was signed into law, that introduces material changes to many features of Guyana’s existing telecommunications regulatory regime with the intention of creating a more competitive market. In contrast to prior legislative proposals, the legislation that passed does not include a provision that permits other telecommunications carriers to receive licenses automatically upon signing of the legislation, nor does it have the effect of terminating the Company’s exclusive license. Instead the legislation as passed requires the Minister of Telecommunications to conduct further proceedings and issue implementing orders to enact the various provisions of the legislation. The Company cannot predict the manner in which it will be implemented by the Minister of Telecommunications. In November 2016 the Government of Guyana invited the Company to discuss modifications of the Company’s exclusivity rights and other rights under its existing agreement and license. However, there can be no assurance that those discussions will be concluded before the Government issues new licenses contemplated by the legislation or at all, or that they will satisfactorily address contractual exclusivity rights. Although the Company believes that it would be entitled to damages or other compensation for any involuntary termination of its contractual exclusivity rights, it cannot guarantee that the Company would prevail in a proceeding to enforce its rights or that its actions would effectively halt any unilateral action by the Government. Historically, GTT has been subject to other litigation proceedings and disputes in Guyana that, while not conclusively resolved, to the Company’s knowledge have not been the subject of discussions or other significant activity in the last five years. It is possible, but not likely, that these disputes, as discussed below, may be revived. The Company believes that none of these additional proceedings would, in the event of an adverse outcome, have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operation or liquidity. In a letter dated September 8, 2006, the National Frequency Management Unit (“NFMU”) agreed that total spectrum fees in Guyana should not increase for the years 2006 and 2007. However, that letter implied that spectrum fees in 2008 and onward may be increased beyond the amount GTT agreed to with the Government. GTT has objected to the NFMU’s proposed action and reiterated its position that an increase in fees prior to development of an acceptable methodology would violate the Government’s prior agreement. In 2011, GTT paid the NFMU $2.6 million representing payments in full for 2008, 2009 and 2010. However, by letter dated November 23, 2011, the NFMU stated that it did not concur with GTT’s inference that the amount was payment in full for the specified years as it was their continued opinion that the final calculation for GSM spectrum fees was not agreed upon and was still an outstanding issue. By further letter dated November 24, 2011, the NFMU further rejected a proposal that was previously submitted jointly by GTT and Digicel which outlined a recommended methodology for the calculation of these fees. The NFMU stated that it would prepare its own recommendation which it would send to the Minister of Telecommunications for decision of the matter. GTT has paid undisputed spectrum fees according to the methodology used for its 2011 payments, and has reserved amounts payable according to this methodology. There have been no further discussions on this subject and GTT has not had the opportunity to review any recommendation made to the Minister. In November 2007, Caribbean Telecommunications Limited (“CTL”) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against GTT and ATN claiming breach of an interconnection agreement for domestic cellular services in Guyana and related claims. CTL asserted over $200 million in damages. GTT and ATN moved to dismiss the complaint on procedural and jurisdictional grounds. On January 26, 2009, the court granted the motions to dismiss the complaint on the grounds asserted. On November 7, 2009 and again on April 4, 2013, CTL filed a similar claim against GTT and the Public Utility Commission in the High Court of Guyana. The matter remained idle from the April 2013 filing until December 2015 when CTL filed a “Statement of Claim” reiterating the claims previously made in its prior filings. On April 7, 2016 the High Court of Guyana struck and dismissed CTL’s action as abandoned pursuant to the Court’s rules of civil procedure and the claim is no longer pending. On May 8, 2009, Digicel filed a lawsuit in Guyana challenging the legality of GTT’s exclusive license rights under Guyana’s constitution. Digicel initially filed this lawsuit against the Attorney General of Guyana in the High Court. On May 13, 2009, GTT petitioned to intervene in the suit in order to oppose Digicel’s claims and that petition was granted on May 18, 2009. GTT filed an answer to the charge on June 22, 2009 and the case is pending. The Company believes that any legal challenge to GTT’s exclusive license rights granted in 1990 is without merit and the Company intends to vigorously defend against such a legal challenge. GTT has filed several lawsuits in the High Court of Guyana asserting that, despite its denials, Digicel is engaged in international bypass in violation of GTT’s exclusive license rights, the interconnection agreement between the parties, and the laws of Guyana. GTT is seeking, among other things, injunctive relief to stop the illegal bypass activity, actual damages in excess of US$9 million and punitive damages of approximately US$5 million. Digicel filed counterclaims alleging that GTT has violated the terms of the interconnection agreement and Guyana laws. These suits, filed in 2010 and 2012, have yet to proceed to trial and it remains uncertain as to when a trial date may be set. GTT intends to vigorously prosecute these matters. GTT is also involved in several legal claims regarding its tax filings with the Guyana Revenue Authority dating back to 1991 regarding the deductibility of intercompany advisory fees as well as other tax assessments. Should GTT be held liable for any of the disputed tax assessments, totaling $44.1 million, the Company believes that the Government of Guyana would then be obligated to reimburse GTT for any amounts necessary to ensure that GTT’s return on investment was no less than 15% per annum for the relevant periods. The Company believes that some adverse outcome is probable and has accordingly accrued $5.0 million as of September 30, 2016 for these matters. The term of the Company’s telecommunications license to operate in Aruba expired on January 15, 2014. The government of Aruba informed the Company in January 2014 that a renewed license would be issued only upon payment by the Company of a fee in the amount of Afl 7.2 million (or approximately US$4 million). The Company is continuing to operate as it is actively contesting the assessment of such fee.

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