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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 14. 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. 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. The legislation does not 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, including the issuance of competing licenses. The Company cannot predict the manner in which or when the legislation will be implemented by the Minister of Telecommunications. In January 2018 the Government of Guyana and the Company met to discuss modifications of the Company’s exclusivity rights and other rights under its existing agreement and license. Those discussions are on-going, 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 such discussions will satisfactorily address the Company’s 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 the Company believes unlikely, 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 NFMU’s continued opinion that the final calculation for 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 another communications provider that outlined a recommended methodology for the calculation of these fees. The NFMU stated that it would prepare its own recommendation for consideration by the Minister of Telecommunications, who would decide 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 limited further discussions on this subject and GTT has not had the opportunity to review any recommendation made by the NFMU 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. In November 2009 and again in April 2013, CTL filed and then abandoned a similar claim against GTT and the Public Utility Commission in the High Court of Guyana. CTL once more filed a similar claim against the Company in December 2017, seeking damages of $25 million; however, this matter was dismissed in May 2018. CTL made an untimely filing for an appeal thereafter, which the court subsequently denied. The Company continues to believe this claim is without merit and intends to vigorously defend against it. On May 8, 2009, a GTT competitor, 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. On May 13, 2009, GTT petitioned to intervene in the suit in order to oppose Digicel’s claims and GTT’s petition was granted on May 18, 2009. GTT filed an answer to the charge on June 22, 2009. The case remains 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 defend vigorously against such 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 injunctive relief to stop the illegal bypass activity and money damages. 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 been consolidated with Digicel’s constitutional challenge described above and is scheduled to proceed to trial in the second quarter of 2019. GTT intends to prosecute these matters vigorously. 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. The Company maintains that any liability GTT might be found to have with respect to the disputed tax assessments, totaling $44.1 million, would be offset in part by the 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 December 31, 2018 for these matters. Lease Commitments and Other Obligations The Company leases approximately 2.5 million square feet for its operations centers, administrative offices and retail stores as well as certain tower sites under non‑cancelable operating leases. The Company’s obligations for payments under these leases are as follows at December 31, 2018 (in thousands):
2019 |  | $ | 21,941 |
2020 |  |  | 18,813 |
2021 |  |  | 12,406 |
2022 |  |  | 8,466 |
2023 |  |  | 4,142 |
Thereafter |  |  | 5,991 |
Total obligations under operating leases |  | $ | 71,759 |
Rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was $21.1 million, $20.9 million and $19.8 million, respectively.

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