New Phone Rates Contributing to the Digital Divide in Malta

Last week the Malta Communications Authority approved higher telephone rates for landlines operated by Maltacom, Malta's online landline phone service provider. This price hike came just days after Maltacom announced an 11.8% increase in its operating profit.

The ISP Trade Section of the Malta Chamber of Commerce is now warning that the new tariffs "can only further widen the digital divide that all countries are doing their utmost to bridge rather than widen."

The new rates will undoubtedly have on impact on Internet use in the Maltese islands via dial-up accounts. There will be no more connecting to the Internet for the value of one pulse for several hours. On the up side, however, this may improve the performance of Internet dial-up services after 6pm from now on.

Like the ISP trade group, I am most surprised that whilst Maltacom requested a charge of a pulse per 60 minutes in off-peak hours, the approved charge is a pulse per 30 minutes. I really can't understand why a higher tariff than that requested by service provider was approved by the MCA.

I also wonder if there's a hidden agenda here to move all Internet users to broadband connections.

Mixed Emotions

The Eurovision Song Contest semi-final is on tonight. However, I'm having a hard time feeling good about it because my thoughts are saturated with the horrible events in Iraq. I'm referring to both the atrocities committed by American soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison as well as the decapitation of Nick Berg by al-Qaida affiliates.

What's more, I will not be able to watch the first hour or two of the Eurovision TV show live this evening because I will be travelling on a train between Long Island and New York City.

Anyway, let's hope that Julie and Ludwig do well tonight. If they do I suppose I'll feel a little better tomorrow than I do today.

The Maltese Language as a Badge of Distinction

I was saddened today to become aware (once again!) of the weak status we Maltese often give to the Maltese language. These feelings were re-ignited this morning by the somewhat apt comments of Joseph Eynaud, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Malta.

In an exclusive interview to MaltaMedia.com, Eynaud points out that "in the last plenary session of the EP in Strasbourg only one Maltese MEP spoke Maltese." I wonder who of the 5 current Maltese MEPs spoke Maltese: John Attard-Montalto, Jason Azzopardi, Josef Bonnici, Mario De Marco, or George Vella?

This should undoubtedly make us (those who love the Maltese language) stand up and take note of the candidate pool for the upcoming MEP elections. In this regard, I am less inclined to be concerned with politics (in the partisan sense) and more with thinking about who of the candidates is likely to embrace the Maltese language during their interventions at the EU Parliament.

Next week I'll come back with a short-list of the candidates for the June election I believe hold the Maltese language as a badge of distinction.