Licensing application, process for a licence, and consequence of contravening a licence

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, no person shall provide any telecommunication service except under and in accordance with a telecommunication service licence issued by the PUC to that person under this Part. (2) A licence shall be required in order to enable a person to– (a) operate a network, whether aeronautical, terrestrial or maritime fixed, mobile or satellite based; 23 (b) provide telecommunication services that offer real time voice or data services; (c) operate any system that uses scarce resources such as the radio frequency spectrum, numbering or public rights of way in order to provide telecommunication or broadcasting service to the public. (3) A licence shall confer on the licensee the privileges and subject him to the obligations provided in this Act or specified in the licence. (4) A person who wishes to land or operate submarine cables for the purpose of connecting to a telecommunications network within the territorial waters of Belize under Maritime Areas Act, shall first obtain a licence from the Minister in accordance with any regulations made by the Minister in that behalf under this Act, and the Minister is hereby authorised to make such CAP. 11. (5) An application for a licence shall be made in the prescribed manner and shall be accompanied by such fee, if any, as may be prescribed; and within fourteen days after the making of such an application, the applicant shall publish a notice of the application in the prescribed manner. (6) The PUC shall license such private and public telecommunications service providers as market conditions warrant. (7) The duration of the licence shall be for such period not exceeding fifteen years as may be determined by the PUC and specified in the licence. (8) The PUC shall make or establish regulations and procedures that govern the granting of licences. 24