The Executives of Telecom Fiji Limited and Digicel Fiji Limited have started talks to try and see if an amicable solution can be reached over debts owed by both companies.

The meeting relates to the winding up petition which was issued in the Suva High Court earlier by Digicel against TFL as Digicel claims that they are owed over $880,000 in relation to the inter-connectivity arrangements between the two parties.

However, the winding up petition was stayed by the Chief Registrar Ana Rokomokoti last week and the case is proceeding to hearing as the two companies are at logger heads over the amount of money each owes the other.

The case was called again yesterday, and in their pleading TFL claims that they provided Digicel with an interim inter-connectivity rate of 21 cents for the Mobile termination rate and 9.9 cents for the fixed termination rate which was to end in December 2008 and was a means of letting the new player into the market.

TFL also claims that Digicel owes them an estimated $1.08 million for providing inter-connectivity services for both overseas and local calls. They also claim that Digicel owes them over $500,000 for the use of TFL's towers around the country.

But, Digicel maintains that the inter-connectivity rates offered to them in October last year remains in place as the Commerce Commission has not made a final determination on the inter-connectivity arrangements.

TFL in its pleadings also agrees that it owes Digicel for landline calls to Digicel mobiles amounting to $758,000, an amount also in dispute.

TFL's legal counsel Devinesh Sharma confirms the two parties are expected to try and reach an out of court settlement on the matter while the case will proceed as normal.

The matter has been set for hearing on February 10th, 2010 before the Chief Registrar.