Photo: Digicel

Digicel BVI CEO Declan Cassidy called on the Government to act quickly to ensure the on-going development of BVI as an ICT centre of excellence, following advancements within Antigua, TCI and Cayman LTE network infrastructure. “Following on from the Antiguan Government awarding Digicel the 700Mhz spectrum early last year, which allowed the company to launch the Caribbean’s only LTE network outside of Puerto Rico, the regulator in Turks and Caicos has also completed its licencing process and awarded 700MHz spectrum to Digicel. Further to this it is believed that the regulator in Cayman is about to award the LTE 700Mhz spectrum following the completion of a similar licencing process. In order for BVI to maintain its strong position as a world class financial hub we urge the Government and in turn the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC)to launch a selection process to identify the operator or operators who are best positioned to deliver a world class LTE network.” 

Mr Cassidy confirmed that Digicel BVI was capable of efficiently delivering an LTE network that would deliver superfast mobile broadband across BVI. “We are very fortunate that we can access the extensive investment Digicel made in Antigua and Barbuda last year by sharing much of the technical infrastructure required for an LTE network locally and by leveraging this experience Digicel is well placed to roll out and launch an advanced LTE network.”  With a successful launch in Antigua and Barbuda, plus a pending launch in Turks and Caicos Digicel also hopes to be successful in the Cayman Islands. Mr Cassidy continued “Based on previous success, the Digicel board have approved expenditure for further LTE network roll outs and it would be regrettable if BVI misses out as a result of the TRC not being enabled to mirror the actions of the regulators in other Caribbean Islands.” 

Digicel’s LTE launch in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2012 has been a great success, with the people of those islands now accessing world class internet speeds at home, work and on the go. The demand has been so strong for Digicel's LTE home internet – which offers speeds as high as 30Mbps - that the company has already expanded its network capacity twice since launch. 

Digicel North Eastern Caribbean CEO, Victor Corcoran, said; “Digicel was the key driver in the evolution of Antigua and Barbuda’s telecommunications landscape when it launched the region’s first LTE network. Today, we are eager to invest in a similar vision for BVI by using LTE to ensure that every sector in the economy will benefit from the technology and cementing BVI as an ICT leader for the Caribbean.” 

Mr Cassidy confirmed that Digicel had written to the Right Honourable Premier, Dr Orlando Smith, along with the TRC confirming Digicel’s interest in a  roll out of LTE.  The company explained that it will engage fully in a fair and transparent license approval process for the 700MHz spectrum and is primed to ensure an affordable, LTE broadband network is in place as soon as possible.  

ABOUT LTE AND 700 MHz SPECTRUM

4G LTE is the latest standard for wireless communication of high-speed data. LTE is an excellent, easily deployable technology, offering high speeds and improved latencies over long distances. Expected speeds for LTE technology available today can be as high as 100Mbps for downloads, with real-life speeds on busy networks averaging5Mpbs.   

700MHz spectrum is the preferred spectrum for deployment of LTE networks. Operators with standard GSM networks – such as those in BVI, prefer  the lower portion of the 700 MHz spectrum as this is becoming the spectrum standard and has been used by AT&T .That AT&T is rolling out in the frequency range ensures that there will be a large range of affordable devices that will work on LTE and the GSM network at affordable prices – thus benefiting customers. Since further division of the spectrum could result in a proportional reduction in LTE speed, operators have been urging regulators to award the spectrum to one provider based on the best proposal. The Governments and regulators in Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman and Turks and Caicos have all followed this approach. 

ABOUT DIGICEL

Digicel Group Limited is a leading global communications provider with operations in 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. After 12 years of operation, total investment to date stands at over US$4.5 billion worldwide. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network. 

Digicel runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes. 

Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams and individuals including the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt and Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel also sponsors the West Indies cricket team.  Since 2012, Digicel has been the title sponsor of the Myanmar Football Federation and the Myanmar Special Olympics Federation. 

Visit www.digicelgroup.com for more information.