Digicel Haiti also set new records of mobile growth in the region. Celebrating its first year anniversary since launching new service on May 3rd 2006, Digicel Haiti achieved a milestone of 1.4 million customers.
Operating in 22 markets, Digicel continues to experience sustained growth in existing markets as well as new markets. In April 2007, Digicel first entered the Central American market with the launch of mobile service in El Salvador. Later this year, Digicel plans to further expand its presence with a pending launch in Suriname.
"It's been an exciting financial year as we have expanded our reach beyond the Caribbean and received a resounding vote of confidence from the international financial community. Digicel enters the new financial year with strong growth prospects and a dedicated workforce that is committed to realizing our goals for 2007 and beyond," said Mr. Colm Delves, Digicel Group CEO.
Digicel's key milestones for 2007 to date include:
New Mobile Markets:
- Digicel Guyana launched under the Digicel brand name February 14, 2007, after Digicel acquired Cel*Star U Mobile, the second wireless operator in Guyana, in November 2006. The operation had 18,400 subscribers at the date of acquisition, which has now grown to more than 100,000 subscribers.
- Digicel El Salvador formally launched under the Digicel brand name on April 12, 2007 after the October 2006 acquisition of the El Salvador mobile operator, Digicel Holdings Limited (an unrelated company). The company has shown strong subscriber growth since acquisition.
" On April 23rd, Digicel was awarded a license to operate a GSM network in the newly liberalized market of Suriname. With a population of close to 500,000, Suriname's mobile penetration is estimated at just over 40 percent, which offers strong potential for growth. Digicel Suriname is expected to launch later this year.
New Partnerships:
- Vodafone " In February, Vodafone and Digicel entered into a partnership agreement to offer new roaming capabilities across Digicel's markets in the Caribbean and Bermuda and Vodafone's global network. Under the terms of the agreement, Vodafone and Digicel have become preferred roaming partners, offering customers a seamless world-class mobile experience while traveling on each others' network. Both companies are jointly developing innovative products and services that offer tremendous cost benefits, more solutions and greater value for customers.
- Huawei Technologies " In March 2007, Digicel partnered with Huawei Technologies to offer CDMA roaming in the Caribbean and Bermuda, making it the first GSM mobile operator in the region to simultaneously offer GSM and CDMA on its mobile network. In its initial stages, CDMA roaming is rolling out to five of Digicel's 22 markets, namely Jamaica, Bermuda, Aruba, Cayman Islands and Barbados.
Capital Markets and Bond Offering:
Digicel closed a US$ 1.4 billion corporate bond offering in February, representing the largest corporate bond offer in the Caribbean. Five-times over-subscribed, the issue enabled Mr. Denis O'Brien, founder and chairman of Digicel, to drive future growth opportunities and acquire 100 percent of ownership of the company.
Digicel's investment in the Caribbean and the Central American region exceeds US$1.5 billion. The company directly employs over 3,000 people across its 22 markets.
ENDS
Note to Editor:
Digicels measurement of subscribers is based on a highly conservative approach of a subscriber only being defined as active if that subscriber had a chargeable event in the last 30 days.
ABOUT DIGICEL
Since its launch in 2001, Digicel has become the fastest-growing wireless telecommunications operator in the Caribbean. Digicel is renowned for competitive rates, unbeatable coverage, superior customer care, a wide variety of products and services, and state-of-the-art handsets. It is the largest GSM operator in the region.
Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and has operations in twenty two markets, including Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, Curaçao, The Cayman Islands, Dominica, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and El Salvador. Digicel also has licenses in Guatemala and Suriname as well as coverage in St. Martin and St. Barths.
The company is the lead sponsor of sports teams including the West Indies Cricket Team, the El Salvador and Haiti Football Federation, as well as Special Olympics teams across the Caribbean amongst others.
Digicel is also title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Football Union Cup and in 2007 Digicel was title sponsor of the Central American Copa de Naciones Digicel 2007, both of which are important qualifiers towards the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
