Telecoms news from Haiti

Digicel to Shut Down Haitian Subsidiary Network in October

Digicel Haiti has announced that it is closing down the network operated by its subsidiary company, Voila on the 15th October. ...more.

Former Haiti Teleco Director Jailed for Accepting Bribes

A former director of international relations at Haiti Teleco has been sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in a scheme to launder bribes paid to him by two Miami-based telecoms companies. ...more.

Digicel Group Acquires Voila in Haiti

Caribbean operator, Digicel Group has acquired Haitian mobile operator, Voila, from its parent company, US-based Trilogy International Partners, for an undisclosed sum. ...more.

Digicel Leads Project To Deliver High-Capacity Undersea Cable To Haiti

Digicel is participating in a project to deploy a submarine telecoms cable linking its network in Haiti to the rest of the Caribbean region, boosting capacity in the post-earthquake society. ...more.

Mobile phone data help track populations during disasters

Mobile phone positioning data can be used to monitor population movements during disasters and outbreaks. The study finds that reports on the location of populations affected and in need of assistance can be generated within hours of receiving data. ...more.

Digicel to Reach Mobile Banking Goal Set by the Haiti Mobile Money Initiative

Pan-Caribbean mobile network, Digicel says that it will be the first operator in Haiti to reach the goal of 10,000 mobile banking transactions as set by the Haiti Mobile Money Initiative. ...more.

Digicel Outlines Plans for Mobile Money Service in Haiti

Pan-Caribbean mobile network operator, Digicel has outlined details of the initial phase of its mobile money service project in Haiti which will deliver a range of mobile financial capabilities to the people of the earthquake hit country. ...more.

Digicel Distributes 19,000 Tents to Shelter More Than 100,000 Haitians

Local mobile network operator, Digicel has outlined details of its plans to distribute the 19,000 six-person tents which will provide shelter to more than 100,000 Haitians who are living in makeshift shelters following the January 12th earthquake which devastated Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas. ...more.

Gates Foundation and USAID Fund to Boost Mobile Money Services in Haiti

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have announced a $10 million incentive fund to jumpstart financial services by mobile phone in Haiti and expedite the delivery of cash assistance to victims of the country's devastating earthquake by humanitarian agencies. ...more.

Haiti state-run telecom's distant savior: Vietnam

Haiti state-run telecom's distant Internet savior is run by Vietnam's military ...more.

Vietnam's Viettel Invests in Haiti's Telecoms Market

Vietnam's largest mobile network operator, Viettel has signed a deal to upgrade Haiti's fixed line network in the country's largest foreign direct investment after the earthquake. ...more.

Haiti Earthquake Relief Sees Mobile Giving Gaining Ground in Europe

Following the disaster, 23.4% of all UK, French and German people surveyed donated to the Haitian Earthquake relief efforts. Of these donors, 21.4% had pledged money via text, and 7% by visiting a charitable website from their mobile device. ...more.

Coke, telecom lead investors to post-quake Haiti

Leaders say private investment is the key to Haiti's reconstruction ...more.

WiMAX Hotspots to be Deployed in Haiti

A network of WiMAX and Wi-Fi hotspots is to be set up in Haiti to assist in communications services for the ITU following the recent earthquake. ...more.

U.S. Team Assesses Haiti's Communications Needs

A U.S. team is on-the-ground in Haiti evaluating the status of the country's communications infrastructure and services following the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. ...more.

Digicel Haiti Now Has More Than 92% of Cell Sites Back on Air

Digicel says that major progress has been made in restoring its mobile network in Haiti. The operator said that over 92% of its base stations are now fully operational and the company has significantly increased its international circuits to support the major increase in international traffic into and out of the country. ...more.

Fitch: Digicel's Ratings Unaffected by Haiti Earthquake

Fitch Ratings does not anticipate changes to Digicel's ratings due to the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Digicel's diversified asset base and cash flow generation should temper pressure on credit quality, which is nonetheless expected to weaken as Haiti accounts for approximately 16% of consolidated revenues and 20% of EBITDA. ...more.

New tech tools help Haiti quake relief

Hundreds of tech volunteers spurred to action by Haiti's killer quake are adding a new dimension to disaster relief, developing new tools and services for first responders and the public in an unprecedented effort. ...more.

Mobile Phone Coverage Re-established in Port-au-Prince

Digicel has announced that its GSM network in Haiti is back up and running in Port-au-Prince following last weeks earthquake. ...more.

Ericsson Ships Emergency GSM Network to Haiti

The UN has requested that Ericsson deploy its Ericsson Response organization to aid relief work in disaster-stricken Haiti. Ericsson has had 20 volunteers on stand-by and will now send four, all telecom experts, to set up a container-based mini GSM-system to enable mobile communication in the area. ...more.