Digicel Buys Pacific Operator

The Pan-Caribbean operator, Digicel has jumped over the Americas into the Pacific and brought Telecom Samoa. Digicel Samoa with its local partner, CSL Mobile will launch a GSM network in October 2006. Telecom Samoa's existing subscriber base of approximately 30,000 subscribers will be offered a transfer across from their existing TDMA network to the GSM network.

Vanessa Slowey has been appointed as CEO of Digicel Pacific, bringing to the position key management experience from the roll out of Digicel operations in the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti.

Mobile phone services will be available in many areas of Samoa where at present there is limited mobile phone access. It will also bring mobile phones to many places that currently do not have access to any telecommunications at all. Full roaming capabilities will be provided.

To date, Digicel has been awarded a GSM license from the Government of Samoa and from the Government of Papua New Guinea. In addition, it was granted a license in principal from the government of Fiji in April 2006, as well as an experimental license in the Solomon Islands.

Digicel Pacific Ltd is headed by Ms. Vanessa Slowey, who prior to joining Digicel Pacific, was instrumental in the roll out of Digicel operations in the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Haiti. Ms. Slowey said, "Our goal is to transform the market by offering services that place the Pacific region at the cutting edge of wireless technology, while challenging competitors in a manner that drives positive business development. We differentiate ourselves by delivering innovative technology and being passionate about providing the best mobile phone service to our customers."

Posted to the site on 15th September 2006