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Digicel covers 97% of the population cell service- Digicel’s CEO

Jun 28, 2011 News

For the four years that the telecommunications giant Digicel has been in Guyana the company has attracted over 500,000 subscribers and is the number one mobile provider in the country, according to Chief Executive Officer, Digicel Guyana, Gregory Dean.
The CEO said that geographically the company covers three per cent of the country but 97 per cent of the population. “That gives you an idea of how big a country it is and how challenging some of the areas are…We have managed to overcome and employ solar solutions which are working very well in some of the remote areas, and which have made a huge difference.”
Noting that there are regulatory issues, Mr Dean said there is need to have a level playing field in which to operate. However, although there has been a domestic competition the company would like to also compete on the international scene, while offering more services to customers.
He said that past statements from Guyana Telephone and Telegraph reveal that 85 per cent of that company’s revenue is being gained from the international market. Digicel does not have a foot in that market.
Underscoring that it is not a liberalized market, the CEO said Digicel thinks it is unconstitutional in the telecommunication market and has gone to court challenging the state of affairs.
He said that anything dealing with international calls has to come through GT&T and at the end of the months cheques have to be written. “We would like the opportunity to send and receive our own international calls.”
Noting that the first 20 years of the monopoly had finished for GT&T, the CEO of Digicel Guyana said that GT&T has applied for a further 20 year monopoly. This is being done pending telecommunications reform.
He explained that Digicel would like the issue of the telecommunications market to be resolved through the courts or through changes in legislation so there is some certainty.
Dean said that Digicel’s opinion is that the company, from a competitive perspective, has a better product in terms of quality of overall service, wide coverage, and a better product with a better value.
Adding that since Digicel entered the telecommunications market in Guyana many industries have benefitted, Dean said services provided by Digicel directed and indirectly have benefitted Guyanese.
He noted that the interior locations and remote areas now have quality coverage for the first time. They have affordability.
The CEO said that for the four years Digicel has entered the telecommunications market it has made a significant contribution. However, this cannot be compared to GT&T since that company has been around for the past 20 years.
“Since launching operations in Guyana, Digicel has brought an unbeatable mobile service to the people of Guyana and we believe that Guyanese have a right to the same quality and affordability of service with their international calls,” the CEO added
Digicel has repeatedly pointed out that it has already invested in the infrastructure to offer its customers international dialing, and has consistently called on GT&T to put terms on the table rather than saying it is ready to discuss the monopoly with government. The two telecommunication providers have clashed in the past over the issue, trading remarks and running promotional campaigns.
Digicel had filed a suit to challenge the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) monopoly on international traffic to and from Guyana. The ongoing issue of liberalization in the telecommunications sector has spilled into the courts.
The court move, which challenges GT&T’s exclusive licence to carry international traffic, follows an aggressive campaign by the service provider for an end to the monopoly in the market on international voice and data.

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