One Comm offering free mobile devices for customers

Sep 12, 2026 News

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…as company rolls out country-wide upgrade of internet services

(Kaieteur News) – As utility service providers across Guyana urge customers to cut back on usage, One Communications, the country’s largest mobile and telephone service provider is taking a different approach. The company is gearing up to rollout a massive connectivity exercise which will upgrade and expand internet service and provide free handsets for customers to experience greater speed and reliability at no additional cost.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Abraham Smith made the announcement on Friday during an engagement with the media at the company’s office at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, Kingston, Georgetown.

The initiative forms part of One Communications’ broader investment in building a stronger, faster, and more reliable network capable of supporting the growing demand for modern digital services across Guyana. As older 2G technology is retired, spectrum and network resources are being repurposed to support enhanced LTE services, improved voice quality, better coverage, and faster mobile data experiences.

The company said that 21 coastal communities have already been upgraded along the East Bank, East Coast and Berbice corridors. One Communications is now preparing for the final stages of the coastal 2G modernisation initiative. The upgrade is part of a broader US$25 million investment programme aimed at strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and supporting rapidly growing demand for connectivity.

Further, the upgrades form part of a multi-year network modernisation programme designed to increase network capacity, improve customer experience, migrate customers to modern technologies and prepare for future network expansion.

Approximately 5,100 remaining customers across Georgetown, East Coast Demerara, West Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo will be transitioned through three remaining upgrade clusters scheduled for completion by October 2026.

These final phases will cover communities including Georgetown, Sophia, Stabroek, Ogle Road, Enterprise, Wales, Belladrum, Cottage, Fyrish, New Amsterdam Central, Anna Regina, Charity, Supenaam, Suddie, Leonora, Parika, Tuschen and Windsor Forest.

At the same time, One Communications continues to bring modern LTE technology to remote communities through the upgrade of seven hinterland sites. To date, LTE upgrades have been successfully completed in Annai and Kurupukari with work currently underway in Lethem, Lethem Central, Mabaruma and Port Kaituma.

These locations are expected to be completed within the next two months, delivering substantially improved connectivity, faster internet speeds and an enhanced customer experience for residents, businesses and visitors in Guyana’s hinterland regions.

One Comm said the investment is crucial to meet the growing customer demand for mobile connectivity. According to statistics released by the company, year-to-date, mobile data traffic on its network has increased by 28%, while average data consumption per customer has grown by 23%, rising from 17.3GB to 21.3GB.

The CEO said, “Guyana is experiencing an extraordinary period of economic and digital transformation. More people are connected, businesses are becoming more digital, communities are expanding and customers are consuming more data than ever before. Our investment isn’t simply about keeping pace with telecommunications. It’s about keeping pace with Guyana.”

The company noted that mobile usage globally and regionally is increasing at unprecedented rates as consumers, businesses and governments rely more heavily on digital services. “The same trend is evident in Guyana, where internet penetration now exceeds 80% of the population and customers are increasingly choosing to stay connected every day through longer-duration plans and always-on mobile services,” according to One Comm.

One Communications hopes to retire the 2G network across the nation by 31^st October, 2026. When this system is shut down, customers with old devices will not be able to access mobile data services. The company is therefore urging customers with old handsets to visit a nearby store to receive a free mobile device that is compatible with the upgraded internet service. The service provider said that at least 5,100 customers will be affected by the upgrade and will require new devices.

The company said sms messages, whatsapp and even calls were made to customers indicating that free phones will be available to them. However, most seem to be unconvinced or willing to make the inevitable change.

“We’ve announced that to the PUC (Public Utilities Commission) that by the end of October, all our 2G network in Georgetown that’s still sitting there for a couple of people who have those flashlight phones still, they will have to upgrade. We have done campaigns; we’ve messaged everybody that got a flashlight phone to say come and upgrade your phone…the challenge is we don’t do it until it stops working. We can message and message and message and customers will wait.”

The company is not only offering free phones, but handsets at reduced prices to facilitate these customers.

For more information about the upgrade process, customers can: Visit the website https://onecommgroup.com/gy/2g-decommissioning/ or call 0663.

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• 2G technology, free mobile devices, LTE services, One Communications

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