DIGICEL BARBADOS’ chief executive officer Barry O’Brien believes the local economy benefits from the increased cellphone penetration, which came about as a result of the company’s entry into Barbados.
Speaking during a Press conference at Hilton Barbados yesterday in recognition of Digicel Barbados’ seventh anniversary, he said studies showed that there was a direct correlation between gross domestic product and the number of mobile handsets in the marketplace or the percentage of people who have mobile handsets.
“Mobile handsets enable commerce. From your high-end spending corporate clients right down to the guy who is spending only a dollar or two per month, it’s important for everybody. I think we have made a great difference not only to mobile telecommunication but to the entire economy,” he said.
“Straight after the actual launch there was a fundamental shift in the prices, the value being offered and the way mobile telecoms actually operated here. We brought in innovations like per second billing [and] cheaper international calls and mobile penetration here in Barbados increased dramatically,” he stated.
O’ Brien said up until the financial year which ended on March 31, 2010, the group turned over US$2.2 billion and 12 million customers.
He attributed this level of success to four things: technology, value, customer care and giving back to the community.
Moving forward, he said Digicel would focus on moving into the information and communications technology (ICT) market and would do this through internal growth, partnerships and acquisitions.
He noted that the recently announced strategic partnership with Netxar Technologies would enable them to offer more ICT solutions to businesses.
“With corporate and public sector customers looking for the best and most advanced ICT systems and processes while keeping a keen eye on cost control, the Digicel/Netxar combination will allow customers
to optimize their ICT infrastructure and save money which is very important, especially as the world contends with the current recession,” he said. (NB)
