MORE STAFF, a wider 4G network and venturing into information and communications technology (ICT) are all part of Digicel plans as it prepares to invest millions more in the Barbados market.
Chief executive officer Mark Linehan said Digicel was now far more than simply a mobile company but was now a full-fledged telecommunications entity.
“ICT is a part of our business. We used to be known as a mobile provider, but now we’re a full service provider which means we can deliver business solutions across Barbados – from direct Internet access to PBXs and telecommunications – a number of products which can improve efficiency by driving down costs,” he said.
Linehan, who was speaking during a media briefing yesterday at Digicel’s Warrens, St Michael, office to commemorate the company’s tenth anniversary, said there was a dearth of ICT products and services for local businesses and Digicel was aiming to fill that gap.
However, he said the company had not forgotten its mobile roots as they were about to embark on a major expansion of their 4G mobile network.
“Last November we invested an additional $25 million in our 4G network to double our capacity as over the last 12 months we have seen usage double, so there’s a huge and growing appetite for data.
“At the end of the month we plan for all our cell sites to have 4G capabilities and, looking forward, we are looking into investing another $10 million into the 4G network and other areas,” he said.
In addition, Linehan spoke of their mobile advertising thrust utilising SMS messaging and balance enquiry messaging as well as the return of the Digicel Fugitive, now with more social media support.
Concerning employment, the CEO said Digicel had increased its staff complement by 32 per cent in the last 12 months, hinting there might be opportunities to hire more staff as the company grew.
As for landline capabilities, Linehan said this was not on the front burner at the moment but the company was in the process of finalising agreements in that area.
The briefing was also used to pay homage to media practitioners for their assistance to the company over the years. (CA)
