DIGICEL TO LAUNCH 4G WiMAX ACROSS JAMAICA

Digicel Jamaica today unveiled details of its upcoming Digicel Broadband service which will deliver wireless broadband internet services at never before seen speeds to the Jamaican population.

Digicel has secured a license in the 2.5Ghz spectrum for the deployment of wireless broadband services. With it, Digicel will rollout 4G WiMAX services offering true multi megabit per second personal wireless broadband with speeds significantly faster than current 3G offerings.

The Digicel Broadband service will be easy to access and affordable. The service will be true ‘plug ‘n play’ as users will be able to plug in a simple small wireless device to their computers (laptops or PCs) or other Internet-ready devices and they will be connected to the world wide web. The Digicel Broadband service makes “personal broadband” a reality. By putting users in control in the same way that they are in control of their mobile phones, they can take their broadband service with them and access it when they are on the go.  That’s the magic of wireless broadband.

Mobile WiMAX is a standards-based technology that will turn cities and towns into giant Internet hotspots enabling customers to receive fast, reliable and affordable broadband Internet services at work, at home or on the go.

Set to launch in second quarter of 2010, Digicel Broadband will, on day one, cover 60% of the population with coverage in all 14 parishes – with further roll out continuing across Jamaica driven by customer demand. Network roll out commences this month (September).

Digicel paid US$1.2 million for its license and will invest a total of US$22.7 million in the first year of the project. Creating 60 new jobs, Digicel Broadband will have dedicated technical, customer care and sales and marketing resources.

Mark Linehan, CEO of Digicel Jamaica, said; “We’re going to shake things up. Only eight years ago, Digicel entered the mobile market in Jamaica and turned it on its head. Today, we have two million customers connected on Jamaica’s Bigger, Better network benefiting from the best service and the best value available.

He continues; “We want to do to broadband what we did to mobile in Jamaica. Customers will be able to experience the multiple benefits of 4G technology in terms of flexibility, affordability, coverage, bandwidth and security.

“We have had phenomenal demand for our personal WiMAX services in the Cayman Islands – and have had huge success with our corporate fixed WiMAX solution here in Jamaica. Digicel is bringing 4G to Jamaica and it is going to be fantastic.”