Digicel LAUNCHED

At a gala media launch at Club Zen where models displayed 15 types of phones on sale, Digicel CEO Stephen Brewer said customers will be able to save up to 30 percent on daytime calls and 25 percent on nighttime calls. “No matter what the circumstance, our network will always be up and running, it will never break down,” he assured.

Brewer said because of delays in getting the company off the ground, “we have gotten better and better and we are much more ready to serve TT. It has taken nine months since the concession on June 24, and it has been a long, hard stage,” Brewer said.

Partnering with Ericsson, world leaders in GSM technology, he said the company is offering crystal clear coverage from Icacos to Charlotteville, areas that never before received a mobile telecommunications option. In addition, he stated that there will be over 10,000 top up locations nationwide; 190 retail stores in Trinidad with 24 flagship stores and ten stores in Tobago including one flagships store. These stores are expected to open to the public from 6 am today. Over 80,000 persons have pre-registered to access Digicel’s services. With the predicted influx of persons to stores today, Brewer assured that security measures were in place to deal with the crowd. He said since persons had pre-registered, they will be connected to Digicel’s service within a few minutes so other customers will not have a long wait.

Elaborating on the company’s mobile service plan for customers was Rachel Hehir, Digicel’s operations director who stated that the company will be offering both the pre-paid and post paid service. She said two plans will be available on the pre-paid — the daytime plan and the night time plan. Evening rates, she said, will cost as little as 55 cents per minute while daytime rates cost $1.25 per minute.

“Everything we quote, whether it is a handset rate, top up card, charges for prepaid and post paid phones are VAT inclusive, so what the prices we advertise is what you actually pay,” Hehir said. Also, all top up cards purchased will have a 365 day air time, this means that credit does not expire for a year, she stated.

The company is also offering roll over minutes, free text messages for every top-up card purchased and dropped call compensation. They are also introducing a system where persons can pay their bills using top up cards.

“So if you owe $100 on your post paid bill you can purchase a $100 top-up card, enter it on the phone and you will automatically pay your bill,” Hehir stated.

She revealed that Digicel invested nearly $1.9 billion in the market and has a highly-trained workforce of over 300.

Contacted yesterday for a comment on Digicel’s launch, TSTT’s Corporate Communications Manager, Camille Salandy stated, “all I can say is that we wish Digicel all the best.”