Vodafone and Digicel have announced a partnership agreement to offer new roaming capabilities across Digicel's markets in the Caribbean and Bermuda and Vodafone's global network. The agreement also extends to Digicel's sister operation in Samoa.

In addition, under the terms of the agreement Vodafone and Digicel will become preferred roaming partners offering customers a seamless world-class mobile experience whilst they travel on each others' network.

Both Vodafone and Digicel will market co-branded roaming capabilities, offering pre-paid and post-paid customers easy access to their voice mail and customer service using their standard short codes, as well as better value for both voice and data services. With some variation from market to market, initial services available will include Voice and GPRS Roaming services with plans in place to shortly include Top Up offerings.

For Digicel, which also has roaming agreements with 245 partners in 130 countries around the world, the partnership allows the company to expand the number of countries where it offers pre-paid roaming.

The companies will aim to work together to jointly develop innovative products and services as well as purchase handsets, creating cost benefits, greater value and more solutions for customers. Vodafone and Digicel will co-operate in marketing and delivering mobile services to multi-national corporate customers.

Matthias Jungemann, Partner Markets Director at Vodafone, said, "Our agreement with Digicel means that Vodafone customers can now access their services while traveling across the Caribbean. No other mobile operator can offer the kind of global footprint Vodafone now has for easy to use, great value roaming services. Including Digicel, Vodafone's branded roaming services will be now available in 81 countries.

"Given Digicel's footprint in the region, the company was a clear choice as our preferred roaming partner for the Caribbean. We look forward to extending the benefits of this partnership, not only in delivering our innovative roaming capabilities, but also working together in how we can purchase smarter and how we can deliver a superior mobile service for multi-national corporate customers."

CEO of Digicel Group, Colm Delves added, "This is very significant for both Digicel and Vodafone and the first step of an exciting relationship. Our customers in the Caribbean and Bermuda will now have access to a wider spectrum of products and services especially when they travel abroad.
With this partnership, we are once again bringing our markets to another level in terms of breadth and depth of service offering."

He added, "Co-branding will further boost the brand reach of both partners globally. We are bringing together the Digicel and Vodafone names, which in turn will increase roaming traffic by gaining access to more international travellers."

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