Caribbean mobile service provider Digicel has seen its subscriber base increase significantly across all its markets throughout the Caribbean and Central America. According to recently released data, the end of the fourth quarter (March 2008) saw Digicel with 6.54 million customers, representing a 39 per cent increase compared to the same quarter in the previous financial year. This means that Digicel has added 1.8 million subscribers in a year. The company's measurement of subscribers is based on a highly conservative approach of a subscriber only being defined as "active" if that subscriber had a changeable event in the last 30 days.

As far as Jamaica is concerned, Digicel now has 1.9 million subscribers with two million in Haiti after just two years there.

Now in 23 markets, Digicel is reporting growth in all its markets and is particularly encouraged by performances in El Salvador, Guyana, Suriname and the French West Indies. It will be launching its service in the British Virgin Islands later this year.

What is clear is that since its launch in Jamaica back in 2001, Digicel continues to experience organic growth in both existing markets while establishing a presence in new markets.

In November of last year, Digicel launched its operations in Suriname thus helping to drive mobile penetration growth from 55 per cent to close to 70 per cent there.

Digicel plans to further expand later this year with a pending launch in the British Virgin Islands, while Digicel Central America Holdings, a sister company to Digicel Group, prepares to launch in Honduras and Panama. These launches will expand Digicel's GSM network to 26 markets. Digicel's investment in the Caribbean and the Central American region now exceeds US$2 billion with 4,000 employees across the region.

"We're very excited about our ability to sustain growth opportunities in existing markets while picking up momentum in new ones, and we've had one of our most successful financial years to date," said Digicel Group CEO, Colm Delves.

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