DIGICEL finally launched its long-awaited 4G network on Monday, promising to transform mobile communications with high-speed Internet access.

Handsets will be transformed into multifunctional devices by the technology, said Mark Linehan, the company’s chief executive officer.

The launch of Digicel 4G Mobile means that customers can now surf websites; stream videos and share messages at a faster rate, he said.

“With 4G mobile, you can harness the latest technology on your mobile handset at a speed you have never seen before,” said Linehan.

The new service, based on the latest high speed packet access (HSPA+) technology, cost Digicel US$30 million ($2.6 billion), on top of its existing investment of over US$1 billion.

“It is really good that they are offering faster Internet access,” said Christina Isaacs, a sales representative at All Wet Beachwear, who attended the launch at the Waterfront in Kingston. It will be good for many businesses that rely on mobile to share photos, she added.

Ashleigh Gardner, a student, said that 4G will help her friends and family to share videos with her while she is studying abroad.

Digicel customers at the launch were given free activation of the 4G plan for a month. Subscription to the service costs $1,500 to $5,000 per month.

The network is Jamaica’s only island-wide 4G mobile network covering 80 per cent of the population.