Caricel Jamaica is making a contribution to nation-building by providing its 4G LTE services to five schools in the corporate area and two in St Catherine.

Caricel says that the move is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility thrust, which aims to use technology as a tool to enhance the value received by students in classrooms around the country.

“As an almost infinite source of information, access to reliable Internet services has become an integral part of educational systems across the globe. Caricel, with this programme, is doing its part to ensure Jamaican students have access to this invaluable resource, by providing free installation and data service,” the company added.

The five participating Corporate Area institutions are Trinitarian School, Union Garden Infant School, Seaward Primary, St Theresa Primary and the Deokoro Magnet School for gifted children.

Caricel CEO Lowell Lawrence, speaking on the rationale behind the initiative, said that it was well established that education is one of the most important building blocks for national development.

“However, education in this day and age is no longer about just reading books. Having access to the Internet provides educators and students with many useful and creative tools that will help to prepare our children to compete in a modern world. This is why we thought it was so important for Caricel to get involved and help in any way possible,” he stated.

Commenting on the involvement of her school in the Caricel programme, Seaward Primary Principal Arlene Thomas noted that she and her students were overjoyed to be included in the amazing programme.

“Prior to Caricel stepping in, we were without Internet which, in turn, limited the resources available to teachers and students. So far, we have experienced good speed and a very reliable service and, most importantly, an increase in the material we have available to offer our students. We look forward to the continuation of this programme,” she said.

Caricel says it is the only Jamaican-owned, facilities-based telecommunications company and represents an investment of more than US$80 million.

The company was founded in 2014, and is operated by an executive management team and board of directors that combine decades of local and international knowledge in the fields of wireless technology, finance, IT, network operations, law, regulatory and telecommunications policy, strategy, marketing, media, and banking.

In 2016, the Spectrum Management Authority (SMA) approved the company’s licence for spectrum in the 700MHz band at a price of more than US$20 million for a period of 15 years. Since then, the company has successfully provided Jamaica with its first LTE Advanced network, and services in the Kingston Metropolitan Area, with plans to expand islandwide.

In January, Caricel Jamaica said that it continued to provide world-class service to its more than 15,000 clients, despite the significant legal challenges being faced by the company.