MONTEGO BAY, St James — Having so far pumped US$85 million into rebuilding and upgrading its network in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, Flow Jamaica on Tuesday signalled further commitment to the country with the launch of its B2B arm, Liberty Business Jamaica.

During the event, held in Montego Bay, vice-president and general manager of Flow and Liberty Business Jamaica, Stephen Price, hinted that the company is on the cusp of a 5G roll-out and also announced plans to establish a headquarters in the western city.

“You may have felt some challenges on the mobile network over the past couple of weeks. We are in the middle of not only investing in upgrades, we’re investing in the next generation technology and in a few weeks you may hear me shout ‘five’,” Price announced, to thunderous applause from the strong turnout of the business sector and other stakeholders.

He did not elaborate, but said customers who have received notices to change their SIM cards should do so to prepare for faster service that is expected soon. The Jamaica Observer reported last March that Flow Jamaica was aiming for a December 2025 full shift to a 100 per cent fibre network, a critical step in efforts to position its infrastructure for future technologies such as 5G.

On Tuesday, Price painted the big picture behind the launch of Liberty Business Jamaica, formerly Flow Business.

“Today represents more than the unveiling of a new brand, it marks the continued evolution of a company that has grown alongside Jamaica’s own digital journey for decades. We’re also very deliberate in choosing Montego Bay for this launch, and one of the things I can announce officially, [is] we are doubling down on Montego Bay, and we’re going to launch and open our own Liberty Business headquarters in Montego Bay,” he said.

Price said the company chose the western city, in part because of its strategic importance to Jamaica’s tourism and business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors, both of which were heavily affected during last October’s passage of Hurricane Melissa. He said Liberty Business was able to provide emergency connectivity through satellite and mobile solutions to businesses in the west following the Category 5 hurricane, and maintained mobile service in sections of Montego Bay during the crisis.

“Some of you had immediate needs that we were able to address right away using satellites and mobile solutions. I’m also proud to say that in the aftermath of the storm we were largely the only mobile network running in Montego Bay,” he said.

According to Price, network traffic has risen by almost 40 per cent since Hurricane Melissa, which he said reflects Jamaica’s accelerating shift toward digital services.

He pointed out that the US$85-million pumped into repairing the damage from Hurricane Melissa came on the back of investments made after Hurricane Beryl in 2024.

“It’s a significant cost to the business, but not a cost when we’re investing in the Jamaican business community and our people,” he noted.

Price said much of the recovery work in Montego Bay involved moving aerial transmission infrastructure underground and replacing outdated copper systems with fibre.

“What we’re proud of is that, within two to three months the business community was largely restored and operational again. Still, some pockets remain, but we will not give up until every last one is restored,” he assured, adding that several mobile sites in St James are now supported by satellite back-up.

Price pointed out that Liberty Business operates one of the Caribbean’s largest digital infrastructure systems, supported by approximately 50,000 kilometres of sub-sea fibre and more than 17,000 kilometres of terrestrial fibre across 30 markets.

“We are a supplier to businesses, we are a supplier to our competitors. We supply our main competitors. We supply Starlink with connectivity,” he declared.

He said the experience after Hurricane Melissa reinforced the role of communications infrastructure in national resilience and business continuity.

“Technology is not abstract. The solutions we provide have a direct impact on livelihoods and national resilience,” said the Flow Jamaica executive.

Price said the company has restored 82 per cent of its fixed network customers and is continuing work to reconnect the remaining 18 per cent, while mobile services are largely back to normal.

For his part, Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon said the city’s rapid urban growth has sharply increased housing demand and pressure on infrastructure, driven largely by migration into the tourism and BPO sectors. He noted that digital solutions such as smart data centres, resilient networks, and advisory services can support sustainable planning, improve municipal services, and help position the city as Jamaica’s leading destination for investment, while welcoming expanded partnership from Liberty Business beyond ICT alone.

“In short, this launch is a story of convergence: a company redefining its identity, a city undertaking modernity, and a nation embracing digital transformation. Together, these threads weave a narrative of resilience, opportunity, and progress. So we are not merely hosting a brand launch; we are embracing a partner in [this] journey to become a safe, vibrant, and digitally empowered city,” Vernon said.

Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon speaking during the launch of Liberty Business Jamaica in Montego Bay on Tuesday.

Stakeholders at the launch of Liberty Business Jamaica on Tuesday in Montego Bay