"We are very proud of taking and growing the market in the Caribbean and, as a result, cannot understand how the former monopolist in those markets has recently made claims of achieving the number one market position in Grenada and being only one per cent behind us in St Vincent & the Grenadines.  All of our own data and third-party research refutes this.  I challenge C&W to substantiate these claims," said Colm Delves, Digicel Group CEO.

In Grenada, where Digicel launched in 2003, the company has achieved a 21 per cent market share lead over its main competitor and an equally impressive 26 per cent lead over that same competitor in St Vincent & the Grenadines where the company also launched in 2003.  Digicel actually achieved number one status in St Vincent & the Grenadines within three months, which is still maintained today.

Digicel Group's subscriber growth over the 12 months to March 31, 2007 was 144 per cent and the company has 4.7 million customers across 22 markets.  In the 12-month period to March 31, 2007, Digicel delivered 50 per cent growth in the 12 markets - including Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Turks & Caicos, as well as Trinidad & Tobago - in which it competes against Cable & Wireless.

Digicel claims that within these markets, it has 700,000 customers more than its main competitor, which has operated in the region for more than 100 years.  "Becoming the number one mobile community in the Caribbean after just six years of operation is not only an outstanding achievement by our people, but a significant milestone for Digicel," added Delves.

"Our presence into the Caribbean market has demonstrated that competition benefits everyone.  Digicel thrives in a competitive mobile environment and remains committed to driving mobile growth in the Caribbean market.  Our continued focus is to deliver our customers the very best value, best services and best choice compared with our competitors."

Digicel's subscriber measurement is based on a highly conservative approach of a subscriber only being defined as "active" if that subscriber had a chargeable event in the last 30 days.  Digicel market share figures are based on third party research from Prodatos, and independent third-party resources such as GSM Association InfoCentre and The Mobile World as well as Digicel's regular monitoring of its network activity.

Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and has operations in 22 markets, including Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, Curaçao, The Cayman Islands, Dominica, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and El Salvador.  Digicel also has a licence in Suriname and coverage in St Martin and St Barths.

article link