But given Haiti's growth rate, said Digicel - it added 400,000 clients in six months atop the 1.4 million recorded last year March increasing at a monthly five per cent - it would now have claimed pole position.

Jamaica grew by 100,000 clients in the same six months, or just under one per cent per month.

"Haiti now has more customers than Digicel Jamaica," said Maureen Rabbitt, group head of communications, but the latter holds the trump card for average revenue per user (ARPU). "Jamaica is our largest market in terms of revenue earnings.

"We are still experiencing steady growth in Jamaica but, as you will understand, after nearly seven years in existence, it is at a different rate of growth than Haiti."

Cayman Islands and Bermuda also have high ARPU rates, she said.

Fillip to market

For the entire group, its subscriber base climbed by some 800,000 in six months to September 2007 - half contributed by Haiti - representing growth of 15 per cent above the 5.2 million customers last reported.

The Haitian market, a poor country of some seven million, would have been given fillip by a programme introduced by Digicel that allows overseas nationals to purchase phone credit on behalf of homebound subscribers.

"When Digicel Haiti launched in May 2006, fixed and mobile penetrations rates were five per cent," the company said. "In 2007, mobile penetration increased to 35 per cent."

Through its CaribFlex product, Caribbean nationals living in either the United Kingdom, United States or Canada, can purchase handsets and 'airtime' credit for prepaid customers in Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad, Guyana and Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States markets.

"Credit is instantly applied to the prepaid customer's account and the beneficiary notified via text message," said Digicel.

To facilitate the service in Haiti, the mobile phone company has partnered with money transfer companies such as Caribbean Air Mail and UniTransfer.

Expanded markets

Digicel reports that its annual growth rate is now 50 per cent - it measures active subscribers as those with 'a chargeable event' in the last 30 days - with group CEO Colm Delves describing last year's performance as "phenomenal".

The telecom's regional sub-scriber numbers were boosted by expanded markets as Digicel opened for business in three new territories - Suriname, Guyana and El Salvador.

"Digicel's progress in 2007 reinforced our position as the Caribbean's leading mobile service provider and demonstrated delivery of sustained growth in our current markets," said Delves.

The company next moves into the British Virgin Islands, a tiny territory whose populace has high disposable income, where it is investing US$15 million.

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