Digicel challenges C&W’s market leader claims

08.June.07

DIGICEL GROUP, the fastest-growing mobile operator in the Caribbean and new entrant to Central America has raised concerns over competitor Cable & Wireless’ recent End of Financial Year (March 31st 2007) claims with regard to C&W’s market share in the region.{{more}}

In a release issued on Thursday May 31, Colm Delves, Digicel Group CEO said “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 1 percent behind us in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. All of our own data and third-party research refutes this. I challenge C&W to substantiate these claims.”

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

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

Within these markets, Digicel claims 700,000 customers more than its main competitor, which has operated in the region for more than 100 years. The company’s tremendous subscriber growth is driven by state-of-the-art networks and outstanding customer care.

“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 Colm 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 Infocenter and The Mobile World as well as Digicel’s regular monitoring of its network activity.