Digicel ready for hurricane season

Digicel, fast-growing telecommunications company in the Caribbean and new entrant to the Central American market, announced on Tuesday that it continues to enhance its hurricane preparedness program to ensure customers and employees are equipped to weather the 2007 hurricane season, which begins in June and typically lasts through November 30.{{more}}

“Digicel takes very seriously our responsibility to ensure our customers stay connected to friends, colleagues and family during hurricanes and storms,” said Kevin White, Chief Operations Officer for Digicel Caribbean. “Every year, Digicel makes significant investments in our wireless networks to improve coverage and reliability, and in 2007 we have once again taken all necessary steps to prepare for hurricane season”.

According to weather experts, there is a projected 75 percent chance that the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be above normal with 13-17 named storms and seven to 10 of those storms becoming hurricanes. In fact, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters believe that three to five of them could become major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.

Today, nearly all Digicel cell sites have on-site back up generators, which are routinely tested to ensure they are ready in the event the local electrical power source is knocked out. In addition, Digicel maintains a fleet of mobile generators and Cells on Wheels (COWs) – which are self powered call transmitters – that can be rolled into hard-hit locations to provide additional service. Throughout the year, Digicel’s technical team continuously checks the network’s performance and durability.

Digicel also continues its partnership with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) and provides free handsets and airtime to emergency response teams. In conjunction with CDERA and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the company also has developed a WAP page through Digicel Live, a web portal that can be accessed though GPRS enabled phones and provides continuous updates and maps on weather systems.

In all hurricane affected markets, Digicel provides a text alert service that allows all customers to text short codes and receive important updates on current weather systems. The company has also launched a comprehensive, public awareness campaign that provides general hurricane information and practical tips educating people on what to do, before, during and after a hurricane. In The Cayman Islands, Digicel is providing complimentary hurricane tracking maps at all store locations.

“We advise our customers to take precautionary steps to help protect their lives, families and properties. To remain in communication, we encourage them to charge their phones, save emergency contact numbers, keep a spare battery and a car charger on hand and in the case of prepaid customers, ensure they have credit on their mobile phones,” added Kevin White.

With operations in 22 markets, Digicel’s investment in the Pan Caribbean region exceeds US$1.5 billion and the company directly employs 3,500 people.

• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the US Department of Commerce Climate Prediction Centre.