Digicel network functioning in Haiti

Digicel announced on Monday that the Digicel network is now functioning well in Port-au-Prince with more and more customers connecting to it and being able to make and receive calls, text messages, email and BlackBerry Messenger messages.{{more}}

With coverage in the rest of the country good, Digicel is also ensuring that all of its two million plus customers in Haiti can stay in contact with friends and family by giving each and every Digicel customer US$5 of free call credit – totalling US$10 million.

Since deploying a team of technicians to Haiti following the earthquake on Tuesday, January 12th, Digicel has been working to restore its network in Haiti to full capacity.

A full assessment of the network has been carried out and the situation is as follows: All of Digicel’s three switch sites which serve the country are operational. One is damaged, but an interim solution has been put in place until new equipment arrives; 70 per cent of the network’s cell sites are on air. We are working on restoring service to the remaining 30 per cent; roaming is fully operational; there is still some congestion on the network when making and receiving international calls; an assessment of what network equipment is required has been completed and new equipment has been ordered and is en route to Haiti; more teams of technicians have been assembled and are en route to support the existing teams on the ground.

As well as the US$5 million which is being donated to NGOs by Digicel directly, Digicel has set up the Digicel Haiti Relief Fund. By Friday evening – just two days after it went live – a massive US$300,000 was donated by Digicel customers across our 32 markets worldwide.

In addition to previous aid drops over the last five days, Digicel has assembled a 110,000 lb cargo of medical supplies, food and water ready to go to Haiti from Jamaica.

Digicel would like to thank people across the world for their contributions and to encourage them to keep giving to help the people of Haiti at this difficult time.