Two telecommunications companies, AT&T and Digicel, have submitted bids to the Anguilla Government for mobile licences in the 1900 megahertz band. This is the last of three cellular service licences to be made available. It is not expected that any more will be offered for at least five years, according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications, Kenn Banks.

The bids were made on February 6 and the Tenders Board is due to make a recommendation for a licence on February 20.

The bid by Digicel was US$226,000 and AT&T US$310,000.

Shortly after submitting its bid, one of Digicel’s partners in Anguilla, Maurice Connor, commented that the company was the largest and most successful mobile operator in the Caribbean. “Digicel’s financial strength and proven track record of demonstrative achievement across the region proves, without doubt, that we can deliver to the people of Anguilla a cellular service never experienced before. We have conducted months of comprehensive market research in Anguilla and believe that we understand what the people of Anguilla want and need.”

John Byrne, General Manager for Digicel Anguilla, had this to say: “The Digicel team has been on the ground in Anguilla for the past five months in preparation for this licence application. We plan on installing a state-of-the-art telecommunications network which will see technology used in the most advanced countries in the world in operation in Anguilla.

“In addition, we will bring significant cost savings and employment to the island. Already we have lowered prices by over 50% in other islands. We offer free, first rate, 24 hour customer care, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This is why we are the most popular and successful mobile operator in the Caribbean.”

AT&T, the other bidder, held a cocktail reception at CuisinArt Resort, where its President Jordon Roderick said: “We are going to provide GSM service which would allow both high-quality voice service and internet service. It means you will have data functions as well; so if you want emails sent to your telephone or to surf the internet, you can do so by your phone.”

Asked about the necessary infrastructure, he stated: “Initially we are going to build a store and an office somewhere in the Valley. We will need to put up antennas throughout the island, so have started talking to Cable & Wireless and Weblinks about possible co-location but in addition to that we will have to build a number of towers.”
He stated that AT&T was now operating on eleven licences throughout the Caribbean and added: “AT&T Wireless is one of the ten largest wireless companies in the world. In the United States we are in the top three and so our objective is to focus on the Caribbean to make it part of our North American strategy. We have 26 million North American customers so we look forward to bringing them down to the islands and vice versa, letting the people of the Caribbean travel to North America as part of our network.”

The mobile licences have been made available as part of the liberalisation process of telecommunications in Anguilla which Cable & Wireless originaly operated as a monopoly for many years.

The Government made it possible for other companies to operate in the market, through a phased process, when legislation to that effect was passed in the House of Assembly last year.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News