Digicel Anticipating Regulatory Approval For Caribbean Expansion

by Amanda Banks, for LawAndTax-News.com, London

22 August 2005

According to reports in the international media last week, Caribbean mobile telecommunications firm, Digicel Group is expecting to receive full regulatory approval for its planned expansion in the region in the near future.

The Group last week confirmed that the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica has approved in principle the company’s planned acquisition of Cingular Wireless’s Dominica operation.

Full approval will be subject to any conditions following the special meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) Council of Ministers.

The purchase, which is subject to regulatory approval on each individual island, will expand Digicel’s network to Bermuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, in addition to its existing nine markets of operation which include the most recent addition of Trinidad & Tobago.

The acquisition also strengthens Digicel’s market share in the Cayman Islands, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados and St. Vincent & the Grenadines, where Cingular’s customer base will transition to Digicel and licenses to provide service in St. Martin, St. Barths, Guadeloupe and Martinique.

“We are delighted to have received this approval in principal from the Commonwealth Government of Dominica” Digicel's Chairman, Denis O’Brien announced, continuing:

“We wish to thank Minister Austrie and the government of Dominica for the level of support they have shown both Digicel and Cingular and we look forward to full confirmation in the near future."

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