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“Our vision is to see Jamaica grow from 60 per cent Internet penetration today, to 100 per cent; which means that this journey of LTE coverage expansion gives us a tremendous opportunity to use increased broadband penetration as one of the drivers of economic growth,”

Digicel Jamaica CEO Justin Morin in a Press Release on their launch of LTE in Central and Western Jamaica

Digicel is riding west with their LTE mobile Internet. Soon they too will be experiencing the faster Internet from the Bigger, Better Network.

Since June 2016, Digicel has been steadily rolling out their LTE (Long Term Evolution) Network as pointed out in Digicel switches on 4G LTE Network in Jamaica.

Digicel is now in the process of switching on 100 or more cell sites to 4G LTE Network in Jamaica.  This time they’re planning to reach the following sections of Jamaica:

  • Clarendon
  • Manchester
  • St Elizabeth
  • Hanover
  • Westmoreland

They are aiming to cover mainly farming communities and fast-growing towns with their Mobile Internet service which is touted in the Press Release as being “10 times faster than 4G” even though LTE is really 4G!

Digicel 4G LTE in Western and Central Jamaica – Benefits abound as smartphone sales on the horizon

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Despite this bit of technical obfuscation, their network upgrade, which is estimated to cost tens of millions of dollars, should yield positive results for customers as pointed out by Digicel Jamaica CEO Justin Morin, quote: “This is about taking Jamaica to the next level and opening up a world of endless possibilities for Jamaicans. We’re going for nationwide coverage within the shortest time possible, and this sees us adding LTE service to over 100 sites in these areas”.

Digicel is aiming for a 100% penetration of the island. Currently Jamaica stands at 60% internet penetration, but according to the World Bank’s World Development Report (2016), a 10% increase in broadband penetration translates to a 1.38% increase in GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

Customers on the ground level will also benefit in terms of the range of services that they will be able to access, to quote the press release: “LTE is already allowing customers across major towns in Jamaica to do more via their mobile phones, such as make video calls and connect to streaming services like PlayGo and d’Music, while being able to upload and download their videos at lightning speed. Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting average speeds in excess of 30 megabits per second”.

Jamaica clearly benefits, even though that “benefit” may really just be going in Digicel’s pockets.

Digicel vs FLOW – LTE-handset sales coming in August 2018

Still, this is a lot better than what FLOW has been able to manage with their less-than-stellar 4G Network, which boasts the Apple iPhone as part of their smartphone lineup!

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Digicel is indeed bringing the latest technology Boost to Mobile Broadband to Jamaica, to quote Justin Morin: “Our 700MHz spectrum advantage gives us greater reach with less cell sites, so this is a giant step forward to achieving our ultimate goal of lighting up all of Jamaica, and a significant leap forward for our customers in terms of what they can do with their connectivity.”

I’d still get really excited if they also introduced unlimited Broadband Internet, possibly with the help of free Wi-Fi as I’ve pointed out in “FLOW Lyf Increased Free Data for Prepaid & Postpaid heralds Unlimited LTE” but maybe I am wishing for this too early.

But the best part of the Press Release was when Digicel Jamaica CEO Justin Morin pointed out that customers can go LTE via a free LTE SIM upgrade as well as discounts on LTE-enabled smartphones at any Digicel store islandwide.

Does this mean that the Apple iPhone, which went on sale on August 6th 2016 on Independence Day 2016 August may be on sale this Independence Day 2017?

 

Sales are on the horizon come Independence Day and Emancipation Day. So stay tuned to Digicel’s Social Media Feeds!

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