Digicel acquires cable TV operation
Published:Wednesday | February 19, 2014 | 12:00 AM
Digicel Group has acquired SAT Telecom in Dominica, marking its entry into the cable television market, the company confirmed on Tuesday.
Local media reported that the deal had been approved by the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.
Digicel Group spokeswoman Antonia Graham said the company would make a statement on the acquisition at a later date and that Digicel would keep the business operational.
SAT Telecom, owned by Dominican, Marlon Alexander, was established in July 1999 and awarded a licence in cable television and broadcasting. In 2003, it received a fixed public telecommunications network licence and a fixed and wireless Internet licence.
The company faced financial constraints and last year laid off four employees from its news department.
Digicel already operates in the Dominican market. Its website indicates that the telecom provides 95 per cent mobile phone coverage of the tiny island in which it has invested US$5 million.
Digicel previously flirted with the idea of subscriber television in Jamaica and went as far as applying for a wireless licence - which was approved back in 2008 - with two partners.
The venture was to be called DigiTV, but the plans went nowhere. Graham said Tuesday that Digicel had given up the Jamaican licence.