Digicel to expand fiber optic network across Guyana – CEO

– to pump $17M into humanitarian effort as company celebrates 17 years in Guyana

As Digicel celebrates 17 years of operating in the Guyanese market, its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Deonarine Gopaul, has announced that the company is planning to expand its fibre network across Guyana.
He has explained that new jobs would be created, and that he foresees the telecommunications giant doubling its workforce in the coming years.
“With aims of enlarging our fibre network footprint, we plan on expanding the Georgetown fiber network further across Guyana. So, in terms of job creation, we have new jobs and additional staff on board. We have grown above 30 per cent in the area of employment, and we plan to double our staff in the coming years because of the expansion,” Gopaul has detailed.
Further, he noted that plans are already in train to expand the company’s Long-Term Evolution (LTE) coverage. “The blue subsea cable has landed in Guyana. This will kick off at the end of April, and it will provide us total capacity in Guyana for at least 25-30 years; so that the future of Guyana is secure,” he disclosed.
In his budget presentation, Prime Minister Mark Phillips had said that the latest submarine fibre optic cable undertaken by Digicel Guyana would add a hefty 13 terabytes to Guyana’s international internet capacity – an amount that is far greater than the consumption expected for years to come. Phillips had also outlined advancements that Guyanese consumers can expect in the telecommunications sector for 2024.

This latest landing brings the number of submarine fibre cables to three, and this cable is expected to become operational this year.
“The benefits expected include reduction in data prices as operators further compete with each other…The newest offering will add a minimum of 13 terabytes of capacity to our international internet capacity, something that we will not be able to utilise fully, based on current growth over the next 25 years.”
Upon assuming office, Government liberalised the telecommunications sector; and, thereafter, Private Sector investment increased by 40 per cent: from $10.5 billion in 2020 to $14.6 billion in 2023. From 2020 to 2022, mobile subscriptions also grew by 11 percent: from 665,000 to 746,000; and broadband subscriptions grew by 15 per cent, while fixed broadband subscriptions grew by 36 per cent.
During its anniversary celebration, Digicel has unveiled several plans for the Guyanese populace. Apart from its promotions, Communications Manager Gabriella Chapman has said, the company would invest heavily in community projects.
“We at Digicel are big on giving back to the community. Not just through our promotions, but also now; as, in this 17th year, we plan to commence immediate rehabilitation work at the Mahaica Girls Home. As you know, Digicel would have gifted the Ministry with that home, so we went and did a site visit and saw that some work needed to be done,” she disclosed.
“We also plan on giving back to 17 needy families, and we will be giving back to 17 schools across Guyana,” she further disclosed.
She also thanked the Guyanese populace for the support the company has received over the past 17 years.