Today marks 20 years since Digicel broke up Jamaica’s telecoms monopoly, freed up access everyone, and revolutionised the way we communicate.

Digicel is marking the occasion by announcing major plans for its customers and communities.

Now a digital operator, offering a rich array of lifestyle apps, Digicel is looking back proudly at the many milestones in its history of disrupting and reshaping the future of modern communication in Jamaica, and later to 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific.

Sticking to its roots, the Jamaica-born company is planning a yearlong celebration with customers at the heart of it all. It began with a commemorative service of thanksgiving at Fellowship Tabernacle in Kingston on Sunday (April 18).

During a virtual press conference held in Kingston on Monday (April 19), Digicel Jamaica CEO Jabbor Kayumov announced the company’s Five Promises to customers – a slate of expectations every customer should have whenever they interact with the company.

According to Kayumov, Digicel will:

1. Provide customers with the very best LTE and broadband experience.
2. Respond to customers’ queries within seconds
3. Be transparent with our charges, terms and conditions.
4. Bring digital experiences customers will love, with great apps, entertainment content and affordable data bundles.
5. Listen to customers’ feedback and reward their loyalty

He affirmed: “We are very serious about delivering on these promises, and I want every Jamaican to hold us to them going forward.”

Kayumov also announced a Digital Incubator Competition for local app developers.

“As a Jamaica-born company, we’ve always felt that it was important for us to have a Jamaican-made app in our family of lifestyle apps,” he reasoned.

Digicel said would be inviting local developers to design innovative apps with global potential and that details of the challenge would be unveiled over the coming months.

Adding to the schedule of activities, Nasha-Monique Douglas, chief marketing officer for Digicel Jamaica, announced several goodies for customers in the first phase.

Postpaid mobile customers will get a $2,000 reduction on their April bill. Prepaid customers get free BiP texts and access to Loop and Wikipedia apps.

‘Day One’ Digicel customers are in for a special 14-day Digicel Prime Bundle gift.

“It’s our anniversary, but our customers get the gifts,” Douglas said.

“This is just the beginning of how we will be showing them how much we truly appreciate them for sticking with us for 20 wonderful years.”

An innovation leader

Digicel Jamaica Chairman Harry Smith labelled Digicel “a company of firsts”.

Smith described the introduction of GSM technology in 2001 as a “game-changer” that delivered advanced text messaging, early-stage internet on phones, and opened the gateway to 3G and 4G technologies.

Smith also highlighted how Digicel democratised access to the internet through the introduction of WiMAX broadband service to hundreds of rural communities in the early 2000s. Digicel later rolled out a true Fibre-to-the-Home network in 2014, followed by switching on Jamaica’s first LTE network in 2016, and later, LTE Home service in 2019. Digicel now holds the prestigious Ookla® Award for being Jamaica’s fastest Mobile and Broadband Network.

With additional network investments to come, Smith also noted that “putting our customers at the centre of everything we do is what drives to invest in advanced network infrastructure that delivers the best digital experiences to them”.

A rich and eventful history

Although the idea of charting a digital future was still in its infancy in 2001 when Digicel started, the company stuck to its attitude of being bold and different. After gaining its first 100,000 customers within the first 100 days, Digicel went on welcoming its two millionth customer several years later.

Digicel is also well known for pioneering the Caribbean’s largest talent show, Digicel Rising Stars, which continues to kick-start the musical careers of several talented Jamaicans.

In the area of sports, Digicel is recognised as one of the largest sponsors of grassroots and professional-level activities and initiatives. Known for being able to spot a good talent from very early, back in 2004, Digicel threw its support behind a virtually unknown athlete, Usain Bolt. Today, he is the world’s fastest man, the company’s Lifetime Ambassador and Chief Speed Officer.

Bolt’s success set the stage for welcoming other talented local athletes to the Digicel stables, including Women’s 100 and 200-metre champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, followed by Michael O’Hara and more recently, world Under-15 100-metre champion, Briana Williams, among several talented Jamaicans from the music fraternity.

Known for its work in supporting special needs, education and community development, since inception, the Digicel Foundation has invested about US$40.27 million (Digicel – US$36.12 million, Donor -US$4.15 million) towards its mission to create a world where no one gets left behind. Through 1,325 projects, the Foundation has directly touched the lives of over 695,000 persons in Jamaica. To mark the 20th, the Foundation announced its ’20 for 20’ grant funding programme, offering up to J$750,000 towards social entrepreneurship and community projects.