Digicel Group Acquires Voila in Haiti

News provided by

Apr 02, 2012, 10:13 ET

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Digicel Group, the best value mobile operator in the Caribbean, Central America and Pacific, has acquired Haitian mobile operator, Voila, from its parent company, US-based Trilogy International Partners, for an undisclosed sum. The transaction closed on Friday, March 30, 2012.

The two companies will continue to be run separately.

The Voila business is attractive to Digicel for a number of reasons including its loyal customer base, its success in the Haitian market to date and its talented workforce. Voila has been offering uninterrupted services in Haiti since September 1999 and currently serves nearly a million customers. Voila is widely recognised for bringing innovation to the telecom sector in Haiti and has redefined corporate social responsibility for foreign investors. In December 2009, Voila and Trilogy received the "Award for Corporate Excellence" from Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in recognition of their commitment to social investment and their significant contributions to the economic development of Haiti.

Digicel meanwhile launched in Haiti in 2005 and, with its commitment to best value, network and service, today serves over 3.5 million customers there. Digicel has invested over US$600 million in its operations in Haiti to date and the Digicel Haiti Foundation has completed 70 schools providing education to 30,000 Haitian children.

Commenting on the acquisition, Colm Delves, Digicel Group CEO, said; "We are pleased to welcome Voila customers and staff to the Digicel family. As proud Haitian companies, Digicel and Voila share one very important thing in common; we are both deeply committed to ensuring our respective customers benefit from the best mobile experience. Digicel's acquisition of Voila will see mobile users across Haiti benefiting from increased investment in even better mobile services and new technology in the future."

ABOUT DIGICEL GROUP

After almost eleven years of operation, Digicel Group Limited has over 11 million customers across its 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.

Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Cup. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.

Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New Guinea which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes.

In 2004, Digicel developed Digicel Rising Stars – an annual talent show to support aspiring young music artists in the Caribbean. The show has spanned the Eastern Caribbean, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago ranking as one of the top-rated shows.

Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and its markets comprise: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Nauru, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. Digicel also has coverage in St. Martin and St. Barts in the Caribbean.