Digicel Samoa Limited

active

Telecom Samoa Cellular Limited (TSCL) operated a cellular telephone network in Western Samoa. The company was created as a joint venture between a the Government of Western Samoa (10%) and Telecom New Zealand (90%) on October 1, 1996. The network offered a full range of analogue (AMPS) cellular services such as call messaging, calling card and associated billing services, directory, operator services, paging and international roaming. Like the national incumbent Somoa Communications Ltd. (SCL), Samoa Cellular was granted a 10-year exclusive licence to provide services. In September 2006, Telecom Samoa sold its 90 percent shareholding to Digicel (Samoa Limited). With a US$10 million investment, the network started operations on July 20, 1997. The network comprised 4 radio base stations and these provided coverage around Apia, west of Apia to the international airport, parts of southern Upolu and sections of the north east coast of Savaii. For the general public and tourists, TSCL also provided card-operated payphones that communicated through the cellular network. The Government wanted to use the cellular network to provide some rural customers with a cost effective telephone service. As of 2002, Telecom Samoa reported that the company had about 4,000 subscribers. The limited analogue cellular service provided by TSCL was being upgraded to a digital network during 2003. After Digicel Samoa acquired Telecom Samoa in 2006, Digicel Samoa along with its local partner, CSL Mobile Limited, launched Samoa’s first ever GSM network in November 2006. With the new service, Digicel Samoa’s GSM network able to provide the best coverage of any mobile network in Samoa, covering more than 80% of the population in Samoa at its launch and quickly increasing this to an unrivalled 90% coverage. Digicel customers will also be better covered when they travel abroad, what with their ability for the first time to make and receive calls when visiting over 120 countries worldwide. Capacity numbers have bee updated based on the modified figures from GWI. But still estimated numbers. Telecom NZ claims that they are unaffiliated with this project (e-mail recieved on 6/8/05) despite some reports to the contrary. There is nothing in Telecom NZ's annual reports about Samoa, so it appears there is a mistake.