The Digicel consortium will bid for a nationwide mobile phone licence in Myanmar.
The consortium, which is backed by Quantum Strategic Partners Ltd with the involvement of George Soros, has committed to reaching 96 per cent population coverage by the end of 2015.
“This is truly an historic day for Digicel. With FMI/Yoma and Quantum Strategic Partners, our consortium brings unrivalled expertise, local experience and resources to deliver a world-class telecommunications service to Myanmar,” said Mr. Denis O’Brien – Chairman and Founder of Digicel Group Limited, in Nay Pyi Taw today. Our promise is ‘Myanmar’s Bigger, Better Network’ and the Digicel Consortium will do this by delivering the best network, best service, best value and best innovation to the people of Myanmar,” Mr. O’Brien added.
Some key points of the Digicel bid:
- Digicel will invest almost US$9 billion in a world-class mobile phone network. Of this US$6.6 billion will be directly invested in Myanmar
- Employ over 7,000 people by the end the first year
- Digicel’s investment in Myanmar will lead to the creation of 124,000 indirect jobs
- Digicel will launch its 4G mobile network and achieve 52 per cent population cover by the end of this year and rising to 96 per cent by 2016
- The roll out will involve 7,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable and provision of 23,000 wi-fi hotspots
- Digicel will undertake the world’s largest single mobile deployment of solar power – with 7,277 solar sites
- Another major initiative will be the provision of free connectivity to 879 hospitals, 3,900 secondary schools, 180 universities and 4,600 libraries.