HAITI Media and Telecoms Landscape Guide - Infoasaid

167Telecommunications companiesDigicel www.digicel.comDigicel is Haiti’s largest mobile network operator, with a market share of about 80%.The company claimed to have more than four million subscribers in July 2012.In March 2012, Digicel acquired Voilà, which until then had been the number twomobile network in Haiti.Before its takeover by Digicel, Voilà claimed to have about one million subscribers.Digicel aimed to complete the migration of all Voilà subscribers to its own network inOctober 2012.Digicel is an Irish-owned company which operates mobile networks in more than 30island states in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. Its international headquartersare in Jamaica.The group launched its Haiti network in 2005 and rapidly displaced Voilà as theleading player.In November 2010, Digicel launched Haiti’s first mobile money service - TchoTchoMobile.This allows registered users to send up to 10,000 Gourdes (US$240) at a time fromtheir personal account to any other Digicel subscriber.The recipient receives a text message with a code that allows him or her to withdrawthe cash at any Digicel paying agent within 10 days.Recipients of cash do not have to be registered users of the service.By July 2012, TchoTcho Mobile had more than 500,000 registered users, who hadmade more than five million cash transfer transactions.By that stage, Digicel had established a network of more than 900 TchoTcho mobilepaying agents across Haiti.Digicel offers internet access through its 3G mobile network. Mobile internet speedsshould increase in the near future once the company implements a planned upgradeof the network to 4G.167