Above: Abraham Smith, DigicelTT CEO. Photo courtesy Digicel.

“A great sense of gratitude and accomplishment,” that was the sentiment of Digicel CEO, Abraham Smith, as he thanked employees and industry stakeholders on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2021.

WTISD is celebrated annually on May 17th and according to the United Nations (UN), the purpose of the day is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. Over the past year, the world has relied on telecommunication providers for connectivity for work, education and leisure; and for the most part, the local industry has delivered.

Smith, who sent remarks to employees on the day said, “We are proud to have successfully provided stable and reliable connectivity for hundreds of thousands of customers throughout the pandemic. We are by no means perfect and there is still a lot to do, but today I applaud the work done by not only Digicel but also the other players in our industry. There are literally thousands of people working behind the scenes 24/7 in telecommunications to keep T&T connected, and today we celebrate them all.”

The theme of this year’s WTISD is ‘Accelerating Digital Transformation in challenging times’ and Smith explained that Digicel has been living this every day. Over the past year, Digicel executed several public awareness campaigns and training webinars geared toward helping customers, SME’s and Government achieve their digital transformation goals.

Additionally, Digicel has contributed to bridging the digital divide through the donation of devices and sponsored service. The Digicel Foundation donated 1915 devices to students and supported more than 65 schools across the country, including 34 special needs schools, with discounts and free fibre broadband service sponsored by Digicel Business.

Underscoring the importance of collaboration in further improving the country’s connectivity, Smith said, “Digicel remains committed to working together with stakeholders, including the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, to further address the startling inequalities that exist regarding access to ICT and internet. We are ready to take action to provide connectivity in underserved areas but need the support of the authorities as many factors affect our ability to do so effectively.”

At the recent virtual hearing of the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration, members of the Telecommunications Sector highlighted several hindrances to the expansion of coverage into rural areas.

These included the high cost of rental spaces on utility poles, the expenses associated with the rollout of service into these areas and the subsequent high costs of maintaining the infrastructure used for the expansion. Despite these challenges however, Smith took the opportunity to highlight some of the successful partnerships that have benefited citizens over the past year.

“Partnership is key and we’ve been working with some great teams such as the TTPS Cybercrime Unit, Microsoft and SafeToNet, to deliver public interventions geared at making the internet a safer place. We are ready to expand our efforts and welcome talks with the authorities.”

He added, “This year Digicel celebrates 15 years in Trinidad and Tobago and we’re proud to have transformed the telecommunications market, making access to ICT widely available and more affordable. Customers rely on telecommunications to improve their personal lives and businesses, and we’re proud to contribute to their success. These relationships truly make us better together.”