Above: TSTT field technicians at work. Photo courtesy TSTT.
TSTT is on track to exceed its projections for growing its customer-base on the company’s new ultra-fast fibre network. CEO Dr. Ronald Walcott was full of praise for staff as the company eclipsed a milestone of 20,000 customers connected to its fibre network. Another major achievement, Dr. Walcott noted, the company’s fibre network reached a footprint of over 100,000 homes in December.
This is nothing short of meteoric considering that in May 2017 TSTT announced its plans to purchase Massy Communications (now known as AMPLIA Communications). The combined fibre network of both covered just about 54,000 homes. This represents a 200% expansion in just seven months, helping TSTT to reach its 5-year goal of reaching 200,000 homes.
According to the CEO, deploying a fibre-based network and expanding TSTT’s existing Fixed Wireless Broadband LTE network will provide an opportunity for improved service delivery to existing and potential customers and increase revenue growth for TSTT.
“Our improved network will support a solid foundation that provides reliable, ‘lightning speed’ access for customers and users, an imperative for our competitive advantage and business’ survival”.
Tobago has been one of the key beneficiaries of TSTT’s fibre expansion program with as much as 80% of all households falling within the catchment area of the network. TSTT’s universal access philosophy has enabled the company to focus on areas that have been underserved by other service providers.
“In Tobago we have a base of 17,000 homes and in rural communities like Penal and Santa Flora, customers have embraced us for being digitally inclusive and empowering them with access to our most advanced communications solutions” said Walcott.
Dr. Walcott pointed out that the goal to replace old copper technology to 200,000 customers is part of the company’s Zero Copper programme. Fibre and wireless high-speed data are the networks that will allow homes and businesses to benefit from advances in technology.
“TSTT’s investment in future-proofing its network along with our convergence strategy of becoming a broadband company will provide long term financial viability and sustainability. We must therefore remain committed to our Digital Transformation efforts because there simply is no other way,” said Dr. Walcott.
