Columbus Communications makes multi-billion dollar telecoms investment in the region

Kingston, Jamaica; Over 150 executives representing carriers and service providers who comprise the wholesale telecommunications industry are meeting in Montego Bay this week for the 2012 Capacity Caribbean Conference.

The conference, the only C-level meeting for the Caribbean wholesale market, opened with an insightful keynote presentation by Brendan Paddick, Chairman of Columbus Communications, parent company of Flow.  In a departure from the norm, the keynote presentation took the form of an interview hosted by Linda Wellstein, Chair, Global Technology – Telecommunications & Media Practice.

Left to right are: Moderator, Julian Rawle, Managing Partner of Pioneer Consulting; Paul W Scott, President & COO, Columbus Networks; Anthony deLima, CEO, CTEX; Michael W Branco, EVP & General Manager, Ignition and Greg Mooney, Director, Emerging Market Development, Verizon Global Wholesale. Senior Communications specialists met at the Rose Hall Resorts and Spa in Montego Bay February 7- 8 for the Capacity Caribbean 2012 Conference, the C-level meeting for the Caribbean telecommunications wholesale market. On day two of the conference panellists discussed several issues including the theme “Evaluating the overall business case for moving to the Cloud”. Over 150 executives representing carriers and service providers who comprise the wholesale telecommunications industry met this week in Montego Bay for the 2012 Capacity Caribbean Conference.

Paddick shared the story of the growth of Columbus Communications in the Caribbean.  Columbus Communications group companies in the region employ over 1,800 Caribbean nationals and serve 450,000 residential and business customers in Trinidad, Jamaica, Grenada and Curacao. Columbus operates a 18,000km subsea fibre optic network and a 21,000km terrestrial network that spans 22 countries and is the routing for most of the telecommunications traffic in the Caribbean basin. “We have invested US$1billion in the region and will likely invest that amount again over the next 5 years to take that up to US$2billion,” said Paddick when asked what’s next for Columbus in the Caribbean.

Paddick also revealed some of the innovations planned by Columbus in the region when he disclosed plans for delivery of 300MB to the home for residential internet users in Jamaica and a TV Everywhere product currently being trialed in Trinidad to enable consumers to “do anything on anything, anywhere.”  Paddick said that recognizing that Caribbean people are aspirational and early adopters of technology focus on ensuring and enabling the region to stay ahead of technological curve is a key driver for Columbus. 

Empowerment of youth through technology is another important pillar of the Columbus group companies across the region. Paddick reiterated the company’s commitment to providing free broadband services to every school in the areas the company serves. Already in Jamaica, Flow delivers free commercial grade internet and cable TV service to over 150 schools through its Building Leaders through Technology programme.