Digicel acquires Telstar Cable – 4G LTE with a dash of Streaming Cable TV Service

“We are investing heavily in cable TV, content and fibre across our markets to ensure that Digicel is positioned at the forefront of a data intensive world where our customers are able to enjoy multimedia experiences on multiple devices and avail of advanced solutions for their businesses. We look forward to expanding our footprint further in this space in the coming year through a combination of acquisitions and greenfield builds.”

Digicel Group CEO, Colm Delves on the reported acquisition of Telstar Cable

Telecom Provider Digicel is indeed going on a Caribbean-wide Cable Television Shopping spree.

This as they’re in the final stages of acquiring Telstar Cable and their Triple-Play Services of Cable TV, Broadband Internet and Telephony as stated in “Digicel Enters Cable Television Market With Telstar Acquisition”, Published Friday July 18, 2014, by Richard Browne, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Digicel to buy Telstar Cable”, published Friday, July 18, 2014, The Jamaica Observer.

 The Geezam blog also did an article on the purchase as stated in Kelroy’s Geezam blog article entitled “Digicel to Acquire Jamaica’s Telstar Cable”. It's not yet a done deal, being dependent on approval by the Broadcasting Commission according to Managing Director of Telstar,  Flo Darby, quote: “Our agreement is subject to the Broadcasting Commission's approval, so everything is dependent on that”.

No pricing info on this one and like the previous others, it's shrouded in secrecy. The last on that occurred was the purchase of WIV Cable TV and TCT, operators of the Broadband Cable service TCExpress in the Turks and Caicos Islands via teaming up with Telemedia as reported in “DIGICEL ACQUIRES WIV”, viewed Friday April 17th 2014, Turks and Caicos Sun and “Digicel acquires Turks and Caicos television station”, published Wednesday, April 09, 2014, The Jamaica Observer.

Thus far, the purchase of Cable TV Providers in the Caribbean that possess Triple-Play Services and a Fiber Optic Backhaul interconnecting their exchanges are as follows:

1.      Caribbean Cable Communications Holding Ltd in Anguilla, Nevis and Montserrat in November 2013

2.      SAT Telecommunications in Dominica in February 2014 as stated in “Digicel Acquires Cable TV Operation”, Published Wednesday February 19, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner

With Telecom Provider Digicel going 4G LTE in Jamaica after purchasing their 700 MHz Spectrum License as stated my blog article entitled “Digicel to invest US$85 million in 4G LTE Network - 25% of Total revenue from ICT as 4G LTE Investments designed to weather the coming Summer WhatsApp Storm”, they're acquiring as much Fiber Optic Broadband Capacity as possible.

Digicel acquires Telstar Cable – 4G LTE with a dash of Streaming Cable TV Service

Telstar Cable will be used as Fiber Optic Backhaul to interconnect their Cell Towers that have been provisioned with the 4G LTE Equipment from Ericsson that they're building out. Their coverage includes the following areas:

1.      Beverley Hills

2.      Cross Roads

3.      Duhaney Park

4.      Hope Pastures

5.      Meadowbrook Estate

6.      Mona

7.      New Haven

8.      Patrick City

9.      Riverton City

10.  Swallowfield

11.  Vineyard Town

12.  Washington Gardens

My conclusion is based on  what they’re doing in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where they’d also they're also acquired two (2) 12 MHz Bands of 700 MHz Spectrum earlier in February 2014 as stated in “Digicel WIns LTE License in Turks and Caicos Islands”, published 22nd Feb 2013, Cellular News and “Digicel, Islandcom win 700MHz LTE licences, squeeze out LIME”, published 22 Feb 2013, TeleGeography.

Thus, via this acquisition and other like it across the Caribbean, they're in a position to offer streaming Cable Television over their coming 4G LTE Network as a VAS (Value Added Service) as stated in my Geezam blog article entitled “Digicel Turks and Caicos thinks Streaming over 4G LTE by buying Cable TV Internet Provider”.

In effect, they’re following the same strategy as Telecom Provider LIME, who may be using their 4G LTE Network to relaunch their LIME TV Service as a Streaming TV as stated in my blog article entitled “LIME experiences 25% increase in Profits due to MTR - 4G LTE and FTTH like Bahamas with IPTV Streaming LIME TV will give LIME 3 Days to Kill”.

Streaming Cable TV sound about right, as even the RJR Communications Group is going the streaming route come October 2014 as explained in my blog article entitled “RJR Group to launch UNIV’s uVOD Streaming Platform by October 2014 - Streaming Gamble against Piracy as 2015 is DSO to DTT and Digital HD Radio”.

Stay tuned to my blog as more news comes my way!