Telecoms firm, LIME Jamaica has spent US$12 million (J$1.2 billion) to fortify its network to absorb the influx of 150,000 new subscribers.

Concurrently, the firm plans to launch cable TV and also revealed steps to offer a successor to its 3G data service, says Managing Director Garfield Sinclair on a live chat via Facebook.

"Our 3G network coverage in places like Ocho Rios is not where we want it," said Sinclair.

"In the last three months, we gained 150,000 subscribers, so our network has grown pretty quickly. So, as a result of that, we just invested US$12 million. So we hope you feel the effects soon."

Successor technology

He said the telecoms company wants to bid for an elite band of spectrum in order to deploy a successor technology to its 3G network.

"That is really what we want. That will involve getting the 700-megahertz band. That has not been put on the market yet, but the minister said that he will make it available. "He says there will be an auction to introduce a new provider, but we will participate in that auction once that spectrum is available. We will be right there," Sinclair said in response to a query on LTE/4G service, seen as a successor to 3G.

Technology Minister Philip Paulwell previously stated intentions to introduce a third player in the market following the exit of Claro two years ago. Calls to Paulwell for an update on such matters went unanswered up to print.

steven.jackson@gleanerjm.com