Columbus to develop US$60m network in B'dos - Niall Sheehy named country manager
Published:Friday | April 19, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Columbus Communications will invest US$60 million to provide telecoms services in Barbados, according to the firm's president and chief executive, John Reid.
"Columbus will invest in excess of BDS$120 million (US$60 million) to construct this fully protected, modernised broadband network that will provide service to 100 per cent of homes and businesses in Barbados," said Reid in his speech to launch the country operations of Columbus Barbados.
Niall Sheehy will head the Barbados operations as managing director. Sheehy formerly worked with Digicel Business before switching to work with Columbus.
The network will be constructed over a three-year period with 30 per cent of Barbados households expected to be connected by the end of 2013. The first residential customers will begin receiving services by next month, said Reid.
The company entered the island following an initial investment last year, which included acquisitions, and plans to build a fibre-optic network in Barbados, a country of about 290,000 people.
Columbus bought up two companies to facilitate its market entry.
"Our acquisition of Tele-Barbados and Karib Cable provides us with a launching pad to offer services on the island. However, Columbus commenced our backbone fibre construction last November," Reid said of the acquisition.
Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Columbus Networks, the company provides telecoms services, corporate data solutions and data centre hosting throughout 27 countries in the Caribbean, Central American and Andean region. It built its own fibre-optic network spanning close to 18,000 kilometres, according to data on its website.
"Our residential customers will be able to enjoy a full suite of digital high-definition and 3D programming, as well as video on demand and a cloud-based personal video-recording service, a first for the region."
The company will "soon" offer cable on mobile devices which it dubs Flow ToGo.
Columbus trades as Flow, a provider of triple-play services.
Columbus's strategy is to provide services in anticipation of future demand.
"Columbus doesn't provide almost 60 high-definition cable TV channels because our consumers are currently demanding it. We do it because soon, they will. Columbus doesn't offer the only two 3D channels available for the region because Courts can't sell enough 3D-enabled TVs. We do it because soon, they will. Columbus doesn't provide a 100MB residential internet service because every customer needs to connect multiple devices in the home. We do it because soon, they will," said Reid.
"Customers will be demanding all of these services, ladies and gentlemen, and we stand ready to provide them," he said.