Providing Wireless In the World's Most Dangerous and Remote Places 40
grcumb writes "The Economist magazine is running a brief profile of Digicel, a 'minnow' in the wireless telecoms market that has distinguished itself by setting up shop in some of the most unlikely (and dangerous) markets in the world, including Haiti and Papua New Guinea, whose capital, Port Moresby, has one of the highest murder rates in the world."
Fluff article (Score:2, Insightful)
I fail to see the 'unconventional' here - as if people in [underdeveloped country of your choice] don't want to talk to each other. Or somehow network effects or being able to connect to the rest of the world doesn't count, just because your cell tower is the first in the area.
So you can't really say Digicel created such market(s) IMHO. It's more like the market did exist, and (by taking a big risk) they where the first to crack it open. Kudoz to them for having the balls, but that's about it. What it does show, is that (potentially) you can sell telecoms gear anywhere where there are people. And in a booming market, no less. Oh wait... news at 11.
Likewise, the article's premise of 'build infrastructure & clients will come' is nonsense. Put cellphone network in the middle of the Atlantic, and all it will do is sink.
Re:interesting definition of billionaire (Score:3, Insightful)
Being a billionaire means you have billions of dollars worth of assets, the debt or lack thereof of a company you work for is utterly irrelevant.
Re:Digicel is in Tonga (Score:3, Insightful)
Taking a break from the champage, coke and hookers eh?