Comcel Haiti

Communication Cellulaire d'Haïti, S.A. or (ComCEL), became known as the trademark Voilà, was a telephone company in Haiti which primarily dealt in mobile phone service. It was a subsidiary of US-based Trilogy International Partners.[1]

Communication Cellulaire d'Haïti
TypePrivate
IndustryTelecommunications
Founded1998
HeadquartersPort-au-Prince, Haiti
Key people
Bernard Fils-Aime (managing director)
ServicesWireless
Telephone
ParentDigicel
Websitewww.digicelhaiti.com

History

Comcel was awarded a license to construct and operate a nationwide TDMA mobile communications network in September 1998. A year later, in September 1999, Comcel launched commercial service in Port-au-Prince, and had developed the largest mobile phone coverage area in Haiti.

Comcel, at the same time, was also granted the right to build and operate payphone services and planned to have over 500 phones in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel by year-end, with expansion to other provinces in 2006.

In 2002, Comcel was granted the right to operate an international gateway and began carrying international calls in August of that year.

In August 2005, Comcel received a license to operate a nationwide GSM network that launched on October 21 with nationwide coverage under the Voilà GSM brand, which has become its trade name since.

In 2009, Comcel received the U.S. Department of State Award for Corporate Excellence (Multinational).[2]

The company's services temporarily came to halt following the 12 January 2010 Haiti earthquake. While the company's facilities were not seriously affected by the earthquake, 5 of its 575 employees had died and 35 remained missing[1][3][4]

The company was sold to Digicel group on March 30, 2012 and ceased to operate independently on October 12, 2012.[5]

References
  1. Heim, Kristi (19 January 2010). "Update from Trilogy: five employees killed in Haiti". The Seattle Times.
  2. "Secretary Clinton Presents the 11th Annual Awards for Corporate Excellence". U.S. Department of State. 9 December 2009.
  3. "Update: Earthquake in Haiti" (PDF). Trilogy International Partners. 13 January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-02. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  4. "Update: Earthquake in Haiti" (PDF). Trilogy International Partners. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-02. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  5. Defend Haiti, ed. (17 September 2012). "Haiti: Digicel Announces Closing of Voila". Haiti Sentinel. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
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