Former Managing Director of SAT Telecommunications Ltd, Marlon Alexander, has described the sale of the company to Digicel as the best move for the future of the business and its employees.
In an interview with state-owned DBS Radio, Alexander, who is now a technical consultant at the company, said that the sale of SAT on Friday afternoon to the telecommunication giant was a good move.
“Digicel brings a lot of resources for the company that they can move to the next level,” he said. “I am happy that the company will move forward.”
He stated that customers can expect an improvement in services and a general upgrade at the the company since it didn’t have the resources that Digicel possesses.
The former Managing Director also mentioned that there will be no immediate changes to the company.
“Digicel is committed to running the company as SAT, as it is, and we are going to be looking after the company and as I said to the next level,” he noted.
Meantime, Digicel’s Island Manager, Richard Stanton, who sealed the deal, said his company now owns 100 percent of SAT.
“The Digicel group of companies, purchased a 100 percent of the shares of SAT telecoms Ltd as of Friday (February 14) evening and as of Monday morning we took ownership of the business which will continue to run as SAT Telecommunications,” he stated. “Nothing will change in the immediate future.”
He said Digicel is always looking for opportunities to deliver world class service, “and that is exactly what we intend to achieve.”
“I think Digicel wants to deliver bigger and better services … we have a bigger, better network, so it’s a question of give us some time,” he said.
Born and raised in Portsmouth it would be wonderful to see that stretch of swamp land develop from purple turtle to bell hall all in crusher all that’s there is bush and crab (I like those crabs) but at the same time I only hope they are not a next Akart he came to build marina for 5 years and then ask for an additional 5 years only to have a boat anchor in purple turtle write on fruits from Dominica end up suing the government the then freedom party government and left Dominica with millions I hope and pray for best
Many Gave Much Thanks when SAT Came.For Much Relief was brought to does who were ignored,turned down or vharged unaffordable cost by marpin because of ‘location’and other factors.
Did We Appreciate and Support SAT like We Should? Was able to hear many complainants (suppressive),and few mention of Thank You.
To The Previous dedicated workers and management of SAT Telecommunications, We Are Grateful and Say Thank You. Much Sacrifice Given.
To The Present management and Workers of SAT,We Are Saying THANK YOU For Investing In Good In Order To Do and Offer Genuinely That Which Is Better.
THE LORD’S PURPOSE MUST PREVAIL no matter, therefore We Wait Upon HIM To See,Act,Believe and More.PRAISE THE LORD ,Amen.
Bravo!! This is the work of masterminds coming together. Learn something people. This is what Marlon has been working towards. Any serious company looking to expand at some time buys or sell. This is business. Nothing bad will come from this. Digi getting into cable is good. I hope they make SAT global. Spread the service to other islands and countries where digi has roots. Make Dominica the main hub with this more jobs for Dominicans as well. Don’t be closed minded.
Skerrit selling our country before our eyes.
cHANGE MUST COME
VOTE OUT SKERRO DEM
LOOK AT WHAT THEY CAUSING
DEM WHEN DIGI STAR DOWN SIZING DEN
I hate thei damn govtment
shame shame shame
malon ahh why why why
skerri not easy nuh boy
van yoh car van
For your penance say an act of contrition, 3 Our Father, 5 Hail Marys and 1 glory be. Breathe deeply while you recite.
I love digi!!
This is intolerable. They have taken over the new Chronicle and now SAT. CHANGE HAS TO COME. WE THE people are suffering too much. Why cannot they give IAN a job ?
They did the same take over to Marpin vis DSS Dominica Secretive Society where nothing happens but gossip and no production ( Don C had warned us ).
Money is doing magic in Da now. Next thing they going to do is to sell the Catholic Church.Look what theyre doing now in Grand Fond; busy buying votes and the sickening thing about it is that theyre catching those people and now Fontaine is troubled again. If DLP wins that election I going back to Gwada.
Hope digi hire compitent techs to do the job
“Sale of SAT a good move”. It sure is, for the seller. Fair pay for fair day’s work. Kudos to Marlon, your hard work and investments have paid off.
But let us not be too quick to predict the future. This deal would suggest to me that SAT is a viable entity or possesses extraordinary potential to be. But how does this fit with Digicel’s scope and focus, given it does not run a cable network in the region? Is it likely to be attracted by the generally declining fixed line service potential? Or would it be SATs extensive but vulnerable overhead fibre network? What’s really in it for Digicel? Just some questions.
Flow (Columbus Communications) is a known triple player (Internet, TV, Phone)! They have had enormous growth in their short history primarily through acquisitions of cable networks like SAT…and Marpin.
Why is it not FLOW who acquires SAT….AND Marpin for that fact? Could it be that Marpin and Flow have been having talks? Difficult ones? Flow and Digicel are very strong collaborators…like bedfellows. Could this deal be just a strategic precursor to FLOW moving in on both networks? Just some questions.
We will have to wait and see…watch this space.
Seriously would you rather less competition? Why would you question why not marpin? More competition is better. Having an outside buyer from the field is better than having competition merging then creating a monopoly on service to the people.
Merging similar companies is good news to owners and bad news to consumers.
Perhaps DIGI won because they had the bigger or better bid? ever considered that as well?
Finally sensible questions and comments.
FLOW will eventually move into our market and DIGI knows this. Below ground fibre-optic is already obsolete to today’s high-speed microwaves. SAT had huge overheads and needed the bailout. Digi got a cheap deal they couldn’t refuse as they themselves (DIGI) tried to strengthen their Caribbean presence. LIME has no answers for DIGI and is rapidly loosing shares to smaller more dynamic companies like FLOW and DIGI.
And The Bands Played On…
Lime is laughing because SAT uses lime fiber optis. Digi buy SAT to use lime fiber optics against them. Lime used SAT to give marpin competition when marpin and lime were in court. But to me this is very interesting. I am waiting to see what happens.
sat using lime fiber right ok you have no idea what you are talking about
DOMLEC. was placed in foreign hands,MARPIN followed and now SAT.Next one will be our national Bank, It is sad.
Good move there, customers will definitely benefit and this now opens up avenues that will prove very beneficial in the long run.
Marlon I am happy for you…It is tough to do big business in Dominica as a Dominican with very limited access to cash for expansion etc. Those cost adds up and if you do not have economies of scale to spread those, you pwi. Anybody can see you were whaydeeing under SAT. So gentleman I hope the price you negotiated is large enough to cover all your debts and have something left over for you and your family to live good this generation and still have something to give the next generation a good head start. God’s speed Mr. Marlon.
Did Digicel not purchase TV stations in Nevis and Anguilla recently too?? Digi is obviously in an acquisitive mood. Maybe they will buy Marpin too, merge them, and so eliminate the competition. Don’t be too happy too soon!!
Do you know nothing about monopolies…why would you want no competition….smh
Bla bla bla… at the end it’s digicel’s way of monopolizing the business in an effort to reduce price control. At the end its the customer who suffers. Same reason Americans have been kicking hell about all the airlines coming together. Less competition less choices that the customer have.
Well is now LIME fini bat.
hmmmmm digicel knows SAT have the best Fiber-optic on the island thats de reason why they buy them off ,and they cover 80% of the island already,pretty soon cables cant compete with dig power net .
Exactly!!! The infrastructure and resources are already there. Digicel is not interested in Cable TV but internet and cell/phones
As they should because they need to provide better reception to cell users. New to Digicel and very surprised and disappointed at the horrible quality of reception when using the mobile service.
ya you get what i was trying to point out
Said Marlon Alexander, “there will be no immediate changes to the company.”
Said Richard Stanton, “we will continue to run as SAT Telecommunications. Nothing will change in the immediate future.”
Allu believe those fellas?
What is there to doubt? Notice the consistent use of the word ‘immediate’.
these phrases,keep resonating in my head,like an echoe in a dream,
you sure digi is the BIGGER and BETTER network? SAT has what digi does not have. ask any qualified IT TECHNICIAN.
Unless youve worked on both sides of the fence “i aint buying it”
Hope it does not include us paying more than we already do…but you showing up at the right time to solve those often black out issues and not charge us for service we didn’t receive.
Wondering
They lie, when a company where you works sells and the manager and the new owner tells it’s employees, things will not change, NOTHING will change, yea right, they lie things change, oh yea sir ri they change you will hear about it sooner or later but they do change.been there done that…things will NOT change who they trying to fool…
Did you even read properly? They said no IMMEDIATE changes. Hence there will be changes but it will be gradual.