Denis O'Brien's Caribbean mobile phone company Digicel is to increase the size of its network by acquiring Cingular's Caribbean operations.
Cingular is a joint venture between US telecoms groups SBC Communications and BellSouth. The buy will extend Digicel's presence to a further five countries - Bermuda, Anguilla, St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica.
Cingular's customers in five other countries will transfer to Digicel, which already operates in nine markets. No price tag was given but Digicel described the buy as a multi-million dollar deal.
Digicel was launched in 2001 and now employs more than 1,000 people. It was recently awarded a licence to operate a GSM network in Haiti.
