KINGSTON, Jamaica – Digicel, the fastest-growing telecommunications operator in the Caribbean and new entrant to the Central American market, today announced it has teamed with The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a Fortune 500 company and a leader in global money transfer, further expanding its Diaspora program in the U.S.
The Western Union® network of more than 45,000 Agent locations in the United States will offer great convenience to the estimated five million members of the Caribbean and Central American Diaspora communities residing in the United States. Consumers can now purchase and pay for instant phone credit (airtime/minutes) at participating Western Union Agent locations in the United States and send them to friends and family living in Jamaica, Haiti, El Salvador, Guyana. In the future, additional participating countries will include: Anguilla, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Digicel Top Up, Digicel’s credit remittance service, enables members of various Diaspora markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, and the Dominican Republic to buy instant Digicel phone credit for friends and family in Jamaica, Haiti, El Salvador, Guyana, Anguilla, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Digicel’s relationship with Western Union is the first of this caliber in airtime remittance. With its vast global network of Agent locations, the relationship will help increase Digicel’s presence in the U.S. as well as its penetration in key markets. Western Union is a strong brand in the Caribbean, Central America, U.S. and major Diaspora communities.
“Digicel has connected millions of friends and family throughout the world. By expanding our Diaspora offerings, we will have even greater impact on the communities we serve,” said Brian Finn, Digicel’s Group Commercial Director. “The Diaspora is the lifeline of many Caribbean and Central American countries, first transferring money, then food, and now phone time credit to friends and family back home.”
“For more than 150 years Western Union has been helping families stay connected,” said Raul Garcia, Western Union Payment Services. “Our relationship with Digicel is just one more example of how we are using our unparalleled Agent network to provide consumers with the services they want and need.”
