KINGSTON, JAMAICA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 12/08/2004 -- Digicel Group, the fastest growing mobile telecommunications company in the Caribbean, today announced that it is the first mobile operator in its markets to offer a roaming service to its pre-paid customers traveling to the United Kingdom (UK). Digicel customers' pre-paid roaming service to the UK commenced on Wednesday, December 8. Digicel pre-paid customers now have the ability to use their phones while traveling in the UK as well as within the Digicel markets of Aruba, Barbados, Cayman, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Earlier this year, Digicel was the first mobile provider in the Caribbean to launch roaming for pre-paid customers. The company already has agreements with more than 200 roaming partners in more than 100 countries for its postpaid customers, twice as many as its nearest competitor. Digicel plans to expand its pre-paid roaming services to include additional countries in the near future. According to Digicel Group CEO, Raoul Fontanez, "Offering roaming for pre-paid customers is still a relatively new concept. We are delighted to be taking the lead in the Caribbean by being the first mobile provider in our markets to offer roaming to the UK to our pre-paid customers. The UK is a popular destination for many of our Caribbean customers so this new offering is a testament to our ongoing commitment to bring them added value." Digicel pre-paid customers are automatically eligible and enrolled in the value added service with no additional cost or activity needed on their part. When roaming, customers can make and receive calls, send and receive text messages and check their balance as they would at home. Before traveling, pre-paid customers are advised to 'top-up' their account before traveling or carry an extra digiFLEX card to ensure they have enough credit. The 'top-up' capability is also available through Digicel webFLEX, a secure Internet-based offering on the Digicel Web site, which allows remote top-up via a credit card. Digicel pre-paid customers roaming in the UK can receive calls from their home market without the worry of extra cost incurred by the calling party. The caller pays the same as a local call with the recipient paying the international rate. Receiving text messages when roaming is free of charge for the Digicel pre-paid customer Over the past three years, Digicel has consistently been on the cutting edge of innovation in mobile phone service, providing the Caribbean region with several new services that were not previously offered including: GSM service in select countries, per second billing, picture messaging and mobile web, mobile chat, electronic recharge services, electronic swipe card top-up, "Call Me" and rollover minutes. Reprinted from Marketwire.com