By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — In a major move to fortify Guyana’s digital backbone, One Communications (Guyana) Inc. has announced a US$25 million investment for 2026. Chief Executive Officer Abraham Smith unveiled the plan on Thursday at the 2026 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, positioning high-speed connectivity as a critical utility that must outpace industrial and residential demand.
The investment aims to transition telecommunications from a service that simply supports operations to one that “powers them,” reflecting the company’s shift into a high-capacity, oil-driven economic era.
Strategic Investment Pillars for 2026
The US$25 million allocation is earmarked for three primary areas of development to ensure the network remains resilient as national infrastructure expands:
- Fiber Connectivity: Expanding high-speed fiber into emerging economic corridors, with specific focus on Linden, Parika, the East Coast corridor, and Berbice.
- Mobile Capacity: Strengthening LTE coverage with additional mobile sites to support increasing data traffic and industrial requirements.
- Network Resilience: Enhancing subsea and terrestrial capacity to provide redundancy for mission-critical operations in finance, energy, and government.
Leading the Wales Corridor Development
Smith highlighted the Wales corridor—home to the landmark Gas-to-Energy project—as a prime example of the company’s “invest ahead of demand” philosophy.
- Digital Movement: As energy infrastructure moves inland, One Communications has already expanded fiber into communities like Vriesland, Patentia, Belle Vue, and Goed Intent.
- Industrial Support: The company has reconfigured its network topology and strengthened transmission routes into the Wales exchange to ensure industrial facilities have the “uptime” required for 24/7 operations.
Digital Inclusion: Reaching Beyond the City
A significant portion of the company’s existing footprint is already serving rural and hinterland areas, a trend that will accelerate in 2026.
- Nationwide Reach: The fiber network currently serves over 180,000 homes and businesses, with 79% of that footprint located outside central Georgetown.
- Economic Equity: “Opportunity cannot stop at the city limits,” Smith stated, emphasizing that digital infrastructure must reach every region for development to be truly sustainable.
- MMG Expansion: The investment will also fund further upgrades to the Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) platform, promoting financial inclusion by expanding digital payment services.
Investment Snapshot (2011–2026)
The 2026 push brings the company’s total 15-year investment to over US$275 million.
“Connectivity is no longer a privilege, it is a promise. Our role is to build systems that hold under pressure and ensure inclusion beyond the coast,” CEO Abraham Smith concluded.
