Barbados-based telecoms provider Columbus International, which was purchased by Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) in a USD1.85 billion deal that completed in April this year, is reportedly closing in on its own takeover of Dominica’s Marpin Telecoms & Broadcasting (Marpin 2K4). The acquisition of the telco, which provides cable TV (PiNG!Ready), broadband (PiNG!Net) and dial-up internet access, plus local and international cable telephony (PiNG!Talk) services, is being carried out through CWC unit LIME Dominica. Dominica Vibes News cites an unnamed source as saying that the deal is expected to be completed by the end of June 2015; the purchase price has not been disclosed.
TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that in March 2009 Marpin Telecom was bought for XCD14.1 million (USD5.2 million) by an unnamed US-owned company and the Dominica Social Security (DSS). However, the cableco is facing ‘major financial constraints’ and has been forced to cut salaries by 10% to avoid redundancies at the firm.