The company says the sites will expand network coverage but also boost "overall service quality as several existing cell sites will be bolstered to accommodate additional call traffic".

"The aggressive build out is being facilitated, in part, by a tower-sharing agreement which LIME brokered with Claro in July of this year," the company said in a release announcing the project.

LIME is the No 2 mobile service provider in Jamaica, Claro Jamaica is No 3.

World-class service

"We are continuing to make good on our promise to provide world-class service for our mobile customers by strengthening and expanding our network," said LIME Country Manager Geoff Houston, in the company-issued statement.

"Our customers will soon find coverage in several additional locations and even better call quality, particularly in some of our more popular towns and urban centres, because we fully intend to offer the best coverage in every community across Jamaica."

The top three mobile providers in Jamaica are in a race for new broadband business, with LIME last year laying out, it said, $3 billion for its 3G wireless infrastructure. Its mobile broadband offerings began rolling out earlier this year.

The new cell sites to be built or upgraded will be commissioned on a phased basis between October 2009 and March 2010. LIME says while every parish will have new sites, coverage should improve considerably in St Catherine, St Elizabeth, St Ann, and St Mary.

LIME says the deal it has with Claro allows it to expand the reach of its mobile network "in a more cost-effective manner" but in a responsible way that mitigates impact on the environment.

business@gleanerjm.com