WIND Project The project consists of the construction, expansion and operation of a telecoms and television network in Dominican Republic. Wind Telecom S.A. (the Company or WIND) is a provider of broadband internet, telephony, pay TV and data center services in a market with a relatively low industry indicators (e.g., 10% tele-density, 6% broadband penetration and 6% pay-TV penetration). The companys services are provided through a mix of technologies including WiMAX , point-to-point microwave, fiber optics and MMDS.

The purpose of the project is to provide triple play services across the main cities in Dominican Republic. WIND has acquired national spectrum rights (20-year license). The company targets residential, corporate and institutional customers. The roll-out has begun in Santo Domingo and Santiago, and over the next 18 months will expand to Moca, Salcedo, Tenares,  
La Vega, San Pedro Macoris, La Romana, San Francisco, Mao, Esperanza, San Cristobal, Moca and Puerto Plata. Improvement in Telephony and TV Access:
The project promotes the convergence of different services under one package, thus improving connectivity and reducing gaps in access by:

- Extending coverage of basic telecommunication services: WIND expects to eventually deploy a quasi-nationwide network. Its wireless technology contributes to more efficient, cheaper and wider coverage, which includes un-served and underserved areas of the Dominican Republic.

- Reducing pricing: A new entrant like WIND would be promoting competition against the incumbent telcos and pay TV providers. The synergies provided by a triple play offering, and by the development of a mostly wireless network, should support a case for lower overall pricing.

- Increasing service offerings: WIND provides an ample array of services, including connectivity (voice and data) and video for individual users as well as corporate data products such as co-hosting and co-location.

- Distributing relevant content: Unlike with other wireless video platforms (i.e., DTH), WIND offers a new distribution channel for local programming.

Formalizing provision of TV services:
The entrance of new players like WIND, with digital networks, has allowed regulator Indotel to formalize the TV sector, where piracy was rampant.


Reduce intra-country digital divide:
Even though mobile voice and fixed data density has been on the rise nationally, rural and suburban areas are far behind. WIND has a scalable nationwide deployment strategy, thus taking digital services to poorer areas of the country. Lack of basic services at affordable rates is a critical problem for micro-business owners, impeding economic development. WINDs state-of-the-art technology allows for technology transfer to and within the Dominican Republic.

Broadband connectivity:
Broadband services are critical for improving the operational efficiency of Government and large and small enterprises. At the retail level, fast internet access contributes to improving communications, exchange of information and entertainment. The Dominican Republic currently lags its peer countries in Broadband penetration rates, the Project will support an increase in this penetration levels by making the service more widely available and accessible.

Employment: 
WIND currently employs over 170 people. By 2012 it expects over 300 direct employees, not counting indirect employment (independent distributors).

Focus on educational corridors: 
WINDs initial backhaul roll-out focused strongly in connecting the major universities in the Dominican Republic. 

Free educational channels:
The company, together with the Government, launched a plan to provide free TV access to 8 international educational channels (from HBO and Discovery) for 300 public schools, with the idea of extending such program to 3,000 public schools in the next two years as the network footprint increases.