Flow Communications has acquired the assets of Coral Seas Cable in Negril, and will offer 'all-digital' cable service to subscribers currently on that network starting in January.

"We are excited to continue bringing services to western Jamaica," said Flow Director of Marketing Jean McPherson.

"We have already started roll-out of digital cable service within Hanover. Now we are extending our reach to Negril."

McPherson said "most" employees of Coral, a company owned by Rickie Jackson, had accepted offers to work with Flow, whose parent company is Columbus Communications of Jamaica Limited and part of the Columbus Group which operates in 21 regional markets.

in six parishes

The company says it now offers service in six parishes - Kingston, St. Andrew, sections of Portmore in St. Catherine, St. Ann, Hanover and St. Mary - and expects to blanket the island with its digital broadband service by 2011.

Under that plan is a commitment for free Internet access to high schools, with 25 already outfitted, the company said.

Coral is Flow's second acquisition in Hanover - it also bought Matrix in the summer - and its sixth purchase islandwide.

Five of those deals were struck in 2007. SAUCE Communications, the earliest purchase, was in June 2006.

business@gleanerjm.com