Innovative, the leading telecommunications provider in the U.S. Virgin Islands, announces more progress toward the modernization plan that was unveiled to the Virgin Islands Public Services Commission and the community over one year ago.
Innovative’s modernization project was originally touted as a four-year plan to address the need for new modern services and to improve the reliability quality of voice, video and high-speed data offerings throughout the territory, yet it is on track to be completed almost two years early. Innovative currently maintains two network systems -- one for telephone products on copper cable and another for cable TV on coaxial cable. The objective, which is to build and maintain an integrated network that will provide all products, will be accomplished by deploying a hybrid fiber-optic coaxial cable (HFC) network, a future looking design, well-proven and extensively used throughout the United States.
Seth R. Davis, president and chief executive officer of Innovative Companies, stated, “In August 2011, the Innovative Companies began converting customers on St. Croix to the newly constructed HFC plant as the first part of the pilot project.”
“In January, we announced that our subscribers in Frederiksted, St. Croix, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, were also being converted to the new HFC network. Thus far a total of 7,000 homes and businesses now have access to our new network and we are making every effort to accelerate this important project,” said Davis.
In addition to the new converged infrastructure, the billing, provisioning and customer experience platforms are also being upgraded. Customers on the new HFC system receive a new statement format that will be available to all customers as the upgrade continues throughout the territory. The new billing

and financial accounting system, provides customers with the ability to receive combined invoices for all Innovative services. Notices about the new bill format will be mailed to customers and available on Innovative’s Web site within the next two weeks.
Innovative is also working closely with governmental agencies to improve their ability to provide service to their constituents. Recently, fiber was placed directly to the Cyril E. King Airport to improve the level of voice, data and video services there. This project is ground-breaking because Innovative employed the “micro-trenching” construction method, which is a more cost effective and less intrusive way to excavate and place its fiber-optic cables underground.
“During the last 18 months, the Innovative Companies have experienced an incredible period of growth and development. We are upgrading our infrastructure, becoming more efficient and working closely with the United Steelworkers of America to ensure that our employees are provided with the training and the resources required operating and maintaining our new plant and technologies. Our team is committed to a very aggressive modernization schedule to ensure that the territory is receiving the same quality of services in the region as in the continental United States,” said Davis.