IT&E unveils refreshed brand identity 

IT&E has launched a refreshed brand identity with the tagline "Connections That Matter," underscoring its commitment to creating impactful connections in the community. The unveiling event took place at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa’s Caffe Cino private dining room on Thursday, August 22.

David Gibson, IT&E’s CEO, expressed his admiration for the company, saying he has "never experienced a company, a group of people, and a culture quite like IT&E." Gibson highlighted that IT&E’s values go beyond business operations, noting the dedication of its employees as "volunteers" and "community leaders." He praised the team’s efforts during Typhoon Mawar, saying, "We were the first to really have major operations back in place."

Gibson outlined IT&E’s plans for expanding its network infrastructure, including the rollout of next generation fixed wireless technology across Guam and the opening of a state-of-the-art data center. He also hinted at the upcoming launch of a new flagship store on Marine Corps Drive but did not provide a specific date.

Addressing concerns about IT&E’s service coverage, particularly in southern Guam, Gibson shared that the company is actively working to improve connectivity. "We're building fiber out to all of our sites in the south," he said, adding that IT&E has "upgraded transport to those sites" and is rapidly expanding 5G capacity. Gibson said that new 5G sites are being activated "possibly as frequently as one a week," which enhances both LTE and 5G services.

When the journal asked about network resilience in the event of future typhoons, Gibson stressed IT&E’s focus on "quality," "affordability," and "resilience." He said that the company’s strategy includes building a "robust and hardened" wireless network and largely burying fiber networks to increase durability. "Fiber on a utility pole is no more resilient than copper or coax," he said. Gibson acknowledged that while no network can be operational "100 percent of the time," the key factor is recovery speed, saying, "It's how fast you can recover that's going to matter most."

Misaki Toves, senior manager of marketing and communications, introduced new products that "combine cutting-edge technology with the affordability the community needs." Toves highlighted the Family Connect plan, which aims to keep families connected with shared data, talk, and text across multiple lines. The new Beam Plus service was also unveiled, offering fiber-like high-speed internet at affordable rates, ensuring "strong, reliable, and affordable" connections.

Toves emphasized IT&E’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and ensuring essential services like education and healthcare are accessible to all. "These offerings promise faster speed, better connectivity, and dependable customer service," she said.

The rebranding celebration included a motorcade by IT&E's Team Blue from Hagåtña to Dededo and a "Blue Wave" at the ITC intersection. In Saipan, similar events are planned for August 30, with another "Blue Wave" at IT&E's Oleai store and a motorcade around the island at 4:30 p.m.

Carisse Vendiola, senior director of business operations and products, explained that the rebranding aims to make IT&E more engaging and relatable to the community. "We wanted to also be more fun and relatable," she said, adding that IT&E strives to be "an active participant in the community, like your friend, your family, your partner in community building." She further described the new brand as "more vibrant, more fun, more relatable, and more trendy." In a lighthearted moment, she said with a smile, "Very mindful, very professional, very demure." mbj