Viya unveiled a new identity Thursday night at a launch event on St. Thomas, rebranding itself as One Communications and signaling what executives described as a bold new era for the company in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The rebrand aligns Viya with its parent company ATN International’s broader strategy to unify operations across the Caribbean, bringing the USVI into step with markets in Bermuda, Guyana, and the Cayman Islands already operating under the One Communications banner.
The name change follows a pivotal leadership transition. Geraldine Pitt, who led Viya through hurricanes, fiber expansions, and a pandemic, officially retired on March 31 after serving more than six years as CEO. In her final months, Pitt found herself under heightened scrutiny — not only from the Public Services Commission, but also from members of the Legislature, who expressed deep concern about Viya’s restructuring and the outsourcing of local customer service jobs to Guyana. At a legislative hearing in March, Pitt defended the move, pushing back against senators who accused the company of “dismantling” its local workforce. “That’s not the case,” she said. “We are evolving.”
Pitt also addressed lingering frustration over service disruptions, particularly in late 2024. “We had a difficult fourth quarter,” she told PSC members in a separate meeting. “But from January and February, we are way above the expectation.” She attributed earlier outages to a mix of maintenance work and unreliable power from the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, but said new infrastructure investments were beginning to show results.
Now under the leadership of Siobhan James-Alexander, One Communications is promising customers faster speeds, a more reliable network, and a renewed focus on service. “The name ‘One Communications’ embodies the essence of our transformation,” James- Alexander said. “It’s about being one with our customers, one with our community, and number one in our mission to challenge the status quo.” Company officials say recent upgrades to their fiber and mobile networks are already reducing service interruptions and improving video streaming, online gaming, and home connectivity.
The company is also investing in resilience. New undersea cables, wireless redundancies, and upgraded backup power systems are designed to ensure customers stay connected even during emergencies. Meanwhile, branding across customer apps, storefronts, and devices is being updated to reflect the new name, though longtime customers may still associate the service with Viya for some time to come.
The rebrand comes at a time of heightened oversight, as the Public Services Commission continues to monitor Viya’s landline service performance and legislators remain vocal about concerns over transparency and local impact. Company officials maintain that the changes are substantive, not just cosmetic. “This isn’t just about a name,” said Damian Blackburn, President of One Communications Group. “It’s about putting the customer at the heart of everything we do.”
