For over seventy years, GTA has been Guam’s leading digital infrastructure provider of broadband, wireless, voice, data center and subsea cable landing services. “We’re deeply rooted in the community and part of the island’s rich history,” says GTA President and CEO Roland Certeza. “Our commitment goes beyond just providing services, it’s about actively shaping a better future for our community, and that makes all the difference.”
With a team of 475 employees, GTA is among the island’s largest employers and also stands out for its 100% local management. Fully U.S.-owned, the company’s majority shareholder is Huntsman Family Investments, the private investment platform for the Jon M. Huntsman, Sr. family.
In December 2023, GTA announced that Stonepeak, a leading infrastructure investment firm, will provide up to $200 million of strategic growth investment to GTA. “We deeply value the strong community ties of our local management team, which play a key role in our success,” said Certeza.
Initially a government entity, GTA’s services were limited to providing regular dial tone for phone calls, a business disrupted by the appearance of cell phone technology and broadband, which radically changed communications. The company was privatized in 2005, when it relaunched its cellular business and started providing fiber-optic connections to its major business customers. This offered a competitive edge in the marketplace and widened the range of its communication services.
GTA stands as a competitive enabler that changed the pricing landscape, the level of service, and the deployment of products. Other carriers were forced to adapt to new conditions, significantly improving Guam’s communications landscape. “One of our early victories was becoming the second carrier in the U.S. to offer iPhones, and the first in Guam. This achievement provided us with a three-year advantage,” added Certeza.
The key to GTA’s success seems to be its drive towards innovation. Beyond communication services, the company operates two data centers, providing a secure environment for businesses seeking alternative data center solutions. In 2016, the company invested in the SEA-US cable, establishing vital connections between Guam, Indonesia, Philippines, Hawaii and California. Building the station for it was its first foray into the business, which the company repeated in 2019 when it collaborated in constructing a combined neutral cable landing station and data center. GTA conceived the project following the 2011 Japan tsunami, which energized GTA to proactively address potential communication breakdowns and damage to infrastructure during natural emergencies. “We are building a solid network for the community that will outlast us all,” said Certeza, “It’s a network that will connect our neighborhoods, our schools, our businesses and our lives.”
