Al Edwards, Financial Editor
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY Cable & Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ) through its bmobile division will now be offering free nights and weekend calls to its cellular phone customers. In addition the company has slashed its call rates with post-paid coming in as low as $2.00 per minute and prepaid rates as low as $1.95 per minute.
Speaking at the launch of these latest initiatives senior vice president for Mobile, Ian Neita said bmobile customers can " Talk and Save" through any of the following five new post-paid plans Talk & Save Everyday, Talk & Save Weekends, Talk & Save Nights and Weekends, Talk & Save Whenever and Talk & Save Whenever Plus."
PREPAID PLANS
On selected post-paid plans customers will enjoy free calls at nights and on weekends, one rate for daytime and night-time calling ( no peak or off-peak differentiation), up to 1400 free bundled minutes, one low rate of $2 per minute for calls to both bmobile and Cable & Wireless landline numbers and bundled text packages.
As far as prepaid customers are concerned, the company will be offering three prepaid plans namely: Talk & Save Everyday, Talk & Save Nights and Weekends, and bFree Plus.
On selected prepaid plans customers can take advantage of call rates to other networks reduced by as much as 40 per cent from $17 to $10 per minute. The company is also now offering one low rate of $1.95 per minute for calls to both bmobile and Cable& Wireless landline numbers. Also included are 150 free text messages per month.
BEST PERFORMANCE
Cable & Wireless recently released its unaudited financial accounts for the nine month period ended December 31, 2004 which reveals net profit attributable to shareholders increased to $1.6 billion, a five per cent increase. The company's best performance continues to come from its mobile division (though income from mobile declined by two per cent to $4.3 billion) and other services including data and Internet and equipment sales.
Speaking with Wednesday Business yesterday Mr. Neita said: ''We are positioning ourselves to be providers of value for money. You must provide customers with a reason to remain with you particularly when there are choices out there. It is no longer about simply getting a free cell phone.
"We conducted a survey in November which revealed thatcustomers want first and foremost a reliable network, good customer care service and value for money. As of now people no longer need 2 cell phones in order to take advantage of rates because we are offering one flat rate. The more you talk , the more you save. This is a first in Jamaica."
