John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter
CABLE AND Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ) yesterday announced a 45 per cent reduction in calling rates for its customers with the introduction of a new cellular plan that will eliminate cross-network charges, effective today.
Rodney Davis, president and chief executive officer of C&WJ, said the new plan, dubbed the 'Anyone plan', will reduce cellphone rates to $10 per minute during peak hours and $8 per minute during off-peak hours from a C&WJ cellphone to any other cellular network or landline telephone. Previously, it cost $17.50 per minute to call from a C&WJ cellphone to the Digicel or Miphone network.
Mr. Davis said the decision to reduce rates was based on feedback from C&WJ's customers, partners and employees.
TOO MANY BARRIERS
"The recurring theme from the feedback is that there are too many barriers to communication and the biggest barrier is the cost," Davis said at a press launch held at the Cuddyz Sports Bar and Grill in New Kingston. "We took careful note of their concerns and today marks the beginning of our response to what they have been saying to us," he emphasised.
Mr. Davis said that the new plan is available to both post and pre-paid customers. Persons can also trade in their existing handsets, regardless of the network, to sign up. Existing customers can sign up for the new plan at any of the company's business offices.
The C&WJ president said the new initiative will be backed by a $100 million marketing campaign. The product will be officially launched to the public today. According to Mr. Davis, "We believe we are doing the right thing for mobile and we intend, as the saying goes, to put our money where our mouth is."
Mr. Davis expressed confidence that the new initiative will boost C&WJ's market share and expects that the company will start realising returns in the next three months.
NEW SITES
In anticipation of the increased demand on the network, Mr. Davis said C&WJ will be investing an additional $500 million to upgrade its network. He said more than $3 billion has been spent over the past 18 months to add 150 new sites to the company's network infrastructure.
"We have an intention that within a year our coverage will be the best coverage and the most reliable network in the marketplace," declared Mr. Davis. The company has also strengthened its customer service by training more employees to deal with the expected influx of new customers.
The reduction in cellphone rates has come about a month after the company announced a new flat rate system for its landline network which takes effect October 1. Previously, customers were billed separately for intra and inter parish calls.
