By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
CABLE Bahamas yesterday said it was expecting a number of businesses to switch to its REVOICE offering this month, telling Tribune Business it had attracted “well over” 3,000 new landline subscribers due in large part to its mortgage giveaway promotion.
David Burrows, the BISX-listed provider’s marketing director, said that while he was unable to confirm how many companies had exploited number portability’s launch, it had secured a number of contracts during the Christmas period.
He added that Cable Bahamas had added more than 3,000 new subscribers to the end of December, due in large part to its mortgage giveaway promotion.
Mr Burrows said that while heavy focus had been given to the promotion during the Christmas period, the company was looking to ramp up its number portability promotion shortly.
“That is one we’re really looking to ramp up this year. There was tremendous focus on the mortgage giveaway promotion, and number portability sort of came in the middle of that,” Mr Burrows said.
“We have had success with a number of franchises. Over the Christmas break we have had contracts signed, and just wanted to wait until the Christmas season was over before making the switch. We anticipate a number of contracts going into play this month, especially on the commercial side.
“Understandably, businesses did not want to disrupt their operations during the Christmas period. We’re very excited going into this. We will have a promotion coming out relative to that very shortly.”
Mr Burrows said he expected to see a further increase in REVOICE subscribers this week as the mortgage giveaway promotion ends.
Prior to the promotion, Mr Burrows told Tribune Business that the company had 22,000 fixed-line subscribers, and added that the company had now acquired about 25 per cent of the Bahamian landline market. “
I’m very happy with that, no question about that. That’s pretty remarkable. We’ve only just begun so we’re very excited about those numbers,” he added.
Mr Burrows said Cable Bahamas was working on new product development this year, and was in the process of finalising greater upload speed for its broadband Internet offering.
“We will be increasing our upload for broadband. We’re working on trying to finalise that project. That should be coming out shortly,” Mr Burrows said.
“While we did the download speed - we increased that by 500 per cent - we’re now going to increase the upload speed. We do have some new product development that’s going to happen this year, but we’re keeping them under wraps for the time being. We have some great promotions that will be coming up within the next few weeks.”
Comments
John 10 years, 3 months ago
**Many persons are leaving BTC because they realize BTC is the same old lousy service dressed up in marketing gear. BTC is also losing market share in its wireless business where is has no competition. Still too many dropped calls, but BTC mistreated its card and Top Up vendors, stripping them of all their profits (commissions). They assumed that being a monopoly they would maintain sales even if card vendors gave up heir aggressive selling on street corners, at social and sports events or wherever else there was an opportunity to sell phone cards. Card/Top Up sales in some markets are down by THIRTY PERCENT BTC execs are sweating on how to fix the market. Hence they were willing to give up TWO PERCENT controlling shares to the government to in exchange for delaying the entering of competition into the market. They want to buy more time to fix the problem before competition comes. Sales and marketing is a people orientated process and one of BTC's key marketing personnel has left that department as they felt the BTC wholesalers and retailers were being mistreated and shortchanged. Under the misguidance of Marlon Johnson, BTC reduced its commission paid to wholesalers and retailers by more than 50%. Marlon Johnson, who has little or no marketing skills, no marketing skills, convinced Cable and Wireless that Bahamians would work for little or nothing to sell BTC cards and Top Up, like the do in Haiti and Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean and Latin America. They BET WRONG!! Many persons have left the market. Some had no choice because commercial banks have stopped loaning money to phone card and top up vendors. An average loan carries 8-9 percent interest. BTC is only paying vendors between three and five percent commission. Banks tell vendors that they cannot see any income stream in selling phone cards/top up so they reject the request for a loan. Now BTC have to kick Marlon Johnson's idea of Bahamians working for nothing, to the curb. They will have to convince their channel manager to go back to her old job and many of the wholesalers and card vendors will demand compensation for the several years they have been ripped off by BTC...working for nothing This must be done before competition comes else it will be a double whammy for BTC/Cable and Wireless.
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