The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) company rolled out its BlackBerry service yesterday touting its “affordable” service plans but unlike its competitor, Digicel, the company has instituted data caps based on the plan selected by the customer.
GTT’s Chief Executive Officer Yog Mahadeo said the company was breaking “the stranglehold that the competitor has had, we are showing our brothers and sister across Guyana the meaning of what
are really low rates.” He said that nowhere in the Caribbean can a customer subscribe to a BlackBerry service with rates of $199 per day (US$1), which leads essentially to $2,299 per month.
According to Mahadeo, the company was that unlike competitor Digicel, the handsets being sold by the company and its agents were unlocked. “I must mention to you on the point of handsets, we give you the freedom of choice. They lock theirs, we trust you, buy ours, they are not locked, take our service and let our service and price be the reason you stay, not because we locked you in,” said Mahadeo to loud applause. He added that “large buckets of data” are offered with readily available capability for the customer to subscribe for more than he/she needs.
The GT&T service offers ‘out of plan’ rates if the data cap is reached and this is billed at cents per kilobyte. These out of plan rates are an example of the company’s commitment to its customers since the customer only has to have cents in their credit, Mahadeo emphasized.
Amid much fanfare and merriment, a capacity audience at GT&T’s newest business location at 55 Brickdam also heard that the company will be offering a service for the popular Apple Iphone. Dozens of persons flocked the business offices of the phone company, which yesterday offered BlackBerry handsets at $11,000, less than the original cost announced by GT&T.
Yesterday’s launch had been heavily promoted as an 11/11/11 event, and was long-awaited by GTT’s customer base, according to Mahadeo. He said that the telecommunications company was not merely launching a new service but one with a difference and stressed that the company is committed to expanding its services as modern technology develops.
According to the CEO, GT&T is bringing a product which will impact on the lives of all Guyanese. The four service packages offered—chat, social, connect and professional—will make the service affordable and price-friendly, he said. Mahadeo also declared that the company will revise its post-paid plans and instead of a plan A, B, or C, customers will now have a choice of basic, standard, gold and platinum rates, which he deemed affordable and designed to meet the customer needs. With the plans, customers have a choice of requesting a mix when applying for the service and “you can make the choice, gold with standard, basic and platinum, whatever or however you want to live, we are here to make your dreams a reality,” according to Mahadeo.
GT&T will soon be reaching out to corporate Guyana and from November 24, to various areas across the country.
GT&T has come a long way and over the years it has invested approximately $20M annually in promotion and development of the country, Mahadeo said. Throughout the year, the company has invested millions of dollars in various promotions and more than 100,000 persons have participated in their sporting events as well as the company’s jingle and song competitions, and its latest Star Guyana competition. The Bollywood segment has attracted more than 1,000 participants, Mahadeo said.
President Bharrat Jagdeo, who was present at the launching, said the service is good for the sector and GT&T is playing a part in the holistic approach being channelled by the government towards development of the sector.
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh told the gathering that from the onset, the occasion provided an opportunity for celebration along several perspectives.
He said government is delighted that the makers of BlackBerry- Research In Motion (RIM) – “with its growing reputation”, has seen it fit to partner with a Guyanese company, GT&T. Singh said that he scarcely thought that RIM would want to partner with a second service provider without considering the company and its reputation.
He said that government will continue to work uninterrupted with the sector and as soon as the new parliament is convened it will work to put in place modern legislation relative to a more modern sector in a more expeditious and timely manner.
Paul Bowersock, president of International operations at GT&T’s parent company, Atlantic Tele Network, said the occasion was “unique” to the country and to BlackBerry “in terms of effort and passion” displayed by the GT&T family, leading to the service being launched. He said that the company may not be the first to bring the service but “it certainly will be the best.”
