June 29th - July 5th 2000
Cayman Net News

'Pay As You Go' - Prepaid Cell Phone Service Now Available

The exclusive local provider of telephone communications and internet services - Cable & Wireless - is now offering prepaid mobile telephone service in the Cayman Islands.

Pay As You Go prepaid mobile is a card-based system that allows customers to purchase a card of a specific value based on the amount of calls they wish to make or receive.Ê A Nokia 5120 mobile phone is offered to Pay As You Go customers at a special low price as part of the service.

The pre-paid service is a convenient alternative to post-paid mobile service, which requires a credit check, deposit, and signed contract.Ê Pay As You Go customers will not have to pay a deposit and there will be no credit checks and no signed contracts.Ê It is prepaid service with no monthly bill.

Cable & Wireless General Manager Tim Adam said: "We are pleased to launch this service in the Cayman Islands as it offers a new customer base the convenience of mobile service.Ê It is easy to get, easy to use and allows customers control over their spending for mobile service."

Prepaid mobile has proven to be a popular product in other markets due to its flexibility.

Pay As You Go prepaid mobile is currently available in the Cayman Islands, St. Lucia, Dominica, and Antigua.Ê It will shortly be introduced in Barbados.Ê Later in the year it will be offered in Anguilla and Grenada.

In St. Lucia, Cable & Wireless has seen the number of subscribers to prepaid service double just three months after introducing the service to that market.

Part of the appeal is that by using Pay As You Go, customers have greater control over mobile phone service costs, without having an outgoing monthly commitment.

The product is anticipated to appeal to a number of customer groups including: cost conscious individuals, families wanting a second mobile phone, those who want to try mobile service before they make a long-term commitment, seasonal business users, businesses wanting to equip staff with a low risk mobile option, individuals with short term work permits, and individuals who currently use fixed line calling cards.

Pay As You Go has the advantage of offering an immediate connection for quality mobile service.Ê There are no additional or hidden charges that customers will face.

Mr. Adam elaborated: "Pay As You Go is an exciting new product that offers a good quality service that equals that of standard mobile service and provides added flexibility and affordability."

For those who do not already have a mobile hand set, the all inclusive Prepaid Wireless Phone Package comes with a high quality Nokia 5120 mobile phone and a CI$40 value card for CI$225.

The alternative Starter Kit is for customers who already have mobile phone handsets and costs CI$85, including a CI$40 value card.Ê To use the Pay As You Go service, customers will scratch the back of the card to reveal their own unique code, which is then loaded onto the mobile phone.Ê Customers can then purchase additional cards of their desired value to continue service when the value of the previous card runs out.Ê

Pay As You Go calling cards are available in three denominations:

• CI$25 - expires in 30 days
• CI$40 - expires in 30 days
• CI$100 - expires in 60 days

Under the Pay As You Go service, outgoing calls cost CI$0.65 per minute and international calls are charged CI$0.65 per minute plus the International Direct Dial rate.Ê All incoming calls are charged atbCI$0.65 per minute.

Pay As You Go packages are currently available at the Freedom Store in Galleria Plaza, the Freedom Desk at Anderson Square and at the Freedom Kiosk at SafeHaven and will also be available at supermarkets, petrol stations, electronic shops, hardware and general stores.

To introduce Pay As You Go to local customers, Cable & Wireless will be holding a special event for customers on July 8th at Royal Palms.Ê Special sign up promotions for Pay As You Go will be offered, and there will be raffle prizes and entertainment for the whole family throughout the day. Ê Ê

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