By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas’ second mobile operator yesterday promised to deliver superior customer service and “phenomenal” plans, as it outlined pay-per second call rates and “no contracts” as key components of its new mobile services offering.

Johnny Ingle, NewCo’s vice-president of sales and marketing, said customers will be “charged per second” when utilising calling services from its Aliv brand and that customers will be able to “choose the plan you wish when you want” upon signing up for Aliv services because the company wants customers “to stay with us because you want to, not because of a contract.”

Mr Ingle stressed that customers having to “only pay for what you use” with Aliv’s calling services, coupled with the option of selecting a preferred mobile plan without contractually being locked into Aliv’s carrier’s service, demonstrates “advice and guidance” the company has taken from “months of research” conducted on its prospective customer base.

Mr Ingle also said the company will introduce a “wide range of cost options” for smartphone devices that will “suit everybody,” and said customers will “be able to chose the phone you want with the package you want, bundled in a deal we already know people love.”

These, Mr Ingle said, includes “unlimited” seven-day and 30-day plans, courtesy of Aliv’s Freedom and Liberty suites, respectively, which he said will provide customers with the “choice, value and service that the people have longed for, finally.”

“To make it perfectly clear to everyone, we have consumer plans starting at $5 and they all include calling to anywhere on any number within the Bahamas, anywhere to any number to the US, and anywhere to any number to Canada. Standard, across all of the Freedom and all of the Liberty plans.

“...The beauty of these plans are it is your choice, and that’s the power of the Aliv service.

“So we’re not an inward looking business; we took our advice and guidance from months of research,” Mr Ingle added. “And what did people ask for? ‘I want a network that works. I’m sick of dropped calls, I’m sick of a poor data experience, I’m sick of not understanding what I’m paying for.’”

Mr Ingle made his statements during a press conference at the Holy Cross Anglican Church to announce the opening of Aliv’s new retail stores in six locations throughout New Providence – Carey’s Shopping Centre, the Mall at Marathon, Rosetta Street in Palmdale, the Shoppes at Carmichael, the Southwest Plaza and the Old Fort Bay Town Centre.

The stores are scheduled to be officially opened on Wednesday, Mr Ingle said.

Mr Ingle also said that within a “few weeks,” additional Aliv retail locations will also open up on Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera. The rollout process will continue well into 2017, he said.

“At all of our locations, customers can experience the devices we’ll be offering and a wide range of cost options that will suit everybody, starting from as little as $59,” he said. “You’ll be able to chose the phone you want with the package you want, bundled in a deal that we already know people love.

“These include unlimited seven-day and 30-day plans, the Freedom and Liberty Suites, to suit whatever makes sense for you life. There are no contracts. We want you to stay with us because you want to, not because of a contract.”

He added: “We know that Bahamians know what they want, and they know when they are not getting it. Aliv does not just want to be the other mobile service provider; we want to be everyone’s mobile service provider. We plan to do that by delivering great service, great value, delivered over a great network and most importantly through an exceptional team of people.”

To celebrate the official launch of the Aliv brand, Mr Ingle also said NewCo will host a free concert at Clifford Park on Saturday from 7pm to midnight, which will feature performances from over 20 “celebrated Bahamian artists.”

“Food and drink will be on sale, and there will be more than one or two surprises for everybody that attends,” Mr Ingle said.

NewCo was awarded the second mobile operator license in July of this year. The new mobile provider was tasked with achieving 99 per cent network population coverage in New Providence and 80 per cent population coverage in (Freeport) Grand Bahama, within three months of its license award.