The Tribune

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday said product bundling and competitive pricing had increased its broadband Internet sales by 400 per cent over the previous year.

Odette Carey BTC’s product manager for broadband, landline, IP TV and business solutions, said: “I feel the main driver is the fact that increasingly, people are recognising that BTC provides the better-value, more affordable total communication package.

“There is no doubt that BTC has the package price advantage over Cable Bahamas for broadband, Internet and landline services whether for home or office. Our sales figures are proof of this - up 400 per cent over last year.”

She added: “Additionally, BTC is recognised as the truly national telecommunications provider by virtue of its active commitment to the expansion of broadband and Internet access throughout the entire Bahama Islands via Next Generation Network (NGN) now close to completion.

“Sales have been driven by NGN implementation, and now that we are 90 per cent complete in the Family Islands we are seeing increased uptake, including those people who have never had Internet before.”

Ms Carey said that on New Providence alone, about 85 per cent of BTC Internet sales over the last 11 months were to Cable Bahamas customers.

She added that trebling the BTC Telesales force had paid off, too, bringing significant growth to sales via direct calling.

“The sales team has been a lot more aggressive this past year, with a beefed up Telesales team clocking up tremendous sales figures via direct contact,” Ms Carey said.

“This has proved far more effective and more useful to the customer than any in-store selling initiatives in the past. Broadband, in particular, has benefited from this approach.

“At the end of the day,” added Ms Carey, “BTC’s more extensive coverage of the Family Islands and our better pricing overall nationwide is driving the upward sales figures.”

Marlon Johnson, BTC’s senior vice-president of brand and communication, said it was satisfying to move into the new BTC fiscal year, which begins in April, with such a strong year behind them.

“We are seeing the results we knew were possible with the implementation of NGN, which puts BTC broadband, Internet and landlines on par with many first world countries who have also recently moved to NGN,” said the senior vice-president.

“BTC has spent the last two years creating a world-class communications infrastructure that puts the Bahamas at the forefront of technology and ensures BTC is ready and able to compete when market liberalisation unfolds.”