My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: Why Digicel Smart and Value Postpaid Plans upgrade to Smart Postpaid Plans geared towards smartphones

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Why Digicel Smart and Value Postpaid Plans upgrade to Smart Postpaid Plans geared towards smartphones

Looks like Telecom Provider Digicel has upgraded their postpaid offering yet again. Possibly realizing that the Smart and Value Postpaid Plans didn’t offer much in the way of Value, not to mention leaving the user feeling less than smart as noted in my blog article entitled How Digicel quietly launched Postpaid Smart & Value Plans should lead to 2-year Data and Voice Plans”.

They’ve ditched the Value Plans in favour of Smart Plans instead. These new Postpaid plans can be viewed on Digicel’s Smart Postpaid Plans website! Now if they could only increased adverising and promotion of these Smart Postpaid Plans, then all would be right with Telecoms in Jamaica!

You can text 162 to 137 with existing postpaid customers dialing *162# and you’ll get the same info that’s on the flyer. So I’ll break it down for you real simple.

It’s a big improvement on the Smart and Value Postpaid Plans as the International Calling Minutes and Data Plan come bundles into each Plan instead of being optional add-ons you have to purchase as an after thoughts.

Also, based on the Data Bundles, albeit still small, it’s definitely suggests that Digicel is gearing this towards Postpaid Smartphone users. The Plans as listed above are:

1.      StartSmart
2.      GoSmart
3.      MoreSmart
4.      PremiumSmart
5.      EliteSmart
6.      MaxSmart Plan

This is a move in the right direction, as smartphones are supposed to be sold on 2 year contract with Data and Voice Plans. Once a phone has a 3G radio built in, the customer has to have a Data Plan as argued in my blog article entitled Digicel officially launches DL600 smartphones on Friday October 18th 2013 and JA$100 2-Day Data Plans - Ours is the Fury as Digicel’s DL600 secures their Throne in this Game of Phones against LIME”.

Otherwise the customer will just have a fancy smartphone and choose to use Wi-Fi for their Data instead of buying a “4G” Mobile Data Plan. Eventually it’s hoped that all Telecom Providers will eventually make it impossible for persons to just bring a smartphone into the island.

Then they can place it on any Telecom Provider’s Network without paying for a Data Plan or putting the smartphone on Postpaid, thus allowing them to maximize on the phone’s access to their Network, make more money.

Customer will benefit by getting a better Mobile Data experience instead of sneaking off and stopping stock in the middle of the sidewalk while walking through New Kingston just to catch some free Wi-Fi Internet.

This is the latest in a series of Postpaid services since they introduced their new six (6) separate packages on Friday June 14th 2013 as explained in my blog article entitledDigicel responds to LIME and introduces Six Plans with lowest rate of JA$2.49 on Friday June 14 2013 - Digicel’s new Six Plan Rates wants Your Body, Christina Aguilera Style”.  

Telecom Provider Digicel had already rolled out DigiHome in Jamaica in a push for Telecom Provider LIME’s Landline customers as noted in my blog article entitledDigicel rolls out DigiHome, their first Residential Postpaid Fixed Line Service - Ramp up for Landline Number Portability and LIME’s Homefone XPress”. It’s only a matter of time to see how Jamaicans warm up to these new Postpaid offers come May 2014.



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