Since You Asked. Here’s What You Need to Know About RedBk, The Alternate Telephone Directory.

December 4, 2011

RedBk was launched last week (the week of November 28, 2011) and based on the coverage shown during the business news, it seems like competition is heating up in the telephone directory market.

Telephone Directory

RedBk (and i have to keep restraining myself from typing RedBook), plans to list both regular landline numbers for LIME but its distinctive feature is to list landline numbers for the other national carrier, FLOW, and also for the mobile companies.

For those of us who have seen the ads on TV they are quite catchy and a definite reminder that this company is serious and ready for business. We will post more information as we become aware of it, but here is what we do know.

  • The RED stands for Reach Everybody Directory
  • RedBk Jamaica is a locally registered company.
  • RedBk Jamaica Limited plans to launch by year end an all-inclusive directory of mobile and landline numbers for businesses and individuals, with no bias for service providers.
  • The investors, stakeholders and partners have extensive backgrounds in both telecommunication regionally and on the international market
  • Carol Pryce – President and CEO and Richard Robinson – Chief Operating Officer – COO
  • Digicel has granted RedBk permission to utilize its Dealer Channel to offer RedBk’s advertising products
  • “Our first location is in New Kingston, but our network will extend throughout the island”
  • “Our aim is to better serve all personal and business clients, large corporate, small and medium-sized enterprises and micro (any vendor) by providing them with the opportunity to be part of a directory service that gives them greater access to their current customers and potential customers.
  • The company will be targeting enterprises which do not use landlines, noting that prepaid and postpaid options are now in greater use, especially by smaller businesses.
  • They are targeting all networks – Flow, LIME, Digicel and Claro
  • RedBk will invest US$2 million (J$172 million) over the next 12 months providing employment for 80 people in the first six months and between 150 to 200 with the year
  • The first regional directory should be available by April to September next year.

What are you expecting from a regional telephone directory? Do you think there is a large market for mobile numbers to be listed?

Refer to these two articles for more information

  1. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Telephone-directory-competition-for-LIME_10150275
  2. http://www.businessuiteonline.com/2011/11/14/redbk-the-real-game-changer/
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