Customers purchasing talk time via Direct Top Up, do not have to scratch a card or enter a pin number as the amount will be credited directly to their phone.  Following each transaction, customers will receive a SMS text message to confirming that the top up has been successful and stating their new account balance.  Customers will also be able to check their balances via SMS by texting "bcc" to 124.

Head of Mobile Product Management, Emerson Hewitt said, "Direct Top Up is yet another innovative service from Cable & Wireless Jamaica (CWJ) as we continue to make good on our pledge to provide easier and more convenient ways for our customers to enjoy our services."

Another innovative feature of Direct Top Up is that it allows customers to decide exactly how much airtime they want to buy.

"It's not like buying phone cards or using a swipe card where there are preset denominations of $100, $200 or $500.  If a customer wants to buy $61 or $75 they can do so," Mr. Hewitt explained.

Cable & Wireless is offering the new service in partnership with Lascelles Distributors.  Lascelles CEO Paul Thomas said he sees Direct Top Up not only as an innovative way of providing a service for CWJ's customers but also as a means of providing economic opportunities for small business people.

"It's a job in a phone," Thomas said.  "Vendors will be able to buy airtime from wholesalers which they will then be able to sell to individuals by transferring it directly to their customers' phones."

Mr. Thomas also said he anticipates that the service will be particularly popular in rural areas where the distribution of traditional phone cards is sometimes challenging.

"In some of our smaller rural towns the village shop doesn't necessarily have the facility to do card swipes.  I see Direct Top Up being able to penetrate into all the little villages and hamlets across the island."

CWJ and Lascelles are planning to recruit and train at least 1000 vendors by early 2006.

In addition, to Direct Top Up, bmobile's prepaid customers can purchase call time electronically at NCB AMB Machines or from over 5,000 merchants islandwide.  Customers can also purchase traditional phone cards from various retail outlets.