TravTalk India Online Magazine
Next Cellular, a division of South African multinational cellular operator Next360, has tied up with Global Panorama Showcase (GPS) to distribute its services through B2B channels across India, offering agents to earn through ancillary services by providing SIM cards to the clients.
TT Bureau
Sharing details about Next Cellular, Jignesh Dave, Founder & CEO, Next Cellular, said, “We have a global presence in 35 countries. From our global travel perspective, we are using India as a distribution hub. At Next Cellular, our vision is to make it simple for global travellers by providing them seamless connectivity and the product should be available at their arms reach. In India, we go through a three-tier distribution, wherein Tier I would be the primary distribution, where we have partnered with Global Panorama Showcase (GPS), which will be our regional business partner going forward exclusively for the India market. Then under GPS, we will be creating a distribution network where we will have channel partners, who would be the B2B travel agents, destination manager, or those B2B travel agents who have a pool of B2C travel agents under them.”
All about convenience
He said that the company wants basic connectivity to be free for a global traveller. “From a thought leadership perspective, we would like to add connectivity to the bouquet of products for travel agents in the industry where they get another avenue for revenue. Thus, it’s another weapon in their arsenal to take the business further and that is where our partnership with GPS comes in. We have confidence in each other’s partnership, where we will bring the market fit product,” he added.
Harmandeep Singh Anand, MD, GPS, shared more details about the partnership and the distribution system. “It’s a three-tier partnership and GPS would be right at the top. We are planning to appoint close to 150 channel partners across all the 29 States and 7 Union Territories of India. Below each of the channel partners we are expecting about 50 authorised resellers. Thus, it will be a completely B2B solution that we bring to the market. The aim is to have everyone within the loop. If a consumer goes on the Next Cellular site and wants a product, they will get the list of all authorised resellers nearby and decide from where to get the service. Thus, instead of going directly, when the consumer approaches the website or our team directly, we will get them to the closest reseller to their location,” he said.
Talking about product in terms of the consumer, Dave said, “For a traveller, we are almost 60 per cent cheaper than current roaming rates in India, which is a pre-arrival market. We are a local network in the destination market, which means we are a competitive product as compared to any other local network that one can find in the destination country. We are focusing on convenience, because before you travel, you have got the SIM card connected and we now have launched E- SIM technology as well, where one does not even need a plastic SIM card. A SIM card can be delivered via WhatsApp and one doesn’t even need to wait for a courier or a plastic SIM card to pick up. We will use E-SIM is to disrupt this market and democratise travel industry using telecommunications. Connectivity is not just a leisure while travelling. It’s an essential.”
