Calling it “the first U.K. e-telco,”
BT, Unisys
and Bank of Scotland Monday launched a new e-business named Quip.
Quip intends to dominate the low cost telephony market, capturing
5 per cent of it within three years. If successful in meeting this
£100 million target it will be one of the largest operators
in the low-cost sector.
Through its Web site, designed by Organic, Quip will be
offering consumers automated personalization and direct day-to-day
control over their service and bills. The services will
be directed primarily at residential, SOHO workers and SMEs who
make frequent international calls.
Founder and CEO of Quip, Steve Gandy, said that there were many problems
with the present market. In particular he drew attention to
complex pricing and discounting schemes, hidden extras charged by
unscrupulous operators and the general lack of trust by consumers in
most of the low-cost telephony suppliers.
Marketing Director Simon Lubin said that Quip would use new technology to
identify the trends and habits of its user base. As a result it would
then be able to offer specifically targeted promotions, enabling consumers
to
make greater savings.
“We are on a mission to provide clarity to an industry that at present is
widely misunderstood,” said Lubin.
Quip is planning a wide scale marketing campaign aimed at informing
the public about the type of savings to be made when using the Quip
service.
According to information released Monday, Quip’s use of Internet-based
technology is fundamental to every part of the enterprise. There will
be Internet-based billing, payment and handling of customer enquiries.
Of the three partners in Quip, BT is the largest with 49 per cent
of the equity. Unisys and Bank of Scotland each have 25.5 per cent.