CABLE & WIRELESS THIS WEEK announced that bmobile prepaid customers from any of its Caribbean operations can now use eTopUp services in Trinidad and Tobago when they are travelling in the twin-island republic.

In addition, bmobile customers from Trinidad can eTopUp in any other bmobile country. This comes on the back of the successful launch of bmobile's Roaming eTopUp service last January, when the company announced that, bmobile customers could top-up across 12 countries in the Caribbean whilst roaming, just like they do at home.

This announcement is the latest in a string of initiatives to make staying in touch while travelling as simple and convenient as possible.

This simply means bmobile customers will no longer need to preload their accounts prior to travelling to Trinidad and Tobago. Instead, when visiting, they can go to any Telecommunications Services of Trinidad & Tobago bmobile store, or anywhere else eTopUp is sold, give the retailer their ten-digit mobile number and pay using local currency, and their account will be credited in equivalent home currency.

Customers will receive an SMS showing the value of their eTopUp in Trinidad currency, the new balance on their account in home currency, and a unique transaction identification number. Talk-time can be used while travelling, or once the customer returns home. The same applies to a customer from Trinidad travelling in the 12 other bmobile countries in the Caribbean.

Additionally, friends, families and colleagues can top-up phones for one another when they are in separate bmobile markets. All they need is their contact's ten-digit number.

Paul Hamburger, chief commercial officer, Cable & Wireless, Americas and the Caribbean said: "The launch of Roaming eTopUp in Trinidad and Tobago is key for our customers. So much intra-Caribbean travel, both for business and leisure, goes through Trinidad. Whether it's for an important meeting or for a shopping weekend, now topping up is one less thing to get done before leaving on a trip."

According to Hamburger, eTopUp is the most popular way for bmobile customers across the region to add funds to their pre-paid accounts.

"Today, over 75 per cent of our pre-paid airtime sales in the Caribbean are via eTopUp. In several countries, that figure is already 100 per cent. Since the launch in January of Roaming eTopUp within the Caribbean, we have seen strong month-on-month growth of roaming usage as well. We're pleased that Roaming eTopUp has proven to be a useful convenience for our customers." (PR)