Press Releases

As of 29th of the current month, Telecel’s GSM network will start operating in the Azores. The inhabitants of this island will be able to access a mobile communications service that everywhere where it started to operate has revealed to be an important tool for social and economical development.

On a first stage, base stations were installed in the Islands of S. Miguel, Terceira and Faial. In S. Miguel, the covered areas are Ponta Delgada and Airport, Lagoa, Ribeira Grande, and connection from Ponta Delgada to Ribeira Grande. In Island Terceira, the areas of Angra, Vila Praia da Vitória, Lages Airport and connections are covered. The station installed in Ilha do Faial covers Horta, but also reaches Madalena, in the island of Pico.

Like what happened in the Portuguese Continent and Autonomous Region of Madeira, Telecel’s network coverage will be progressively extended to other islands and new areas within the mentioned ones. Its capacity will be continuously reinforced, answering the traffic increasing that is not supposed to end.

On this first stage, a big effort was develop, in order to assure from the first day the widest possible coverage with the best quality. Starting on the 29th, Telecel Customers will be able to communicate using their mobile phones, not only in the designated areas, but also in the Portuguese Continent and in the Autonomous Region of Madeira as well as in 45 countries over the 5 continents, thanks to agreements made between Telecel and over 70 international Telecommunication operators, that allow using Telecel Service including in the U.S.A.

Customers will also be able to access all the services provided by Telecel. Telecel provides the widest range of services. It was the first operator to introduce in Portugal services of great professional or personal utility such as, among others, Written Messages Service, Conference Call, Caller Identification, and being the only one to provide Telemultibanco Service. This service, representing a very technologically advanced application, is one of the most significant in terms of practical utility in cellular communications, allowing to perform a large number of bank operations using the mobile phone.

Customers can choose Regular Tariff Plans or buy one of “Vitamina T” versions, which is a mobile phone with prepaid calls, without monthly fee nor activation fee, allowing access to the widest number of services in products of this type, such as, for example, cost control on the equipment display and sim card recharging.

However, the great innovation concerns tariffs. Customers in the Azores will benefit from discounts, related to Tariff Plans in calls made in the Region on working days, from the mobile telephone to the local fixed network (codes 092, 095 e 096). These conditions will be translated in a 15% discount applied both in Regular Tariff Plans and tariffs of “Vitamina T”.

At the time of launching its service in the Azores, Telecel will offer several promotions, with several possibilities of purchasing, both Telecel Service and mobile telephones in favourable conditions to the inhabitants of these islands. Among these we can mention the offer of the activation fee to all customers having purchased Caixa de Serviço Telecel or Kit Sim until the end of 1997 or, among other the possibility of purchasing a Motorola Modulus D1790 for 8,960 PTE, subscribing Telecel service for a minimum period of 18 months, as well as the availability of the new telephone Mobicom 715 for the first 1,000 Customers of the service if remaining in Telecel network for 24 months. Vitamin T will also have special conditions, such as for example the purchasing price of 14,900 PTE (VAT included) if purchased with telephone Mobicom 412, and 10,000 PTE of calls included.

Telecel Store in Ponta Delgada, at Rua da Alfândega, no. 1, will open on the 29th, with Sales, Support and Customer Service services, providing information, demonstrations and display of Telecel products and services. Such as in other Telecel Stores, this new space, besides its business and representation features, will be another reference and divulgation point of the mobile communications universe.

Until the opening of Telecel Store, visitors can go to “Promobus Telecel”, placed in the town centre of Ponta Delgada, to get information and assist demos, try, purchase equipment, and subscribe Telecel Service. “Promobus Telecel” is a big vehicle –with 15 meters length, 5 meters width and 4 meters height – supporting actions of awareness and trial. It has a wide interior space for welcoming and informing visitors, display products, held demos on the Service functioning, Sales and Customer Support.

Distribution in the Azores is completed with a network of quality business partners. Telecel has celebrated distribution contracts for its services and products with three Agents: E.D.A. (that besides supporting and maintaining Network, will also assure Technical Assistance to Customers), J. H. Ornelas, of Grupo Bensaúde, Disrego, and twelve more Reselers.

Telecel has stand out in the market for the coverage and quality of its Network, support to its Customers and by the most diverse offer of technologically innovative and useful services, oriented towards the needs of the users. Telecel’s Customer-oriented business is also translated in a very selective choice of business partners and in the development of professional and dynamic distribution channels, giving easier access to the service and assuring post sale assistance.

It was the first Cellular Telecommunications company in Portugal to provide a Support service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, enabling to have a close relation with their Customers. Customer Support is not only made through telephone, but also physically in the whole country in the Telecel Stores, Technical Assistance Centres, Agents, Installers and Authorised Technical Centres.

Continuous assessment of the Customers needs and their satisfaction level, is not only a strategic concept, it is one of the values composing Telecel’s organisational culture.

Telecel’s determination in providing a quality public service, has made Telecel’s system a Customer oriented one up to the minimal detail. Telecel is in essence a service provider company, directed to face Customer needs in what concerns the quality of the service provided, the speed in answering the Customer questions and continuous growth of its Network.