IPTV Programming Featured Article

Pace Becomes a Member of MoCA

By Rajani Baburajan, TMCnet Contributing Editor

Viscom International, an Atlanta-based company that provides prepaid products and marketing services for the U.S. Hispanic market, recently signed a distribution agreement with Emida Technologies to supply Viscom $5 BEST Mexico Cellular cards and $5 BEST Mexico prepaid phone cards to its Hispanic customers.

 

Emida Technologies offers global prepaid solutions to 21 countries throughout North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean and the Middle East. Emida’s recent merger with Q Comm resulted in a combined retail network of more than 21,000 prepaid points of sale in retail locations and an annual dollar payment of $456 million and more.

 

Emida provides prepaid solutions through Debisys and Puntoflex networks. Emida's Debisys network offers prepaid solutions including wireless, long distance and prepaid credit/debit cards, bill payment and prepaid Internet.

 

For Viscom, the agreement with Emida is the third in the series of distribution partnerships signed this year. In early 2008, Viscom entered into a national distribution deal with Kroger to sell Viscom BEST Mexico and VicoTel prepaid phone cards in about 2,500 Kroger stores. Later, in April 2008, Viscom signed a partnership agreement with Blackstone to distribute the two BEXT Mexico brand products and VicoTel prepaid phone cards in 6,000 Blackstone Touch-n-Buy interactive kiosks in U.S.

 

"The distribution of our products across Emida's vast Debisys network helps us meet the increasing demand for reliable prepaid phone card brands that deliver the minutes promised and don't charge exorbitant fees," said Lourdes Fusaro Norton, vice president of sales, Viscom, in a statement.

 

"This distribution agreement is another great indication of the strength of the BEST Mexico brand among U.S. Hispanics," added Norton.

 

Viscom’s customers can procure the BEST Mexico products from various point-of-sale-activation (POSA) distribution points in the Hispanic-dominated areas and independent businesses, including convenience stores, drug stores, recharge wireless stores and supermarkets, set up through Emida’s Debisys network.

 

Depending on the geographical location, BEST Mexico customers will receive either a printed thermal prepaid phone card or a receipt with a calling card pin, said the company.

 

Viscom BEST Mexico and VicoTel communication products are exclusively designed for Hispanics living in the United States.

 

Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Rajani’s articles, please visit her columnist page.