Flow brings Subscription Video On Demand to Jamaican Homes

A new entertainment solution addresses the busy lifestyles and strained budgets of Jamaican consumers

Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, continues to create history in Jamaica and transform how consumers experience their cable television service with the introduction of a subscription video on demand service. The new service, which will be available as of October 1st , will provide Flow’s cable service customers with access to a library of thousands of hours of a wide variety of programming, giving them the ability to watch what they want, when they want. Flow is the only cable operator in Jamaica offering an OnDemand option for customers.

“We are excited to be able to provide this additional value for our customers. It is our goal to ensure our customers have access to state-of-the-art entertainment options as part of their cable television service,” said Michele English, president and coo for Columbus Communications in Jamaica.

Flow’s new Subscription Video OnDemand service is complementary to its existing OnDemand service which  consumers now enjoy on a pay-per-use basis.  The new offering gives consumers additional value as they will have access to a vast library of content that can be viewed by every member of the household for less then the cost of a single movie ticket. The new service will give consumers access to content such as full seasons of their favourite TV series, documentaries, sports events, children’s programming, and movies. Viewers will be able to choose and watch any video on their television immediately after making a selection from the on-screen menu, and will have complete control of the viewing experience with functions such as pause, rewind and fast-forward to enjoy their selection.

Subscription Video OnDemand is the perfect solution for consumers who manage busy lifestyles while still wanting to enjoy a full spectrum of affordable entertainment. This service offers the benefit of the flexibility of being able to watch programmes when your personal schedule allows, rather than based on a defined programming schedule.  Also, Subscription VideoOnDemand provides the perfect solution for consumers who face increasing pressures on their budgets and are often forced to sacrifice entertainment events due to cost. With this service customers can enjoy a diverse range of entertainment options in the comfort of their home, in the company of family and friends, as often as needed, without having to plan for any additional spend.

This latest move by Flow follows a series of firsts in Jamaica for television viewers, including all digital cable TV, HD and PVR technology (the ability to stop, pause and rewind ‘live’ TV), interactive programming guide, and the ability to view your Flow bill and incoming calls on your TV screen. 

“Our commitment is to use our extensive infrastructure to bring the most innovative products to Jamaica,” said English

Flow continues to transform the cable TV experience for Jamaican consumers, and continues to deliver on its promise to provide consumers with cutting edge technology to inspire and transform lives.

Flow Partners with GoGSAT to bring free on-line help to students

Although early in the new school year, most Grade 6 students who are preparing to take the 2013 GSAT exams have long began their studies in preparation for this milestone academic evaluation. Broadband service provider Flow has stepped up to enable the students’ preparations by partnering with GoGSAT.com to provide free access to the award winning on-line GSAT exam preparation resource. The company has announced that all new and existing Flow internet customers will receive 1 month free access to the Silver package on GoGSAT.com.

The GoGSAT programme has earned a stellar reputation as Jamaica’s premier online academic resources based on the consistently excellent performance by students who utilize this invaluable resource.

“Since 2005 our subscribers have won hundreds of national scholarships including the 2012 Top GSAT Girl and Top GSAT Boy awards. We are particularly proud that in 2012 our subscribers won 50% of the Government Scholarship places,” said Shalette East, vice president - operations and marketing for GoGSAT Ltd.  More than 200 preparatory and primary schools in Jamaica use the Go GSAT system.

GoGSAT provides quality examination preparation and online help to students in grades 1 through 6. This is done through the provision of educational games, thousands of practice questions, topic specific notes and tests, study guides, animated notes, as well as pre- and post- tests to evaluate students’ progress. In addition to access to test preparation materials, GoGSAT also provides students with access to live tutorials facilitated by Jamaican and Harvard University tutors, essay grading, eMentoring, 24/7 help as well as daily homework and research assistance.  Top GSAT Girl Catherine Douse Top GSAT girl who scored the highest ever in GSAT with 100% in all areas said "The website is very helpful. I learnt things I never knew".

A grateful parent whose daughter gained a place at her first choice school Immaculate Conception High School, has credited GoGSAT saying “The very wide curriculum available on GoGSAT provided extra practice, the tutors on the live chat were able to answer questions when there were things she did not understand and I did not have to buy any additional books as GoGSAT provided enough material and practice questions to complement what she was doing at school.”

“Students at all levels increasingly rely on e-learning resources such as GoGSAT for exam revision, tutoring, homework help and general research. Our broadband internet technology enables them to take full advantage of these resources in order to achieve the academic success they seek,” said Denise Williams, director of corporate and government affairs at Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of the Flow brand. “Our partnership with GoGSAT is just one of the initiatives we have introduced in order to enable our consumers to have easy and affordable access to the services they need in order to achieve and do more.” Flow has also partnered with Hewlett-packard (HP) and local retailers Courts, Singer and MegaMart to provide affordable access to the technology that enable consumers to take advantage of on-line education resources such as GoGSAT.com. As a result of these partnerships consumers can take advantage of  back-to-school values on computers bundled with Flow high speed internet service.

GoGSAT also provides educational materials that are useful resources for teachers such as handouts, worksheets, and practice tests. GoGSAT enables parents to monitor their child’s progress via access to a real-time on-line grade book which highlights the students’ strengths and weaknesses, thereby enabling focus of attention on areas that need more work.

Flow’s new and existing internet customers should sign up for the free month of GoGSAT at www.GoGSAT.com/Flow by October 31, 2012.

Flow gives 'digital boost' to SOS Children's Village Homework programme

The SOS Children's Village received a major boost to its Homework programme last Friday, when Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions and its partners, donated computer equipment and WiFi services to the institution.

The donation of two iPads, one Kindle Reading Tablet and one Acer Laptop along with free Wi-Fi internet services to the village from Flow, follows a recent cash donation of $752, 500 after the organisation was chosen as the recipient of proceeds from the Columbus Communications Golf Tournament, an annual event hosted by Flow's parent company, Columbus Communications.

Paulette Lindo (right), Programme Director of the SOS Children’s Village in Montego Bay, and FLOW’S Nicole Campbell test the speed of FLOW’S broadband internet on a brand new Acer laptop donated for the Village’s homework programme on Friday.

Participants at this year's tournament who included representatives from One Caribbean Weather, Myles & Company Inc., Viacom Media Networks, operators of MTV, NBC Universal and Fox Networks, were so moved by the 'SOS story' that many of them donated their electronic prizes in aid of the Villages' Homework programme.

Flow decided to add its WiFi services to complement the donation of electronic devices, so that the children could benefit from on-line learning and teaching benefits.

Gregory Wint, National Director of the SOS Children's Villages in Jamaica is overjoyed with the timely donation.

"We are most grateful to Flow for its on-going support of the work of the SOS Children's Village. Through Flow and Columbus Communications' donation of cash and Wi-Fi to our Barrett Town facility, the children in the care of SOS can now access the Internet, to pursue their research assignments and develop critical skills, which will undoubtedly help in ensuring their success in this globally competitive world," said Wint.

For more than 40 years SOS Children's Villages in Jamaica have provided a home for orphaned and abandoned children, while also aiding their educational growth through homework assistance, reading programmes, and other worthy initiatives.

For her part, Michele English, President & COO, Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions said, "Flow is committed to giving back to the communities in which it operates throughout the region. Our main objective is to ensure that our activities positively affect the lives of all our stakeholders".

Historic OnePeople Documentary for Flow TV this Thursday

Jamaicans will have another opportunity to see OnePeople – The Celebration this Thursday when Flow TV presents a repeat broadcast of the historic documentary at 7:00pm.  The official documentary of the Jamaica 50 celebrations,  ‘OnePeople’ made its local and international debut on Independence Day, August 6^th with simultaneous premiers that day at the Jubilee Village at the National Stadium in Kingston and on Flow TV, channel 100.  The feature was also screened at Jamaica House at the O2 arena in London and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in New York on that same day.

The feature, a compilation of personal insights of Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica from across the globe, celebrates Jamaica's global reach and significance in her 50th year and how that came to be. It was developed on a simple premise of capturing the spirit of Jamaica by asking one question -“What does Jamaica mean to you?”

One People – The Celebration is a riveting feature of contributed footage with candid and entertaining views of Jamaica.  Notable personalities from home and abroad who are seen in the feature include current and former Prime Ministers the Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller, the Honorable PJ Patterson,  the Honourable Edward Seaga and the Honourable Andrew Holness; Harry Belafonte; Louis Farahkan; Malcolm Gladwell;  Jimmy Buffett; General Colin Powell; entertainers Stephen Marley, Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and Shaggy.  After fielding through thousands of entries and months of editing, producers of the film Zachary Harding and Justine Henzell, compiled a  film that  has served to further stimulate a heightened sense of national pride at this time when Jamaica and the rest of the world celebrates the country’s milestone achievements of independence and Olympic victories. 

According to Zachary Harding, “We were amazed with the number and quality of submissions. Our editors then did a mind-blowing job of stringing the footage together, to reflect the magic of what it means to be Jamaican. Justine and I are proud of the final product, and hope that it will inspire and motivate audiences for generations to come. As Jamaicans we need to see ourselves in a new light; energized and united as ‘OnePeople’ to make the best of the next 50 years."

He also thanked Flow for their partnership and their contribution to making the film possible. 

For her part, Michele English, president of Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, is happy to be associated with the documentary which highlights Jamaica's global reach 50 years after Independence.  “This is a very significant time for Jamaica and its people and we felt that it was important to support this project which we see as a ground-breaking piece of work from Jamaica's film industry," she said.  “We have continuously looked for opportunities for partnership in which Jamaica’s culture can be showcased to the rest of the world."

The broadcast of OnePeople – The Celebration comes on the heels of the broadcast of another significant documentary on Jamaica which has been seen by millions across the Caribbean and Latin America. “Where the Music is Always Alive” produced by HBO in collaboration with Flow is set within the context of the jubilee celebrations and showcases the musical tradition of Jamaica through the Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival.   This feature also premiered on the weekend of Jamaica’s independence celebrations.

Justine Henzell has endorsed the move by Flow adding that "Flow continues to support the creation and distribution of high quality Jamaican content with their sponsorship of "OnePeople - The Celebration." 

The production team for OnePeople includes Justine Henzell, Zachary Harding and Kevin McDonald (director of Marley and the Oscar-winning The Last King of Scotland) as executive producer.