Posted on

Telecoms & postal services to be made free to support Ukraine

JT and Jersey Post are working together to support Islanders who have relatives and friends in Ukraine.

As of 1st March 2022, all fixed and mobile calls and SMS messages from the Channel Islands to numbers in Ukraine will be free.

Meanwhile, Jersey Post will waive postage charges for mail addressed to Ukraine from today.

Pip Carpenter, Head of Consumer Market at JT, said: “We have all seen the deeply disturbing images and news coming from Ukraine and our hearts go out to the people caught up in this tragedy. We want to do what we can to help and, working with Jersey Post and others, we hope by making phone calls free will support those who are trying to contact and stay in touch with friends and loved ones.”

David McGrath, Group Marketing Director from Jersey Post, said: “As both JT and ourselves are in a position to help, we started working on how to make this happen over the weekend. Keeping in touch with people at moments like this are vital, and we will do all we can to help those caught up in these tragic events.”

Mail should be hand-delivered to both Broad Street Post Office and Rue des Pres Post Office for processing by Jersey Post.



JT partners with Sky Mobile to protect customers from fraud
Posted on

JT partners with Sky Mobile to protect customers from fraud

JT has partnered with Sky Mobile, voted Uswitch Best Pay Monthly and Best Value Pay Monthly network, to  provide additional  security for its millions of customers when carrying out financial transactions on their mobile device.

By partnering with JT’s Fraud Protection Services (FPS) Sky Mobile can help UK Banks’ fraud detection systems  to query valuable network information, providing an extra level of security to Sky Mobile’s customers  against SIM swap fraud. Criminals use SIM swap fraud to gain access to bank accounts by hijacking one time pass codes sent to mobile phones.

Once triggered by the bank, JT’s  system, in conjunction with Sky Mobile,  can carry out  a seamless background check to verify whether the SIM has been swapped on the customer’s phone, a key indicator of potential fraud and prevents criminals from stealing customers’ identities.

By working with mobile and virtual network operators globally, JT’s Fraud Protection Services provides the broadest coverage possible to prevent criminals from stealing customers’ identities. The service is already widely used by banks and businesses throughout the UK and around the world, providing additional security and peace of mind.

Clare Messenger, Head of Fraud Protection Services at JT, said: “SIM Swap Fraud is on the rise around the world and on average a customer loses £2,500 when a successful fraud is carried out. JT’s Fraud Protection Services provide an enhanced level of security when customers are making payments or using other sensitive information. What’s different about JT’s FPS platform is that it takes away the complexity of using multiple arrangements with mobile operators to create a single system to quickly verify transactions. We are delighted that our innovative services have been trusted by a leading brand like Sky Mobile to provide that extra confidence that their customers are protected against this type of fraud.”

Paul Taylor, Managing Director, JT International said: “The pandemic transformed our world in so many ways and one of those was increasing our reliance on using mobile phones to access the internet as part of our everyday lives. Fraudsters saw opportunities to use sophisticated techniques to target system vulnerabilities and we at JT International have been working hard to provide the necessary extra layers of protection to identify and prevent potential fraud.”

Paul Sweeney, Managing Director, Sky Mobile said: “With SIM swap fraud on the rise, it’s important to us that Sky Mobile customers are kept safe, which is why we’ve partnered with JT FPS to provide them with an additional level of protection and peace of mind.”



Posted on

JT partnership with leading tech company helps with global supply issues

JT is doing its bit for the planet while also providing its business clients with a solution to the ongoing global supply chain problems and shortage of components thanks to their Cisco Premier Partner status.

Businesses that are facing difficulty replacing equipment such as phones, routers and security products are being offered re-manufactured digital equipment by JT through its Cisco Refresh service. Re-manufactured equipment saves resources and reduces waste by breathing new life into old or used products.

As part of JT’s commitment to addressing increasing environmental pressures in its 10-year Sustainability Strategy, the company is working with its partner Cisco, one of the world’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of digital services and equipment, to repurpose and reuse legacy kit under their circular economy pillar.

Katie Corbett, Director of Enterprise and Business Services, said: “Many islanders will know how hard it can be at times to buy items such as games consoles due to a global shortage of components, such as computer chips. It’s the same for businesses trying to upgrade or replace essential equipment. The solution we’re offering means our customers can avoid supply chain disruptions whilst also being able to buy sustainable products that have a low carbon footprint. Business customers get the same warranty protection and support that they would with brand new products, but it gives us the opportunity to service them faster, in a more  sustainable and cost effective way. The feedback so far has been fantastic and we’re excited to help and support more businesses in the same way going into 2022.”



Posted on

Jersey’s future engineering given a helping hand by JT

JT has teamed up with the UK’s leading engineering scholarship programme to encourage more young islanders to gain a head start with their careers in engineering and technology. The telecoms company is sponsoring two Jersey A Levels students, Annabel Mair, Jersey College for Girls and Eden Powell, Victoria College, who have each been awarded a prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarship following a rigorous selection process which began with their teachers recommending them for the scheme.

The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship programme has been running for over 30 years and has granted over 6,000 scholarships with 45% of those awarded in 2021 being to female students. The scheme has helped thousands of young people across the UK and Channel Islands to achieve their dream of a career in engineering, computing or technical design at university or through a higher-level apprenticeship.

It’s open to all 16-year-olds across the UK and Channel Islands, with each student being sponsored by an employer, institution, trust or private donor. Being the only Channel Island sponsor this year, JT is also offering work experience opportunities to the two students awarded the Scholarships as it continues to encourage and support more young people to get involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects.

Annabel Mair, said: ‘’I am so grateful for this scholarship and thrilled to be given the chance to work with JT over the next few years. Having always loved the problem solving and creative aspects of engineering, I am keen to find a career that I am passionate about with the vital support that I am being provided by Arkwright. I am eager to gather as much advice as I can from the wide range of professionals and mentors at JT and plan to make the most out of this incredible opportunity.’’

Eden Powell, said: ‘’I am fascinated by how engineering can be used to solve many diverse medical problems, resulting in incredible innovations such as 3D printed organs, advanced prosthetics and pioneering wearable devices. Having the support to develop my engineering interests from both my school and from a business such as JT, puts me in a fortunate position to make the most of the opportunities the Arkwright Scholarship presents.’’

Nicola Reeves, JT Group HR Director, said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer the first JT Arkwright Engineering Scholarships and hope that Annabel and Eden will inspire other young people to look at the breadth of exciting roles available. The process they went through, once they had been put forward by their teachers, included an exam and interview which really helps to prepare them for what it will be like when they apply for roles in the future. It’s our hope that by working with local students from an early age, it will demonstrate the many opportunities for home grown local talent at JT, building strong relationships with schools and students across the islands as we support our future innovators in engineering as they look to engineer a better world.”



Posted on

The jolliest virtual experience as Santa connects with Channel Island children

Santa is again inviting families to safely enjoy a much loved Christmas tradition by connecting virtually with children across the Channel Islands, using a little help from the local JT Elves.

Last year, due to restrictions on gatherings, Santa was sadly unable to make his usual visit to the JT shops and instead, with the help of his most technically able assistant, Elfie, he chatted to children just after breakfast on Sunday mornings in the run up to Christmas. The North Pole live streams were so popular that Santa and Elfie didn’t need any persuading from Mrs Claus to set aside time this year to meet the islands children online again, direct from Santa’s Grotto in the North Pole.  Elfie is so excited and Santa has been practising by having regular online meetings with the JT Elves, so there’s not much he’s not aware of.

Tamara O’Brien, Group Head of Marketing, Brand and Customer Experience, said: “What could be more magical than seeing and talking to Santa, it’s one of the most memorable experiences children can have at Christmas. So when Elfie got in touch with us to help enhance Santa’s home Wi-Fi  we jumped at the chance.  Thanks to JT’s Total Wi-fi we’ve made sure local children didn’t miss out on seeing him. Like everyone else, Santa has had to adapt, but he’s been around for a long time and has seen many changes.  My daughter and I will definitely be tuned in again as we love to hear him reading out everyone’s messages”.

Parents and children will be able to type their questions and present requests live on the Facebook stream and, with the help of Elfie, Santa will answer questions, play some games and may even share some secrets about the Reindeers.

There is no need to book. Simply register your interest via Facebook Live events on the JTsocial page. Reminders and updates will be sent to everyone who registers.



Posted on

JT takes its place in the fight against global fraud

JT’s innovative Fraud Protection Services combines data and technology in the fight against fraud and financial crime, saving businesses and their customers millions as fraudsters step up their attempts to breach accounts.

Although stricter online security measures are making it harder for criminals,  the compromise of personal and financial data remains a significant problem for many businesses as they seek to protect their customers from scams.

There has been a worldwide increase in SIM card fraud – an account take over, where control is transferred from a genuine SIM card to one controlled by criminals. To combat this JT International developed a detection service, now widely used by international banks and leading businesses in the UK and around the world,  giving them the ability to automatically check if the identity of the person attempting to make a transaction is genuine.

One bank that’s using JT’s Fraud Protection Service (FPS) says the advanced technology is preventing an estimated loss of $100,000 every time a SIM swap fraud is detected.

By working with mobile network operators around the world, JT’s Fraud Protection Services is preventing criminal gangs from targeting call centres in their attempts to steal customers’ credentials to buy goods, access bank accounts or move and transfer money.

Clare Messenger, Head of Fraud Protection Services at JT, said: “Fraud is on the rise and with people more reliant on digital and mobile phone services, criminal organisations have been quick to exploit certain weaknesses. One such weakness identified as a prime area where account takeovers can occur is within call centres, a facility that is seen in many industries. At JT we have built strong relationships with network operators globally which means we can use our unique Fraud Protection Service to check customer credentials in milli-seconds, giving our customers peace of mind that their customers are swiftly protected without any drop in customer experience – a seamless, yet reassuring service.”

Paul Taylor, Managing Director, JT International said: “JT is well known for creating innovative products and services, and for some years now we have been building up our Fraud Protection Services, becoming the ‘go to’ partner for many leading finance houses and other service providers around the world. Fraud crosses all sectors, using real-time checks can speed up the time it takes to onboard customers, identifying possible problems while fast-tracking those that have passed the checks.  Our services can also be used throughout the lifecycle of a customer, continuing to provide ongoing insight that will help combat fraud.’’



Posted on

JT’s frontline teams shine at National Customer Experience Awards

JT’s focus on customer care and customer experience (CX) during the COVID-19 pandemic shone through at a national awards event last week, where JT’s team were awarded Gold in the ‘Customer Experience in the Crisis’ category.

JT were up against strong global entries from much larger companies, like TalkTalk and Pharmacy2U. The judges decided JT’s commitment to meeting the unprecedented demand for fast and reliable connectivity to every household during the pandemic made it a worthy winner.

Daragh McDermott, Managing Director JT Channel Islands, said: “COVID-19 has challenged everyone, and our first priority was to always keep our customers connected. We were acutely aware of how reliant the whole community was on our infrastructure and services, so we worked quickly to support customers when they needed us most.  Measures like introducing free landline calls, upgrading our broadband network to 1GB/s at no extra cost and removing charging if customers went over their usage limits, were quickly put in place to ensure people stayed connected. I am really proud of how our teams have worked together and that they have been recognised in this way, as they too have found things very challenging during these extraordinary times.”

JT was also a finalist in the ‘CX in the Community’ and ‘Business Change Transformation’ categories, and also won Silver in ‘The Best Use of Insight and Feedback – Customers Voice’, beating insurance giants Vitality and broadband provider Swish Fibre.

Tamara O’Brien, Group Head of Corporate Communications, Brand & CX, added: ‘It’s fantastic to see our people’s total commitment to our customers, their colleagues and our wider community has shone through on a national stage, up against world class global companies such as TalkTalk and Pharmacy2U.

Our people were incredibly swift to adapt our services based on what our customers needed and to use the customer insight and data we had to help us support them.  This recognition underlines how important continuing to listen to our customers and evolving the service and experience we provide is.”

To see all the winners see : https://cxa.co.uk/winners-and-finalists-2021



Scouts use JT technology
Posted on

Scouts use JT technology to make activities safer and more fun

Adventurous activities for young people in Jersey have been made safer and more challenging thanks to modern GPS-led SMART technology donated by JT.

Scout leaders from two island Scout groups are now using handheld devices powered by JT SIMs that send them data that enables them to monitor their troops from a safe distance during expeditions, hikes and bicycle rides.

This provides an extra layer of safety when the Scouts – who are aged from 10 to 14 – take part in activities that are aimed at developing teamwork, navigation skills and problem solving.

Dan O’Connor, Scout Leader, 23rd Jersey Scout Group, said: “We’ve recently been introduced to GPS tracking by a Scout leader from another group, and thanks to JT’s help both groups can now use this to deliver a more challenging programme.  Our Scouts are eager to get outdoors and to face challenges. They want to make their own decisions. This technology allows us to create activities which are exciting but also safe, where the perceived level of danger is much higher than the actual level of risk. The Scouts are developing independence, resilience and teamwork skills, but they’re also having fun.  We can track exactly where each group is and how fast they’re moving, allowing us to supervise them from a safe distance and provide help only if it becomes necessary. This gives them a greater sense of freedom and responsibility, not to mention the huge sense of accomplishment and confidence boost they get from completing a task without any adult help.”

Tom Noel, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, added: “Scouting is very popular in Jersey, but it’s reliant on the people who volunteer their time as leaders to provide fun and challenging activities for the island’s youth. With many of our own JT people actively involved in the scout movement we wanted to find a way we could use our digital expertise and network to help evolve practical activities. By using JT SIMs, leaders can link the small GPS trackers the Scouts take with them to provide real time positioning so they can see where they are on a map. The scouting motto is ‘Be Prepared’ and I think this is a fantastic way to help our young people learn important life skills and show great teamwork and leadership. They can plan and execute each outing, while their leaders can ensure they are comfortable, warm, safe and, most of all, prepared to face the unexpected — but safe in the knowledge that if needed, they can step in to support.”



Jersey’s fibre broadband network ranked as best in the world
Posted on

Jersey’s fibre broadband network ranked as best in the world

Responding to the news that Jersey’s full-fibre broadband network has been listed at the very top of the World Broadband Speed League 2021 (produced by the comparison site, cable.co.uk), JT’s Managing Director, Daragh McDermott commented: “When we began the rollout of fibre to the home in Jersey a decade ago, we knew it would be a hugely challenging programme of work, but we also knew it was the right thing to do and that we needed to get it completed ahead of the customer demand that we predicted was coming down the line.

“Following completion of the fibre rollout four years ago, we have continued to invest in our quality of service and our customer experience, as well as proactively increasing the minimum speeds provided to our subscribers. By way of an example, the package of measures introduced by JT to assist subscribers with their connectivity requirements during the pandemic included an increase of speeds to 1 Gb/s (synchronous) for all subscribers. These increased speeds remain in place at no additional cost to JT subscribers, and the use being made of the connectivity has helped us reach the very top of the World Broadband Speed League 2021. It is also noteworthy that we are ahead of the closest comparator by a significant margin.

“Jersey’s full-fibre network will serve the island well for generations to come, and we are excited about how islanders and businesses can now use the infrastructure we have built to make the most of the amazing digital opportunities which are out there. We are also now looking forward to assisting our colleagues in Guernsey to achieve a similar outcome, following the announcement yesterday by the Committee for Economic Development to commence an island wide fibre rollout.”



Customer Experience Awards
Posted on

JT’s customer care during COVID recognised in National awards

Keeping customers at the very heart of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic has put JT in the running for more National awards for outstanding customer experience from its teams.  JT’s customer commitment shone through with the company reaching the finals in four categories at the leading UK Customer Experience Awards. This follows similar success last month where JT’s teams are finalists at the International Digital Experience Awards.

JT’s priority throughout its 130 history as the Channel Islands only locally owned telecoms company, has been to keep customers connected while providing a world-class customer experience. Never more so than during the Coronavirus Pandemic, when the demand for fast, reliable, connectivity to every household was unprecedented.  It became vital to ensure every islander could continue to work, learn and stay connected from home, online and equally receive the support from JT when they needed it.

That was recognised in two of the categories the company has been shortlisted for – ‘Customer Experience in the Crisis’ and ‘CX in the Community’ – where it will face competition from leading national brands TalkTalk, the Co-op and LV. JT is also shortlisted in ‘The Best Use of Insight and Feedback’ and ‘Business change and transformation’ categories.

Daragh McDermott, Managing Director JT Channel Islands, said: “ COVID-19  created a global humanitarian and economic crisis which brought challenges for every business in every sector and for our island as a whole.  For JT that meant swiftly combining our expertise and ability to adapt, with our passion for and dedication to excellent customer service. Like so many others, our teams showed immense courage and strength, coming to work every day even if it was from the spare room or the kitchen table – they did it with smiles on their faces and a commitment above all to serve others and make sure our customers stayed connected. We are nothing without the people that make up JT, these dedicated teams are the guardians of the islands critical infrastructure, and this is recognition of that service.”

Tamara O’Brien, Group Head of Corporate Communications, Brand & CX, added: “We’ve always dedicated ourselves to reviewing and analysing how we do things, it’s how we learn, grow and improve. During the pandemic customer enquiries increased by more than 350%, and with that came invaluable feedback and opportunities for us to adapt how we supported our customers better and faster and across the channels they needed us most. From this insight we very quickly adapted our customer experience efforts to meet customers’ primary needs, which were safety, security, and everyday convenience. Our teams rose to whatever challenge came their way, adapted to providing a faster and more digital service and I am so pleased that their efforts are being recognised on a national stage.’’

The winners of all categories are due to be announced in October after a rigorous judging and presentation process: https://cxa.co.uk