When Global Roaming Distribution, Inc. (GRDB.OB) came up with the idea to offer a low-priced “one SIM card” solution to combat the extremely high price of global business and leisure travel phone roaming charges, it didn’t fall on deaf ears. Called CelTrek(TM), it is the first US-based company of its kind, offering one unique SIM card covering all the continents with one local US phone number at prices that can save travelers up to 90 percent on their international calls. Smart travelers took advantage of the technology and began saving money. They were also quick to forget the nightmares they had experienced with the larger mainstream carriers such as changing SIM cards, using different phone numbers for each geographic region, and of course all the dropped calls.
It’s hard to keep a good idea quiet, and the great news about Global Roaming has been spreading like the proverbial wild fire. Not only have they announced the addition of 100 new roaming partners, which will provide additional full roaming access to the CelTrek SIM card, the range of coverage has now expanded to more than 172 countries on over 450 GSM carriers. The GSM carriers see the advantages and the opportunity that GRDB brings, and have rushed to become access providers. Once the base of roaming providers was well established, it was time for the company to introduce themselves to the public, and they have been doing this via an advertising roll out through major media. This introductory roll out has been nothing short of amazing.
Global Roaming had been experiencing very good growth just through word of mouth and trade show exhibits. The well-connected smart traveler had heard about the company and had already taken advantage of its services. But once advertisements started showing up on CNBC, CNBC World, Discovery HD, Fox Business News, Bloomberg, MSNBC and Weather Plus, the company entered a whole new phase of growth. This was evident not only in sales of the SIM card itself, but in the volume of activity in the company’s stock. The average daily volume of stock traded has soared in conjunction with the release of the advertisements noted above, and the simultaneous release of full page ads in USA Today.
While most investors generally think about advertising as a means to attract consumer buyers, what they often neglect to understand is that a good advertising campaign goes much, much deeper than just attracting end users to the product. Advertising opens the door to more providers, and along with more providers comes even more attractive pricing. This brings in even more end users, which then attracts the hordes of businesses that might wish to be advertising along with Global Roaming. More networks, more consumers, more joint advertising, and the payoff is of course more revenues and profits for the company. It’s a delicious “vicious cycle”.
Investors knew Global Roaming was onto something big at the end of 2007 when it received the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s first ever International Business Leadership Award for Innovation. Combine that with the tremendous feedback they received at the GSMA World Congress 2008 in Barcelona, Spain, and it was evident that CelTrek’s time had come. Now, with well-placed ads running on the most visible and respected of business news outlets, the company is entering into the hyperdrive period of brand recognition and growth. Wise investors will not want to miss watching this exciting period in the company’s history.
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