Islands Telephone Directory expands to CNMI

Guam-based Island Telephone Directory has branched out to Saipan, launching the CNMI’s 2007 telephone directory by December this year.

Willie Jamero, president and general manager of JC & Associates, publisher of Island Telephone Directory, said his company offers “healthy competition” in the local market.

For a long time, Verizon, which is now run by Pacific Telecom Inc., has been the sole maker of telephone directories in the Commonwealth.

Jamero said his company has been eyeing the CNMI market and finally made its move to locate here this year.

“It’s always good to provide people choices. It’s always best for the customers,” said Jamero.

Industry standards

Jamero said his company boasts of long years in the telephone directory business, and is known for its professionalism.

“We go by the rules. We strictly adhere to industry standards. We deliver quality output,” said Jamero.

He said there are certain rules that are not followed by some publishers, indicating a lack of industry knowledge.

“For example, you don’t put ads in the gutter

. When you open the book, you can hardly read what’s in there. That’s a no-no,” he said.

He said following the rules ensures fairness in ad placement.

Ads placement is based on size and “seniority” or whoever signs up first.

“It’s not based on favoritism. We deal with our clients fairly. We guarantee professional work for all our clients, big or small,” he said.

His company is a member of the Association of Directory Publishers.

Informative, simple

Island Telephone Directory tries its best to be simple but informative.

“We’re not a magazine. We try to be simple as possible. We don’t want to complicate things that are supposed to be simple. Our goal is to assist people to find needed information the simplest and quickest way,” said Jamero.

He said the CNMI’s 2007 telephone directory would have basic and important information—U.S. and world time zones, newcomers’ guide, facts about the CNMI, entertainment and leisure guide, maps, and other helpful community information.

Why advertise

Jamero said it is wise for local businesses to register with a second telephone directory to reap maximum exposure.

“If you’re running a business, you can’t afford not to be in both books. It’s a basic consumer tool. If you’re not in either directory, you won’t know how much business you’d lose,” he said.

He said a telephone directory remains to be the cheapest form of advertising anywhere in the world.

Jamero said his staff are now soliciting ads and business information around the CNMI.

He said the 2007 local directory book would be out in December.

The directory will be pretty much like Guam’s Island Telephone Directory, which combines the white pages for residential and yellow pages for business in one book.

JC Associates’ office is located on the 4th floor of Nauru Building in Susupe.

It can be reached at 235-1235/235-1236.