LIME, REFRESHING OR SOUR?

Cable and Wireless, Jamaica (C&WJ) operated in Jamaica under an exclusive license which made them a virtual monopoly. In 1999 the Government of Jamaica decided to renegotiate the license and liberalize the telecommunications industry. Early in the liberalization process new companies entered the market and C&WJ struggled to cope with the new competitive dynamics of the market. C&WJ although dominant in the landline market found it difficult to compete in the cellular market lagging behind relatively new entrant Digicel. American Movil operating under the brand name Claro recently entered the market intensifying the competition and threatened to relegate C&WJ into third place. In response C&WJ in 2008 embarked on a new high risk transformation strategy which included corporate rebranding changing its name to LIME (Landline, Internet, Mobile and Entertainment). This case chronicles the problems faced by LIME in adjusting to a telecommunications industry paradigm