XOX, the new mobile brand that is sponsoring Jamaica’s CPL franchise, plans to launch its handsets and tablets on the island in the fourth quarter of 2013, says distributor Facey Telecom.

Facey business development director Erick Barclay noted that the Jamaican launch of XOX will precede rollouts in other Caribbean markets, Central America, New Zealand and the Pacific during the first quarter of 2014. He said Facey Telecom and its partner in the Pacific region, Oceanic Communications Ltd, are the distributors of XOX products.

“Facey has recognised the demand for affordable, yet stylish and high-tech handsets and tablet devices in the markets we serve. The XOX line of products meets this demand and we look forward to working with XOX as they bring their products to market,” Barclay told the Business Observer.

XOX has plans to set up a marketing office in Jamaica, along with full support service infrastructure, that includes reverse logistics and repairs, Barclay said, noting that the brand sees a lot of opportunities in the local market.

“The Jamaican market is made up of sophisticated consumers who are up-to-date with the latest and greatest in mobile communication. It is with these people in mind that XOX was developed,” Barclay said.

“XOX smartphones are being produced as an addition to established tier-one brands. XOX stands for tier-one quality at more competitive prices,” he continued. “Furthermore XOX will offer a very compelling brand positioning, details of which will be revealed over the coming months.”

XOX is the founding sponsor of the Jamaica Tallawahs cricket team in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the Twenty20 cricket tournament currently underway across the region. It hopes to use the sponsorship deal to boost its imminent roll-out in the Jamaican and Caribbean markets.

Facey is a major player in the distributive trade, operating in the telecom distribution, consumer distribution and technology distribution sectors with operations in over 30 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, and the Pacific.

Its telecom distribution business has physical offices and warehouses in 23 countries, and they sell to another six countries where the company does not have a physical presence. Facey, in 2001, became the exclusive distributor of Digicel’s mobile handsets, airtime, and all its related products.