The Final Call

Black-owned mobile company making moves

By Tariqah Shakir- Muhammad -The Final Call- | Last updated: Apr 26, 2018 - 1:31:19 PM

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In collaboration with Daymond Garfield John, founder of the apparel company FUBU, entrepreneur and businessman Jonathan Nazeer recently launched the company’s mobile service. FUBU Mobile aims to provide similar services as Cricket Wireless, Boost Mobile and T-Mobile but this cellular company is Blackowned and operated.

(L) FUBU co-founder/business partner, Carl Brown (R) FUBU CEO, Daymond John

“We started out in New York and this is just in an effort to keep the brand going,” Mr. Nazeer told The Final Call. “They [FUBU] wanted to find a way to keep the brand fresh and knowing the success of the mobile phone business itself, they found a great opportunity to work with Black businesses.”

FUBU was started in 1992 by Mr. John and his close friends, Keith Perrin, J. Alexander Martin and Carl Brown. Located in New York, its net worth is currently over $200 million selling hip-hop apparel, suits, eyewear, belts and shoes. The acronym stands for “For Us, By Us.”

At Brooklyn Grand Opening FUBU cofounders Carl Brown, Daymond John, Keith Perrin and J. Alexander Martin.

When asked why partner with Mr. John, Mr. Nazeer stated that the opportunity made sense when combined with the need for Blackowned mobile phone services.

“Daymond is a respected business person so to be able to go into business with him, we’re excited about the future and what’s to come,” he stated. He noted that Black customers specifically should be able to enjoy and afford being able to “put a smile on someone’s face” using their own services.

As smartphone owners, Blacks (91 percent) are second only to Asian Americans (94 percent) and 91 percent of Blacks say they access the Internet on a mobile device, according to the 2016 Neilsen report, “Black Millennials and the Digital Divide.”

Urban Communications Group CEO Jonathan Nazeer and President/CFO Crystal Nazeer.

According to www.statista.com, the smartphone industry has been steadily developing and growing both in market size, as well as in models and suppliers. “Smartphone shipments worldwide are projected to add up to 1.71 billion in 2020. By 2018, over a third of the world’s population is projected to own a smartphone, an estimated total of almost 2.53 billion smartphone users in the world,” noted the website which also indicated that the global revenue from smartphone sales in 2017 amounted to $478.7 billion.

The most popular carriers amid Black communities are Cricket Wireless and Boost Mobile, inexpensive services sold in bulk from AT&T and Sprint.

Mr. Nazeer believes the highlight of FUBU Mobile is that it offers the same benefits as its competitors. “We operate on T-mobile’s network, we’re nationwide [and] our plans are no different—we have plans as low as $25 a month,” he continued.

“You’re given the opportunity to spend your money with someone whom will invest that money in the community. Black people are ready to put their money back into their community, back into their own hands.”

FUBU Mobile is currently looking for independent dealers throughout the country, specifically Black business owners. Mr. Nazeer also wants to work on producing devices exclusive to the company.

“We have retailers across the country we can partner with. We’re working on several locations down South which is where I’m from,” he said. “We’d like to see thousands of FUBU Mobile stores in our communities.”

For more information, visit www.urbancommusa.com or call (646) 88 FUBU 1 and visit @fubumobile on Instagram.