Dtac introduces new ‘super tiny’ prepaid plans (Thailand)
DTAC’s prepaid brand Happy, has introduced a bite-size strategy by launching ‘happy super jiew’ or ‘happy super tiny’ with minimum charge at only US$ 0.16. The new promotion aims to support customers’ needs in using value for money and exciting package, and at the same time, builds up value to happy existing customer base in the time that mobile phone penetration is at very high level. At its launch, the new on-top promotion will shift the pre-paid competition to variety of small packages that fit into various needs.
Amarit Sukhavanij, Senior Vice President, Market Division, Total Access Communication PLC. (dtac), said that happy’s challenge in 2012 is that mobile phone penetration is very high. However, they still see rooms to fill in for voice and data usage demand. Happy’s strategy this year is to add value to existing customers by completing on-top promotion with more attractive choices. Ther’ve been continuously developing Segmentation and Brand Strategy with comprehensive customer insights.
Further, they learn that they are people who like to try on new things, update on new trends and compare for the best choice, especially for the most value for money promotion when it comes to mobile phone usage. All lead to the initiative happy super jiew, new small prices on-top promotion that fits into different usages including voice as well as Internet, at the minimum charge of US$ 0.16 only. The promotion also allows customers to change according to daily usage needs.
Amarit added that they are certain that bite-size promotion will help grow happy market and its on-top sales in the future. Moreover, happy super jiew will enforce their happy brand characteristic in the way that it contains fun element to a pleasurable usage. Its pertaining promotions that will come to market in the near future will also add more fun choices to customers as well as position happy as leader of bite-size promotion in customers’ minds.
DTAC plans 3G network roll-out by 2013 (Thailand)
Mobile network operator DTAC has announced its plans to roll out 3G services across 940 districts by the end of next year. According to reports, Jon Eddy Abdullah, CEO, DTAC has said that they plan to become a leader in 3G service through a nationwide network expansion on the analogue 850-MHz frequency, covering 940 districts by 2013.
He added that DTAC will begin testing its 4G cellular broadband in Bangkok along with CAT Telecom by May. The operator has reportedly kept US$ 1.3 billion aside for the 3G network plans of which US$ 487 million will be required for a new licence.
Abdullah also claims that he expects the regulator to grant an LTE trial licence soon and plans to launch a brief trial network by May 2012. He added that they do not plan to launch a commercial LTE network as the 30 percent revenue share, under the current terms, negatively impacts the business case.
Abdullah states that they believe Thailand could have 3G and 4G commercial service simultaneously, which other countries are already developing. Further, he assures users that all network traffic problems will be resolved once the network upgrade project is completed.
He said that if they get a 3G licence on the 2100-MHz frequency, they plan a massive network expansion mainly in Bangkok and major provinces.
DTAC launches new internet SIM cards (Thailand)
Mobile operator DTAC has reportedly launched two new internet SIM cards, the Happy Internet Sim card for feature phones and the Happy Smartphone Sim card for smartphones and tablets, which offers users with internet speeds up to 42 Mbps.
According to reports, the Happy Internet SIM offers users 300 internet minutes per month along with free airtime worth US$ 1.6 per month for a period of four months. Further, customers recharging their account with US$ 9.5 in the month are also provided access to DTAC’s 3G internet service at a speed of 384 Kbps.
On the other hand, consumers using the Happy Smartphone SIM are given 50 MB of data along with free on-net calls worth US$ 1.6 per month for a period of six months, with access to DTAC’s 3G internet service at a speed of 42 Mbps, on a recharge of US$ 9.5 in the month.
CAT Telecom plans to launch 3G services in January 2012 (Thailand)
CAT Telecom, the state owned telecommunications firm in Thailand, is reportedly planning to launch its 3G services under the brand name ‘My’ by January next year. According to reports, the operator is also planning to present a proposal to its board members, allowing concessionaires to buy back their mobile network before the expiration of the contract.
As per sources, the ministry of Information Communications Technology (ICT) has permitted CAT to draft its network sales plan. Reports reveal that TrueMove, DigitalPhone and DTAC are operating services based on concessions from the state owned operator. TrueMove had reportedly made an offer of US$ 318.4 million for its mobile network, which was considered to be less by CAT.
The concession contracts for TrueMove and DigitalPhone are expected to end in 2013 whereas DTAC’s concession contract expires in 2018, after which they will have to transfer their networks to CAT Telecom as per the build-operate-transfer agreement.
TrueMove H launches 3G services in Bangkok
TrueMove H, Thailand’s third largest mobile operator launched 3G wireless broadband services in Bangkok and 16 other provinces. The company launched the service under the slogan ‘Free You’ and plans to introduce five phases at a combined cost of $831.7 million. The spectrum using the high speed packet access (HSPA) technology, will offer the company WiFi internet speed capability of 8Mbps.
As per reports, CEO of Thailand’s True Corp, Supachai Chearavanont says that True will spend $6.6 million on an initial marketing campaign for TrueMove H, expected to be launched next month. The aim is to acquire 1 million users by year end as compared to the current customer base of 1 Lac. In its aim to be the market leader in 3G services, TrueMove H faces tough competition from Advanced Info Service (AIS) and Digital Total Access Communication (DTAC).
DTAC, TrueMove reject CAT’s compensation offer (Thailand)
If sources are to be believed, Thailand government committee dealing with compensation for concession amendments has failed to conclude an agreement with DTAC or TrueMove.
As per sources, the private mobile operators did not accept the compensation proposal from concession owner CAT Telecom in the talks organized by the committee.
State-owned telecommunications firm, CAT Telecom, is seeking US$741.65 million from DTAC over losses from past amendments to the concession agreement and US$271.22 million from TrueMove. The private mobile operators rejected CAT’s proposal and did not propose their own figures. The committee plans to hold talks with TrueMove and DTAC again shortly.
The committee is also in talks with Advanced Info Service for a similar case with concession owner TOT. The Council of State ruled in 2007 that some telecom concession amendments did not comply with the 1992 Public-Private Joint Venture Act.
Thailand’s ICT minister to propose fresh bids
The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) minister has stated that he is prepared to submit his proposal to the cabinet to invite foreign telecom firms to take over the concessions of local mobile operators if they fail to pay compensation for past concession amendments.
According to Juti Krairiksh, the proposal would apply to all three mobile operators- Advanced Info Service (AIS), DTAC and True Move, if compensation negotiations fail.
The minister and executives of TOT Plc met in Spain last month with executives of eight international telecom companies to discuss the possibility of selling the concession of mobile leader AIS to them.
The eight are Telecom Italia of Italy, China Mobile, NTT DoCoMo of Japan, SK Telecom of South Korea, Axiata of Malaysia, and three US operators.
Mr Juti insisted the ministry would not intervene in continuing negotiations between an ICT Ministry committee, private operators and state enterprises on compensation figures.
However, he acknowledged that negotiations were unlikely to be settled amicably given the wide gap in the stances of TOT and CAT Telecom and the private operators.
TOT and CAT, despite having approved the concession amendments, some made as long as 15 years ago, are seeking tens of billions of baht to cover losses from deals that they say favored the operators.
Juti added that if concession negotiations cannot be settled, the matter reverts to the ICT ministry, so he will submit the proposal to the cabinet for consideration. Then, he will announce the opportunity for prospective foreign operators to submit their proposals to take over the mobile concessions from operators that could not settle with the state.
CAT grants permission to DTAC for commercial 3G service (Thailand)
CAT Telecom has given approval to DTAC to commercially launch 3G wireless broadband services in mid-March.
Telenor subsidiary DTAC, which offers services via a build-transfer-operate (BTO) concession with CAT, currently provides trial 3G W-CDMA/HSPA-based services in the 850MHz band.
Following two years of complaining that CAT had favored fellow BTO licensee True Move by permitting the latter to expand 3G trial coverage in December 2010 CAT’s board announced that DTAC could upgrade up to 1,220 base stations for pre-commercial 850MHz HSPA, up from an existing 36 sites.
Both this decision and the latest announcement are viewed from some quarters as an attempt to defuse criticism of CAT for January’s hastily arranged 14-year agreement with True Move to jointly market 3G HSPA-based services as part of True’s takeover of the ‘Hutch’ CDMA business (formed as a joint venture of CAT and Hong Kong’s Hutchison Telecom).
DTAC launches Happy F Club SIM (Thailand)
DTAC has teamed up with Yamaha for a promotional campaign for its Happy prepaid brand. The operator offers a Happy Fiore refill card which will also offer one entry into the draw for one of twenty Yamaha Fiore motorcycles.
The campaign runs until 15 April. DTAC also offers a Happy F Club SIM card that targets young mobile users. The SIM is available only at Yamaha distributors. The SIM offers on-net calls at US$0.04 per minute between 10pm and 10am and calls at other times or to other networks are charged at US$0.03 per minute.
On-net SMS messages cost US$0.005 and internet access is priced at US$0.0055 per minute between 5am and 5pm. Customers can also pick a special DTAC number for 60 minutes of free calls for free months.
DTAC wants same contract terms as True Move (Thailand)
DTAC has asked its mobile concession owner CAT Telecom to revises their contracts to bring them in line with the recent contracts with rival True.
True’s mobile unit TrueMove had signed a deal to buy the Hutch mobile business last year and recently entered into a fourteen-year contract with CAT for wholesaling and reselling of services, including 3G.
According to DTAC Chief Executive Tore Johnsen, it is waiting for the response to the letter that DTAC has sent to CAT asking for talks on the True-CAT deals. They want CAT to revise their concessions to similar terms and conditions to those of the True-CAT deal in terms of revenue-sharing and the right of network equipment.
