CSL Extends DataRoam Day Pass to UAE, Canada and Vietnam

CSL Extends DataRoam Day Pass to UAE, Canada and Vietnam

CSL Limited (CSL) continues to set the pace in data roaming services in Hong Kong by further extending the market-leading coverage of its DataRoam Day Pass to the United Arab Emirates, Canada and Vietnam.

The company now works with over 440 operator partners worldwide – the most of any Hong Kong mobile services provider – giving its 1O1O and one2free customers the best data roaming coverage in the market.

PCCW's USD 513 million to USD 2 billion telecoms spin off

UPDATE 1-PCCW says spinoff plan to boost dividend payouts | Reuters

HONG KONG, June 17 (Reuters) - Telecommunications and media firm PCCW Ltd expects cash flow to rise by a single digit percentage each year, and a proposed spinoff of its telecom assets to enhance shareholder value and generate cash for growth, Chairman Richard Li said.

Telstra invests USD 800 mln to further grow its cloud

Telstra invests 800 million dollars to further grow its cloud

Telstra today announced it would invest more than $800 million in cloud computing over the next five years to support the growing demand from Australian organisations for cloud services.

Telstra CEO David Thodey said, “Sales of our T-Suite® software-as-a-service have grown threefold for the past year and use of our infrastructure cloud has increased by nearly 50 per cent this year. We are also experiencing strong sales in our cloud voice and video services, which are exceeding 80 per cent per year and we now manage more than 100,000 IP telephony services delivered from the cloud.”

Thailand still a 2G only mobile space, maybe 3G in 2012

Seriously ? Thailand to auction 3G licences in first quarter 2012 - Corporate, Top Stories - Thailand Business News

Thailand is the only Asian country without a 3G mobile network. But then the way the market operates is not as straight forward as abroad. Companies wanting to act as MNOs in Thailand have to purchase their spectrum license and then build out their network. But unlike other countries the physical network is owned by the state via their own MNO interests; namely CAT and TOT, with the former having the most control.

To date the auction process has been on and off with awards and retractions being made. TOT however already has 2 partners acting as its MVNOs specifically within 3G.

Update: It also doesn't help when the country limits foreign investment to a maximum of 49%. True Move have reported TAC to the police for breaching this 49% limit. 

SMS texting in Japan has only just become possible (between networks)

Japan to finally get cross-carrier SMS | The Japan Times Online

It seems strange that in a country so technology driven, where taxis have doors which open and close without a human touch and toilets with automatically closing lids and flushes, that 2011 is the year where Japanese mobile users are able to text from one network to another. Yes, that's right. As of July 2011 Japanese mobile subscribers will for the first time be able to send text messages to users on a different network.

For the rest of the world texting between networks has been seamless year on year. But within Japanese society it seems your e-mail address and not your mobile number is your identity and casual friends send mobile e-mails to each other rather than gaining access to their number.

Will it take off? It seems incredible that it hasn't already, but then again, Japan is different to most nations in that people queue regardless of the urgency and lost wallets are returned with the money left inside them. Perhaps SMS is too intrusive for the big family society.

2degrees NZ launches world’s slimmest smartphone – LG Optimus Black | 2degrees Newsroom

2degrees NZ launches world’s slimmest smartphone – LG Optimus Black

2degrees announced today that it has launched the LG Optimus Black, providing customers with a dramatically brighter 4-inch NOVA display in the world’s slimmest mobile device.

Available for the first time in the New Zealand mobile market, the LG Optimus Black’s NOVA display is designed to be the brightest, clearest and most readable among mobile screens, providing users with an easier and more natural experience when browsing the web, reading emails, or writing documents.
The LG Optimus Black also makes a strong visual statement, with an ultra slim 9.2 mm design that weighs only 109g and offers sleek lines and smooth edges that improve handheld grip.

The NOVA display on the LG Optimus Black also radically reduces power consumption compared to a conventional LCD, meaning users will have enough power for their daily needs, even at maximum brightness settings.

SKT calls KCC in on KT and LG Uplus marketing

SKT has called in the regulator to investigate the marketing of its competitors

SingTel's social phone with unrivalled Facebook, from HTC

SingTel and HTC launch the HTC ChaCha - SingTel

SingTel and HTC Corporation announced today that SingTel customers will be the first in Asia to experience the HTC ChaCha, a next generation smartphone that is specially built for social networking on the move.

To keep customers entertained on the go, the HTC ChaCha is pre-loaded with SingTel’s award-winning AMPed music service, MobileTV video streaming service as well as MySingTel app which allows customers to view their SingTel bills, manage their mobile services, check data usage and subscribe to overseas data roaming on the go.

“We are excited to work with HTC to allow our customers to be the first in Asia to experience the HTC ChaCha,” said Mr Loren I. Shuster, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, SingTel. “The HTC ChaCha is the ideal smartphone for the Facebook generation. Increasingly, our customers are using Facebook to communicate, share their daily experiences and organize their social lives. With the launch of HTC ChaCha, we want to enable them to take Facebook with them wherever they go and have the same rich experience that they enjoy on a PC.”

Tata ups Neotel stake

Tata ups Neotel stake

Neotel's majority shareholder, Tata Communications, part of $67.4 billion Tata Companies, has purchased the previously held 12.5% stake from Two Telecoms Consortium (2TC). This now makes Tata Communications a 61.5% shareholder in Neotel and Neotel, a subsidiary of Tata Communications Limited."

SingTel and HTC launch the HTC ChaCha

SingTel and HTC launch the HTC ChaCha

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) and HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, announced today that SingTel customers will be the first in Asia to experience the HTC ChaCha, a next generation smartphone that is specially built for social networking on the move.

“We are excited to work with HTC to allow our customers to be the first in Asia to experience the HTC ChaCha,” said Mr Loren I. Shuster, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, SingTel. “The HTC ChaCha is the ideal smartphone for the Facebook generation. Increasingly, our customers are using Facebook to communicate, share their daily experiences and organize their social lives. With the launch of HTC ChaCha, we want to enable them to take Facebook with them wherever they go and have the same rich experience that they enjoy on a PC.”

“The new HTC ChaCha offers a new unique way to experience Facebook on a mobile device to communicate with your circle of friends on a brand new level,” said Lennard Hoornik, President, South Asia Pacific, HTC Corporation. “With more than 500 million active customers worldwide, Facebook has become synonymous with the social web and we wanted to create the ultimate socially connected phones with mass market appeal.”

MTS India Launches FREE Data Cards For Postpaid Customers

MTS India Launches FREE Data Cards For Postpaid Customers

Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) that nationally operates its telecom services under the MTS brand with over 11 million wireless customers today announced the launch of free MBlaze data cards for its postpaid customers. MTS has introduced two compelling Advance Rental Plans (ARP) wherein customers paying three months rent in advance will be entitled to a FREE MBlaze device. The customer will have an option to select from two ‘value for money’ offers- MBlazer ARP 3GB 2097 and MBlazer ARP 6GB Unlimited 2397.

According to Leonid Musatov, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, MTS India, “MTS is committed to its Data Focused-Voice Enabled strategy wherein we constantly strive to come up with innovative products and solutions for our customers. Continuing with the innovation promise, we have launched the ‘Free MBlaze Data Card’ proposition which can be availed at any of our MTS branded stores across India”.

SingTel’s Priority Pass mobile broadband service puts customers in the fast lane

SingTel’s Priority Pass mobile broadband service puts customers in the fast lane

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today announced the launch of Asia’s first premium priority mobile broadband service, as well as the typical speeds of its mobile broadband services.

Named Priority Pass, SingTel’s premium priority mobile broadband service offers faster and more reliable Internet connectivity on the move. Customers enjoy priority for their data traffic when the network is heavily loaded, thus ensuring smoother streaming and downloads.

The service is activated at no additional charge for SingTel’s 7.2Mbps and 21Mbps mobile broadband plans. As SingTel has continuously invested in its network to provide more capacity, the introduction of Priority Pass does not affect the broadband experience of users of other plans.

Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, SingTel’s Executive Vice President of Digital Consumer, said: “Priority Pass is a game-changer that will give our mobile services the edge over our competitors. In the last year, we have seen a sharp rise in mobile data usage with the explosive growth of new web-enabled devices and bandwidth-hungry multimedia applications. We launched Priority Pass to cater to the rapidly growing number of customers who are demanding higher speeds with more consistent performance.”