TrueMove and Conexus Mobile Alliance announced the start of the regional rollout of a mobile data roaming plan for BlackBerry(R) smartphones among Alliance members. The new plan offers a high mobile data access ceiling in most markets to cater to the data usage needs of frequent mobile roamers. This translates to significant cost-savings for active business travellers roaming onto Alliance members’ mobile networks as they will be able to stay connected on their corporate emails and/or surf the Internet wirelessly with peace-of-mind and true convenience.
Indonesia’s PT Indosat Tbk will launch this new mobile data roaming plan today. India’s MTNL, Japan’s NTT DOCOMO, INC (1), Philippines’ Smart Communications, Inc, Singapore’s StarHub Ltd and Thailand’s TrueMove will be rolling out the new plan by the end of 1Q-2009. The plan is currently offered by Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited in Hong Kong. Depending on the operator, the new mobile data roaming plan may also be activated for other mobile devices.
The mobile data roaming plan for BlackBerry smartphones serves as a complement to the Alliance’s current Pay-Per-Day Mobile Data Roaming Plan, which targets business travellers equipped with HSDPA-enabled notebooks and other devices. The new plan is open to registered BlackBerry smartphone users, and specific rates and details by individual operators may vary. Business customers should check with their individual Alliance operators to find out more.
“The BlackBerry smartphone is one of Asia’s most popular mobile devices among business travellers for staying in touch with their company while travelling. This new mobile data roaming plan helps businesses control their costs better because of its predictability in data roaming charges,” said Alliance Chairman and Head of StarHub Ltd’s Advanced Multimedia Services in Singapore, Mr Chan Kin Hung. “Together with the Pay-Per-Day Flat-Rate Data-Roaming Plan for mobile broadband Internet, we believe the Alliance is providing the most comprehensive and cost effective mobile data roaming services for business travellers in the region.”
Expansion of Alliance’s Pay-Per-Day Data Roaming Flat Rate Plan
The Alliance is also pleased to announce the expansion of its popular Pay-Per-Day Data Roaming Flat Rate Plan into Thailand and India. TrueMove (Thailand), and India’s BSNL and MTNL will be rolling out this plan to their own customers by the end of 1Q-2009, ensuring that their business travelers with HSDPA-enabled notebooks and other devices will benefit from a fixed daily flat rate roaming charge that is both simple to understand and transparent to them.
Conversely, Taiwan’s FarEasTone, Hong Kong’s Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited, PT Indosat Tbk (Indonesia), NTT DOCOMO, INC (Japan), Philippines’ Smart Communications, Inc, and StarHub Ltd (Singapore) will include Thailand and India as part of their network coverage that offers the Pay-Per-Day Data Roaming Flat Rate plan in early 2009, giving their customers more destinations to enjoy greater roaming cost savings.
Introduced in April 2008, Conexus Mobile Alliance is the first alliance to take the initiative by offering the customers of its members the innovative pay-per-day flat-rate data roaming plan, ensuring that member customers can benefit from greater cost savings, predictability and flexibility in managing their mobile phone bills when roaming overseas. This customer-friendly way of data-charging has been very well-received, since customers feel more reassured of the price and therefore tend to use more of the service over a Conexus member network.
Toll-Free Customer Service Hotline for Alliance Member Customers
To further offer customers the home-away-from-home seamless roaming experience, nine alliance members have agreed to establish a roaming toll-free customer service hotline in 1Q-2009. Travellers using the Alliance mobile networks while roaming can call their home Customer Service Hotline absolutely free. This is extremely useful whenever travellers need to get help on their mobile service, be it activating a value-added service while overseas, configuring their phone or checking on billing charges.
Extension of SIM Card Replacement Service (for Corporate Mobile Users) into Thailand and India
Since 2007, customer service centres have been set up by member operators to help their corporate mobile users with a company-registered mobile line, get a new and activated SIM card should they lose their original SIMs while traveling in a market with an Alliance member. The Alliance will now extend such a service into Thailand (via TrueMove) and India (via MTNL) for added convenience to business roamers in both markets. True Move’s service centres will start offering this service from Dec 2008 while India’s MTNL will begin theirs by 1Q-2009.
Note: details of the new mobile data roaming plan for BlackBerry smartphones and the Pay-Per-Day Data Roaming Flat Rate Plan will vary among member operators. Terms and conditions may apply.
(1) Japan’s NTT DOCOMO, INC will start offering special promotional rates for data roaming users including BlackBerry users, in 1Q-2009.
For specific information on Conexus Mobile Alliance, visit www.conexusmobile.com .
Photo Caption: Mr. Supoj Mahapan (right) Group General Manager, International Services Business of True Move Co., Ltd., Mr Chan Kin Hung (2nd from right), Alliance Chairman and Head of Advanced Multimedia Services, StarHub Ltd. (Singapore) and other member operators representatives announced the launch of mobile data roaming plan for BlackBerry(R) smartphones and other customer benefits at a customer event in Mobile Asia Congress, Macau.
About Conexus Mobile Alliance
Established in April 2006, Conexus Mobile Alliance is one of Asia's largest mobile alliances. The alliance is formed to develop and enhance international roaming and corporate mobile services for greater convenience and ease of use for its members' customers. The alliance is committed to promoting voice, video and data roaming via its members' GSM/GPRS, W-CDMA networks and/or HSDPA networks and aims to create a Virtual Home Environment for its member customers to experience seamless, convenient mobile-related services when they roam. The Alliance boasts a combined customer base of about 210 million mobile subscribers.
For more information, visit www.conexusmobile.com.
True Move Company Limited
TrueMove, a subsidiary of True Corporation Plc, Thailand's only fully-integrated communication solutions provider, convergence solutions leader and premier lifestyle enabler, offers innovative and high-quality wireless communications services on its nationwide 1800 MHz network to 13.7 million subscribers (September 2008) throughout Thailand. TrueMove’s vision is to create a pioneering wireless hi-speed lifestyle where people can communicate as well as access knowledge, information and entertainment wherever, whenever, and however they wish. The company delivers superior coverage coupled with quality and best value services, which make TrueMove more than just a mobile phone operator. Leveraging its relationships with True Corporation and the CP Group, TrueMove offers unique integrated products and services to the Thai market. For more information, visit www.truemove.com or www.truecorp.co.th.
For more information, please contact:
Corporate Communications and Marketing PR,
True Group
Sisadhi Reuben Tel: +66 (0) 2643 2463 Email:
[email protected]
Anchalika Kausangunsilp Tel: +66 (0) 2699 2727 Email:
[email protected]
Thadhamon Chanthana Tel: +66 (0) 2643 2466 Email:
[email protected]
Nattakorn Plubprasit Tel: +66 (0) 2699 2771 Email:
[email protected]
Aziam Burson-Marsteller
Porntip Lertvechakul Tel: +66 (0) 22529871-7 Email:
[email protected]
Jaruwan Vorarakthananune Tel: +66 (0) 22529871-7 Email:
[email protected]
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