Notice how the 154th uses 'slash' in the title to try to confuse the reader as if prices are being cut.
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| SingTel to slash local data bundles from July Posted: 04 June 2012 1900 hrs
<TBODY> </TBODY> <TBODY> </TBODY> SINGAPORE: SingTel will be slashing local data bundles for all its new and recontracting 3G and 4G mobile subscribers from July. All subscribers currently enjoy a blanket offer of 12 gigabytes (GB) for all SingTel's data plans except for its Flexi Premium Plan which offers 30GB. Apart from its premium plan, the telco will be reducing data bundles to between two GB to four GB. Additional data will be charged S$5.35 per additional GB. In return, SingTel said it will offer more generous SMS bundles and higher data speeds. One in 10 subscribers who are heavy SMS users will also save from the increased local data bundle. But SingTel subscribers MediaCorp spoke to prefer existing data plans. "Most people are using WhatsApp nowadays, so SMS doesn't really matter much," said one mobile subscriber. Prices for the telco's subscription plans remain unchanged. Based on current usage patterns, SingTel said 90 per cent of subscribers should not incur higher charges, as their data consumption does not exceed the new bundles. SingTel on Monday also announced the launch of Singapore's first 4G service for consumer smartphone users. From 5 June 2012, customers who purchase a 4G-enabled handset with a SingTel Flexi and iFlexi plan will enjoy the 4G service. Three such handsets will be available at launch: HTC One XL, LG Optimus LTE and Samsung Galaxy SII LTE. SingTel expects its 4G network to be fully rolled out throughout Singapore in early 2013. In the meantime, subscribers to SingTel's 4G plans will revert to 3G connectivity in areas that have no 4G coverage, SingTel said in its press release. Bertrand Bidaud, who is managing vice president in Gartner Technology and Service Provider Research, said: "In South Korea, where LTE is the most developed, the information we have is that the average volume of data per month per consumer is three GB, which is a lot compared to what we have." When contacted, rival other telcos M1 and StarHub said they expect to launch similar services by end this year. "Smaller players like M1 would take the opportunity to reshuffle the cards, but that doesn't seem to be the case at least at this point. We don't see the case where M1 will drive the market share. M1 and StarHub are likely to position their services very similarly to what SingTel is doing," said Mr Bidaud. => More like ba gak behind the scene lah! In first-world countries, they would have been hauled up to court and fined HEAVILY under anti-trust laws! According to SingTel, 10 per cent of its subscribers are now consuming 64 per cent of mobile data, preventing the majority from enjoying the full benefits of its network. => Absolute B.S. -> Why not admit that they refuse to invest in more base stations to cater for 2x population explosion? And choose to profiteer from their oligopolistic position? SingTel added that the new tiered pricing model allows subscribers to pay for what they use, while the telco gets to maintain prices despite rising network costs. - CNA/fa |
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