Hutchison to deploy iPhone 3G in battle for mobile data customers
Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong expects mobile data services to be the new front in the battle for subscribers, and is turning up the heat on competitors with the sale of Apple's iPhone 3G from next month.
The city's biggest 3G mobile telephone operator will launch the iPhone on July 11. Although it has yet to disclose details, the company has launched a marketing campaign promoting services offered, such as mobile television.
Market watchers said the iPhone 3G could absorb the company's high-spending customer base, compared with rivals such as CSL New World Mobility, SmarTone-Vodafone and PCCW Mobile. Hutchison had more than 1.1 million 3G subscribers by the end of last year.
Hutchison Telecom's chief operating officer Amy Lung Pui-ying said the new Mobile 3.0 marketing campaign was aimed at boosting usage of mobile data services.
Updated mobile network services and devices are now ready for the mass market, which could help boost non-voice revenue growth.
More than 60 per cent of Hutchison's 3G subscribers in Hong Kong use one or more mobile data service.
'I don't see any growth potential in the voice business, as subscribers do not care how many minutes are bundled into their monthly package,' Ms Lung said, adding Hutchison would make changes to mobile data tariffs to encourage users to sign up for more new services.
'We will focus on our [new] products, with monthly packages for specific devices to drive usage.'
Hutchison has revamped its 3G mobile portal Planet 3 by simplifying the arrangement of content service icons, reducing them from 33 to 11. The simplified layout helps users navigate content provided by more than 280 content partners.
The 3G mobile portal drew more than 60 million page views each month earlier this year.
'The simplified version of Planet 3 is part of our preparation for the launch of iPhone 3G, especially for its screen size,' Ms Lung said.
The operator has also launched mobile television services (3tv) for 3G subscribers using 25 supported handsets. For HK$88 per month, subscribers can get unlimited access to 23 channels provided by i-Cable Communications, Television Broadcasts, Oriental Press Group's ontv and Asia Television.
Ms Lung said the television service provided high-definition picture quality, giving users a clear image on their phone screens.
Hutchison also markets a full touch-screen 3.5G phone from Samsung and a mobile broadband connectivity service for laptop computer users.
