Mobile phone companies are poised to raise prices again, just two months after being forced to reverse a cartel-style increase, industry sources say.
Hutchison is expected to be the first company to put fees up this month as pressure builds for the heavily discounted rates of last year to start climbing.
Sunday or New World Telephone are tipped to be the next to raise rates, but the networks were coy yesterday on any plans they had for a price change.
The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (Ofta), which in January ruled the heads of all six mobile networks had colluded in putting rates up on the same day, said yesterday companies were free to adjust charges but warned it was watching.
'There's pressure for a price increase in order to make ends meet, especially for some of the operators who have already said they are making a loss with customers who choose a package at the low end,' said Kay Yau Ka-yee of Ofta.
'It's at the discretion of the operators, there are no price controls . . . but our concern is that they increased the price simultaneously and we're watching closely all the time.' Ofta ruled in January the networks had 'at least an understanding' between them that monthly fees would go up on January 2.
