SmarTone Telecommunications Holdings yesterday launched its high-speed 3G network in Macau, with an eye to stimulate demand for more advanced mobile-telephone services in the high-income gaming city.
The operator, a subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai Properties, is investing more than 180 million patacas to build its 3G network and services over a four-year period in Macau, which had a population of 544,200 at the end of last month.
'We have substantial business in Macau and we hope to do more now that we have 3G here,' said SmarTone chief executive Douglas Li, who is also the chairman of the company's Macau operations. 'We hope to gain market share.'
Macau's Bureau of Telecommunications Regulation awarded SmarTone the territory's fourth 3G licence in September last year.
The competitors include incumbent carrier Companhia de Telecomunicaes de Macau SARL, the Hutchison Whampoa-owned 3 Macau and China Telecom Macau - all of which received their 3G licences in 2007.
SmarTone, which had been running a 2G mobile-telephone network in Macau since August 2001, has about 150 staff in the territory.
'We've adopted a unique business model in Macau,' Li said. 'Besides our stores, we have direct sales through kiosks, which are manned by our staff, and reach deep inside the city's different districts.'