Three Hong Kong hooks up mobile subscribers with 'iPair' dating service

Mobile network operator Three Hong Kong upped the ante on exclusive social-networking alliances yesterday with the launch of a new mobile dating service linked to Taiwanese mobile application iPair.

It marks the second major social media-related collaboration unveiled this year by Three, the mobile services arm of Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong.

In September, the operator introduced apps from NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest wireless network operator, to the city under a deal with mobile social-messaging services provider Line.

Amy Lung Pui-ying, the managing director for mobile operations at Hutchison Telecom, described the iPartment website and iPair app services created by partner SunFun Info as "the most popular social and dating platforms in Taiwan", with more than 4.65 million registered members.

The two platforms had been credited with enabling the marriages of about 160,000 members since the iPartment website first started operations in 2003, Lung said.