3G Services Competition Heats Up in Hong Kong

January 2nd, 2005

Wireless service provider CSL & SmartTone rolled out new 3G services in December, following the lead of 3 Hong Kong (Hutchison Whampoa).

SmartTone

Hong Kong-based mobile operator SmarTone launched its new 3G service on 19 December 2004 together with two Motorola 3G handsets.

SmarTone said that it plans to introduce eight more handset models to its range during the first half of 2005, including the Sharp SX813 and Sanyo S103 which will be exclusive to SmarTone. The firm’s 3G service – called iN – is priced between HKD128 and HKD368 a month with the top tariff giving customers 130 minutes of video calls each month.

SmarTone is the second mobile operator in Hong Kong to offer 3G services after Hutchison Whampoa started a 3G service in January 2004, reports Dow Jones.

CSL

Hong Kong’s CSL is set to launch its commercial 3G mobile service on Monday and become the region’s third mobile service provider to do so.

The company, a unit of Australia’s Telstra, said in a press conference that it will release the Nokia 6630 handset, reported the Dow Jones Newswire.

Hutchison, which has 5.9 million customers globally in seven markets, launched its Hong Kong 3G service in January. SmarTone Telecommunications released a wireless datacard aimed at the business market earlier this month and will be followed soon by handsets for consumers.

Sunday Communications remains the only 3G licensee yet to launch the service. The company is expected to do so in early 2005.

Entry Filed under: 3G Services

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