Focus on keeping cellular customers
The Nation (12 October 2007)
Cellular providers will concentrate on keeping customers next year, as the market approaches saturation. Thana Thienachariya, chief commercial officer of the second-largest operator, Total Access Communication (DTAC), said yesterday that next year would be the last that the industry would see growth in subscribers since the market would mature in the following years.
Penetration has already reached over 40 million out of the population of more than 60 million people. This year is expected to see 10 million new mobile-phone subscribers. Advanced Info Service (AIS) has more than 23 million, followed by DTAC with 14.5 million and True Move with 9.1 million. Thana said the implementation of national number portability expected next year would force operators to work harder to retain customers, as they will be able to keep their old phone numbers when they switch to a new provider. This will encourage churn as users hunt for the best deal among providers. DTAC has already prepared for the market to top out by launching what Thana calls "brand refeeling". It will introduce its new and radical business direction on October 24, but he declined to give details. This year DTAC expects its revenues to grow 8-15 per cent. The cellular business plateaued two years ago, due to intensifying price
wars. Recently AIS said it was unlikely to meet its net profit target for this year, but declined to specify the figure. Yesterday DTAC launched the "Twin Numbers" SIM package, featuring two SIM cards in one box with two virtually identical mobile-phone numbers. Users of the two prepaid SIM cards can call each other for free for 24 hours in one year. Calling to other networks costs Bt1.50 per minute, also for one year. The package is available in a limited edition of 50,000 sets priced at Bt99.
The Nation (12 October 2007)
Cellular providers will concentrate on keeping customers next year, as the market approaches saturation. Thana Thienachariya, chief commercial officer of the second-largest operator, Total Access Communication (DTAC), said yesterday that next year would be the last that the industry would see growth in subscribers since the market would mature in the following years.
Penetration has already reached over 40 million out of the population of more than 60 million people. This year is expected to see 10 million new mobile-phone subscribers. Advanced Info Service (AIS) has more than 23 million, followed by DTAC with 14.5 million and True Move with 9.1 million. Thana said the implementation of national number portability expected next year would force operators to work harder to retain customers, as they will be able to keep their old phone numbers when they switch to a new provider. This will encourage churn as users hunt for the best deal among providers. DTAC has already prepared for the market to top out by launching what Thana calls "brand refeeling". It will introduce its new and radical business direction on October 24, but he declined to give details. This year DTAC expects its revenues to grow 8-15 per cent. The cellular business plateaued two years ago, due to intensifying price
wars. Recently AIS said it was unlikely to meet its net profit target for this year, but declined to specify the figure. Yesterday DTAC launched the "Twin Numbers" SIM package, featuring two SIM cards in one box with two virtually identical mobile-phone numbers. Users of the two prepaid SIM cards can call each other for free for 24 hours in one year. Calling to other networks costs Bt1.50 per minute, also for one year. The package is available in a limited edition of 50,000 sets priced at Bt99.
No comments:
Post a Comment