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Landline broadband revs speeds ahead of 3G launchSep 19, 2012 (Bangkok Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Competition in the fixed-line broadband market is heating up ahead of the full commercial third-generation (3G) wireless service next year. Major landline broadband service providers _ True Corporation, Triple T Broadband (3BB brand) and TOT Plc _ are making major changes to their broadband offerings. Consumers can now enjoy connectivity speed services starting at 10 megabits per second, up from 7 Mbps previously, at the same prices. Broadband speeds and prices in Thailand have been unchanged over the past two years. "3G service will be the game changer. It's natural in other countries when 3G services come, fixed-line broadband operators need to differentiate themselves by offering faster speeds," said Non Ingkutanon, general manager for wireline broadband services of True Corporation. True, the leader in the fixed-line broadband market with a 43.5% share, plans to sign up half of the 500,000 new users projected for overall market this year, bringing its total to 1.6 million by the end of this year. The landline broadband market is expected to grow by 20% to 30 billion baht this year, said Mr Non. To retain its customer base, True is upgrading connectivity speeds for existing customers, from 7 Mbps to 10Mbps and 10 Mbps to 14 Mbps at the same rates of 599 and 699 baht a month. "These two user groups make up a combined 60% share of our total customers," Mr Non said. True is also providing a bundled service package, allowing its customers using 15 Mbps broadband services to enjoy free 72 TrueVisions cable-TV channels and 200-baht credit for landline telephone calls per month. Charoen Limkangwanmongkol, the chief commercial officer at True Online, said Thailand's fixed-line broadband usage could expand to 35% of all 22 million households over the next five years, up from the current 17%. The number of broadband household users in Thailand is expected to reach 3.9 million this year. Pete Bodaharamik, chief executive of Jasmine International, the parent of Triple T Broadband, said the company is also upgrading its broadband speeds for existing customers, from 7 Mbps to 10 Mbps for the same price of 590 baht per month. Morakot Thienmontree, a senior executive vice-president of TOT Plc, said the state telecom enterprise is also doing the same to achieve the target of 1.5 million customers this year. Like dislike 0 people liked / 0 people disliked this article ___ (c)2012 the Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) Visit the Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) at www.bangkokpost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |