True eyes more home customers with new service
True Corp aims to have 2.4 million home customers of its broadband Internet service by the end of this year, up from 2.1 million now, through the launch of new fixed-line-mobile convergence services.
Manut Manavuthiveth, chief commercial officer of True Online, said that this year the group expected tougher competition from new broadband providers.
The total number of subscribers is forecast to rise by around 16-17 per cent, and True hopes to secure half of the new ones.
There are about 5.4 million home broadband users nationwide, which is expected to grow to 6 million this year.
"We hope for an additional 300,000 users this year, 60 per cent in provincial areas, which will boost our market share upcountry from the present 65 per cent to 70 per cent. True’s nationwide share of the broadband market will rise from 38 per cent to 45 per cent," Manut said.
Yesterday True launched a new fixed-line-mobile convergence service.
It offers 18 megabits per second for Bt699 per month, bundled with a new cordless home phone, a new fixed-line number with Bt200 monthly credit for calls to all networks for 12 months, and free calling to three TrueMove H cellular phone numbers, also for 12 months.
He said convergence was the key strategy to lure more customers as competition from other operators, especially upcountry, is growing fast.
True also claims that it offers the fastest broadband connection at an average of 15Mbps, compared with 10Mbps from other operators.
Its average revenue per user is around Bt700 per month.
Saharat Kanongsilp, director of wireless voice service at True Corp, said this campaign would help maintain the company’s fixed-line telephone services amid the surging popularity of mobile devices.
True hopes to maintain a total of 1.6 million fixed-line customers this year, of whom 500,000 will be in the business segment and the rest home users. Its average revenue per user is only Bt140 per month.
Earlier, True Corp announced an investment of Bt33 billion on the expansion of its fixed-line broadband network nationwide to reach 10 million households by next year.
The largest cellular operator, Advanced Info Service, entered the broadband Internet frontier this year, aiming to acquire 80,000 subscribers within one year.
