3GScottishUser
23rd October 2005, 02:25 PM
From The Sunday Times (23/10/2005):
COMPETITION in the mobile-phone sector will move up a notch this week as 3, owned by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa, undercuts Vodafone and O2 by offering 3G handsets for as little as 9.
The company will begin offering the Sony Ericsson K608i and the NEC 338 for 9 to those customers on its 60-a-month tariff who buy direct from its website or by telephone. In the case of the Sony Ericsson handset, 3 will undercut Vodafone by up to 40.
Graeme Slattery, the head of communications at 3, said the firm was committed to bringing value to the market. To be able to get a top-end phone for 9 is huge and will go a long way towards people recognising that were in the market, he said. Were here to stay.
Rivals, however, say 3 has struggled since its July 26 launch and industry sources say it has signed up less than 2,000 subscribers. This is denied by 3, although it declined to reveal subscriber information.
The companys entry into Ireland has seen Vodafone and O2, who between them control 90% of the market, shake up their customer offerings.
3s phones are also available through 34 Carphone Warehouse stores and about 18 3G shops. In addition to being able to use the handsets for voice calls and text messages, 3s subscribers also receive free video content from a range of sports events and news bulletins, including goals and highlights from the English Premiership and the UEFA Champions League.
The group has spent 200m on its network and has focused on general consumer packages offering three tariffs at set prices. It has yet to launch either pre-paid or corporate products and has no company-owned retail presence. Its something that were looking at, but were still a new business and we dont want to get ahead of ourselves, said Slattery.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-1838392,00.html
COMPETITION in the mobile-phone sector will move up a notch this week as 3, owned by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa, undercuts Vodafone and O2 by offering 3G handsets for as little as 9.
The company will begin offering the Sony Ericsson K608i and the NEC 338 for 9 to those customers on its 60-a-month tariff who buy direct from its website or by telephone. In the case of the Sony Ericsson handset, 3 will undercut Vodafone by up to 40.
Graeme Slattery, the head of communications at 3, said the firm was committed to bringing value to the market. To be able to get a top-end phone for 9 is huge and will go a long way towards people recognising that were in the market, he said. Were here to stay.
Rivals, however, say 3 has struggled since its July 26 launch and industry sources say it has signed up less than 2,000 subscribers. This is denied by 3, although it declined to reveal subscriber information.
The companys entry into Ireland has seen Vodafone and O2, who between them control 90% of the market, shake up their customer offerings.
3s phones are also available through 34 Carphone Warehouse stores and about 18 3G shops. In addition to being able to use the handsets for voice calls and text messages, 3s subscribers also receive free video content from a range of sports events and news bulletins, including goals and highlights from the English Premiership and the UEFA Champions League.
The group has spent 200m on its network and has focused on general consumer packages offering three tariffs at set prices. It has yet to launch either pre-paid or corporate products and has no company-owned retail presence. Its something that were looking at, but were still a new business and we dont want to get ahead of ourselves, said Slattery.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-1838392,00.html