News
Release

SmarTone launches to enable business customers
always stay ahead of the game while on the move

(9 June 2003, Hong Kong) - SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited today announced the launch of , which enables customers to stay ahead of the game while on the move.

"Appreciating the needs of busy business professionals and frequently-travelled executives to enhance their competitiveness in a fast-moving business world as well as leading exciting personal lives, SmarTone develops , a suite of mobile business tools, to address their needs," said Douglas Li, Chief Executive Officer of SmarTone.

The main features of include , Latest News, Real-time Financial Quotes, Office Intranet and Travellers' Help. Another powerful features of are LiveCams and Live VideoCams services. Not only can customers login to the live traffic cameras strategically-located at traffic black spots and plan their journey ahead, but they can also set up the Internet cameras by themselves through just 4 simple steps to view snapshots of what is important to them, like their home or office. Furthermore, with the Live VideoCams service, customers can view live video transmissions from their own VideoCams.

The mobile devices include Sony Ericsson P800, Nokia 7650, Nokia 3650 and xda. Sony Ericsson P800 is the recommended device because it is powerful and more flexible, allowing better customer experience and easier adoption of new services in the future. To encourage discovery of by customers with the use of Sony Ericsson P800, SmarTone introduces a special offer - customers who subscribe to the "All In One" plan of $588 (please refer to Table 3 for details) and signing a 12-month contract can purchase Sony Ericsson P800 at a special price of $1,788*.

"In a nutshell, provides useful, relevant and easy-to-use services to people on the move with up-to-the-minute information for business and leisure decision, bringing them great out-of-the-box experience and helping our customers always stay ahead of the game," concluded Mr. Li.

The user-friendly menu of is categorised by services (please refer to Table 1 for details), namely:

1.
 -SmarTone's mobile email service offering secured remote access to corporate and personal emails
2.Latest News
 -incisive local and international news, including Hong Kong general & traffic news, international financial and sports news
3.Real-time Financial Quotes
 - Hong Kong & US stock prices, market indices, forex, gold and silver prices
4.Financial World
 - worldwide markets at a glance with real-time streaming quotes and news provided by respectable third-party providers like Dao Heng Securities, TD Waterhouse and QuotePower
5. LiveCams
 - customers can view snapshots of home and office via their internet cameras as well as login to cameras strategically-located at traffic black spots and plan their journey ahead
6.Live VideoCams
 -live video transmission from customers' VideoCams
7. Information Search
 -via popular WAP and WEB search engines plus pre-inserted links to English/Chinese WAP sites as bookmarks
8. Office Intranet
 -remote secure access to corporate intranet applications
9.
 -the ground-breaking mobile multimedia portal of SmarTone offering a wide range of information and entertainment via interest-oriented channels to suit various tastes and preferences
10.Applications MarketPlace
 - instant access to hundreds of useful applications for business or personal use from two popular portals: Handango and AppForge
11. Travellers' Help
 -a library of data resource (eg. airlines' hotlines, world weather) to support travelling executives
12.Customer Service

For customers who are now using Sony Ericsson P800, Nokia 7650, Nokia 3650 and xda, they can go to the designated SmarTone shops** for installation of softwares which support all the services available at .

The charge for browsing at pay-as-you-go basis is at a very competitive rate of $0.1 per KB. There are several GPRS plans available for customers' selection to best suit their mobile data consumption (please refer to Table 2 for details).

For more details on , please contact 's hotline at 2880 2622, visit any SmarTone shop or browse SmarTone's website at www. smartone.com.hk.



Table 1 - Menu of

1)
  - SmarTone’s mobile email service offering secured remote
  access to corporate and personal emails
    
2)Latest News 
 General 
 1) Apple Daily 
 2)Ming Pao 
 3)CNN 
 4) BBC 
 5)Yahoo 
 6)Ananova 
 7) Internet Wire 
 Finance 
 1)Wall Street Journal 
 2)CNN Business 
 3)Financial Times 
 HK Traffic News 
 1) Traffic Updates & Slow Drive Advisory 
 Sports 
 1)CNN Sports 
 2)BBC Sports 
    
3) Real-time Financial Quotes 
 1) HK Stocks 
 2)US Stocks 
 3)HK Indices 
 4) World Indices 
 5)Forex 
 6)Gold and Silver Prices  
    
4)Financial World 
 1) Markets at a Glance 
 2)Market Quotes 
 3)QPI-Mobile  
 4) Financial News 
 5)TD WaterHouse 
 6)Dao Heng Securities 
    
5) LiveCams 
 1)Your Own LiveCams 
 2)HK Traffic LiveCams  
    
6) Live VideoCams
 
 1) Hong Kong, Admiralty, Harcourt Road 
 2) Hong Kong, Causeway Bay, Times Square
 
 3) USA, New York City, Times Square 
    
7) Information Search 
 Search Engines 
 1) Google WAP Search Engine  
 2) Yahoo WEB Search Engine  
 Useful links of popular English language WAP sites
 3) Yahoo WAP site  
 4) BBC WAP site 
 5) MSN WAP site 
 Useful links of popular Chinese language WAP sites
 6) SINA WAP site  
 7) SOHU WAP site 
    
8)Office Intranet 
    
9) 
 - the ground-breaking mobile multimedia portal of SmarTone
  offering a wide range of information and entertainment via interest-oriented channels to suit various tastes and preferences
   
10) Applications MarketPlace 
 1) Handango 
 2) AppForge  
    
11)Travellers' Help 
 1) PhoneHome Service 
 2)World Weather 
 3)Emergency Numbers 
 4) Credit Cards Global Assist Numbers 
 5)HSBC Overseas Branches 
 6)Airline Hotlines 
 7)Tourist Offices 
 8)HKSAR Representative Offices 
 9)Embassies, Consulates and Representative Offices  
    
12)Customer Service 
    
    

 

Table 2 - SmarTone GPRS Plans

Monthly Fee
Free Volume
Thereafter Charge
(per KB)
WAP Access
$0
N/A
HK$0.1
Will be deducted from the free volume
$48
1 MB
HK$0.07
$118
5 MB
HK$0.05
$380
30 MB
HK$0.03
$600
60 MB
HK$0.02

 

Table 3 - Details of "All In One" Monthly Plan

"All In One"
Monthly Plan
Airtime
SMS
GPRS
Services
$588
500 mins
(thereafter $1.2/min)
150
(thereafter $1.2/SMS)
2MB
(thereafter $0.1/KB)
  • with web access
  • 12 months of
    - Voice Mail
    - Call Forwarding
    - Caller Number Display
    - Call Waiting
    - Conference Calling

 

Remarks:
* Customers can enjoy trade in offer to get further discount on Sony Ericsson P800
** Addresses of the designated SmarTone shops are:
- G/F., Far East Consortium Building, 113 Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong
- Shop A2, 7-7B Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

###

About SmarTone

Established in 1992, SmarTone is a leading provider of mobile communications services in Hong Kong. It is a customer-oriented Company and aims to bring its customers closer to the people, the information and the entertainment that is important to them and, through this, to generate greater shareholders' value.

With our strong technological heritage and deep commitment to quality service, we intend to bring our customers into the new world of 2.5G/3G mobile infotainment and media. With a clear focus on customer needs, we have marketed numerous compelling services which deliver substantial benefits to our customers — recent branded offerings include , , , , , and .

Our commitment to quality service is well recognised in Hong Kong, validated by recent retail and service industry awards.

 Asia Pacific Customer Service Consortium's Customer Relationship Excellence Awards
  Customer Relationship Excellence - Outstanding Achievement
2002
  Call Center of the Year (for Telecommunications)
2002
  Customer Service Professional of the Year
2002
    
 Hong Kong Retail Management Association's Annual Service and Courtesy Awards
  Best Team Award
2001 & 2002
  Supervisory Level Award
2001
  Junior Frontline Level Award
2002
    
 Hong Kong Retail Management Association's Mystery Shoppers Programme
  Service Category Leader
2002 & 2003
  Service Retailer of the Year
2002
    
 Hong Kong Management Association's Distinguished Salesperson Award
  Four SmarTone-nominated staff members2003
  All five SmarTone-nominated staff members
2002
    
 Hong Kong Call Centre Association's Call Centre Award
  Call Centre Team Leader - Silver & Bronze
2002
  Call Centre Professional - Bronze
2002
    

We were the first operator to launch GSM mobile services in Asia in 1993 and the first in Hong Kong to introduce automatic international roaming. We were the first in the world to implement Enhanced Full Rate technology in our network in 1997, greatly improving voice quality for our customers. We were the first in Hong Kong to pilot launch GPRS in 1999.

SmarTone (SEHK: 0315) has been publicly listed in Hong Kong since 1996. The Company's major shareholder is Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (holding about 51%).

Website address: www.smartone.com.hk

- END -

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Helen Kwan
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: (852) 3128 2255/ 9664 7628
Email: helen_kwan@hksmartone.com
Ms. Desiree Chan
Senior Executive - Corporate Communications
Tel: (852) 3128 2241 / 9169 4552
Email: desiree_chan@hksmartone.com