News
Release

SmarTone launches a host of ground-breaking monthly plans
enabling customers to get closer to friends and relatives
& enjoy the best mobile network in town

(12 June 2003, Hong Kong) - SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited today launched a host of ground-breaking monthly plans to enable customers to get closer to their friends and relatives as well as experience the best mobile network in town available at SmarTone.

According to Douglas Li, Chief Executive Officer of SmarTone, the features of these ground-breaking monthly plans include: (1) airtime is increased by as much as 40%; (2) free intra-network SMS; and (3) the most justified minute-of-use calculation method, as communication airtime between SmarTone customers will be deducted from the Intra-network minutes first.

Not only can new SmarTone's customers subscribe to any of the five new monthly plans (which will all become effective tomorrow i.e. 13 June 2003), existing SmarTone's customers can also enjoy the new enhanced services of their respective monthly plans automatically with effect from the coming billing date. In addition to the ground-breaking free intra-network SMS service for these new monthly plans, five services (namely Voice Mail, Call Forwarding, Caller Number Display, Call Waiting and Conference Calling) are also offered free for the first 12 months.

New minute deduction mechanism works for the aforementioned monthly plans. The airtime of local calls made to subscribers of other mobile network operators will be deducted from the Inter minute bucket, while the airtime of calls made to SmarTone's customers will be deducted from the Intra minute bucket.

Customers will be able to reap the maximum benefits of these ground-breaking monthly plans when they and their friends/families/regularly contact persons join the plans simultaneously - this validates our customer service proposition of helping our customers get closer to the people and information that are important to them.

NEW free intra-network SMS
Monthly Plan
$80
$108
$138
$198
$298
Free airtime per month
Inter
New
600
800
1,000
1,500
2,600
Original
500
600
800
1,200
1,800
Intra
New
-
700
900
900
1,600
Original
-
600
800
800
1,500
Total airtime (minutes) per month
600
1,500
1,900
2,400
4,200
Thereafter charge per minute
New
$1.0
$0.9
$0.9
$0.9
$0.8
$0.5
Original
$1.2
$1.1
$1.1
$1.0
$1.0
$0.8
Free services for the first year include

 

  • 12-month
-
  Voice Mail
-
  Call Forwarding
-
  Caller Number Display
-
  Call Waiting
-
  Conference Calling

 

Note: The following are applicable to all the above plans:
 (1)$100 SIM Card Fee and $40 Mobile Number Porting Handling Fee are waived.
 (2)Customers are required to pay for the MTR / Tunnel / Mobile
   Service Licence fee of $10 per month.

 

###

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