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
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Monthly Plan
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$80
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$108
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$138
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$198
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$298
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Free airtime per month
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Inter
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New
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600
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800
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1,000
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1,500
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2,600
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Original
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Intra
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New
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-
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700
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900
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900
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1,600
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Original
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-
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Total airtime (minutes) per month
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600
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1,500
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1,900
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2,400
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4,200
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Thereafter charge per minute
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New
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$1.0
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$0.9
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$0.9
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$0.9
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$0.8
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$0.5
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Original
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Free services for the first year include
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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. |
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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 members | 2003 | ||
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 |