• IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here.

    The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.

4G users face price hikes

eErotica69

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
StarHub has fired the first salvo, requiring its 4G subscribers to pay an additional S$2.14 per month from June 1 for its value-added services.



SINGAPORE: Smartphone users may soon have to pay more to access 4G value-added services offered by the three telcos, StarHub, SingTel and M1.

StarHub has fired the first salvo, requiring its 4G subscribers to pay an additional S$2.14 per month from June 1 for its value-added services.


These subscribers have been enjoying free promotional 4G speed boost since the launch in September 2012.


In response to queries from Channel NewsAsia, StarHub's assistant vice president of mobility, Tian Ung Ping, said that "with all promotions, there is an end date. The free promotion, which was originally scheduled to end on 31 December 2013, has been extended till 31 May 2014."


According to StarHub, the usual rate for the 4G Speed Boost value-added service is S$10.70 a month.


Market experts said StarHub's move may prompt the other two telcos, M1 and SingTel, to revise their charges for 4G access.


Currently, both M1 and SingTel do not charge for their 4G value-added services, as part of a promotion for their 4G network.


An M1 spokesman told Channel NewsAsia that the telco is currently reviewing its charges with the upgrade of its 4G network to support speeds of up to 150Mbps and the introduction of high-quality voice calls over its 4G network in the coming months.


A SingTel spokesman said the company regularly reviews its price plans.


The spokesman added that SingTel's focus is on enhancing the mobile data experience for its customers by rolling-out network upgrades, such as doubling the maximum speed of its 4G service to 300Mbps this year.


Last year, the three telcos raised charges for excess local data usage.

- CNA/ms

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/4g-users-face-price-hikes/1073504.html
 

virus

Alfrescian
Loyal
Farking bs. Half the time is 3g. Sometimes at old estate drop to 1g. Never compensate us.
 

ILovePAP

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
PRICE SIGNALLING.....an offence under the Compeition Law in Singapore....CCS NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS....
 

Dark Knight

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Many people no longer like to renew their contract these days.
Doing so will only entitled to 2G of data usage instead of that 12G.
They will rather pay more to get a phone without contract.
Hence all these service providers will now think of ways to milk more $$$ from their customers.
 

laksaboy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Seems more like a Monopoly instead of Oligarchy as some big shot firm owns certain percentage of shares in the Red, Green and Orange service providers.

That's true, but the red telco owns the infrastructure. And the red telco is run by you-know-who.
 

LeMans2011

Alfrescian
Loyal
This is like ERP. When the car population is high enough they ramp up the tolls and increase the number of gantries. Now that there are a few million smart phone users, time to raise the charges!
 

yellowarse

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Wat if my disgusting phone only know how to 3g

Stick to 3G. SingTel and M1 are doing away with free 4G come 31 Dec. Focus instead on chipset performance, memory, skin and value-for-money. Most times I'm only getting 3G signal for my 4G plan, and download speeds are just fractionally faster.

A good value-for-money $169 3G quad-core phone:

12631130383_258f133117_o.jpg
 

johnny333

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
In Spore it's expensive to be on the cutting edge because "they" control everything. For me it's no big deal since all I need is sms & simple phone services

People should simply save their $ & skip these services
 

@rmadill0

Alfrescian
Loyal
3 telcos by right should compete with each other for us, the consumers to benefit from it. But not in Singapore. They compete on who can milk the consumers more.
 

Scrooball (clone)

Alfrescian
Loyal
Mobile users on contract get 4G shock from telco
Many unaware 4G services pricing can go up even before contract ends

Singapore | Updated today at 01:06 AM
By Irene Tham Technology Correspondent

MOBILE phone users take note: The 4G mobile data plan you bought may not guarantee you 4G services throughout your contract.

This is because telcos are packaging 4G services, which enable twice the surfing speed of 3G, as an add-on - much like auto-roaming and caller ID display services - to 3G plans.

This means that the 4G rates promoted at the point of sign-up may change later, with customers given a choice to pay up or opt out. This may even apply to customers on contracts.

Some StarHub customers claimed they heard this for the first time yesterday when they were told to pay more to continue using the faster 4G network. Many did not realise the information is in their contracts.

Community relations executive Hng Hwee Ling, 28, said: "It was sold to me as a 4G service with the 4G phone. I didn't think it would change."

Senior youth worker Paul Teo, 41, agreed. "I wasn't told 4G services are an add-on and the price may change later," he said.

StarHub, posted a notice on its website on Tuesday that customers need to pay $2.14 a month from June for its 4G Speed Boost add-on that allows surfing at up to 75Mbps.

The telco said that this is a promotional rate as opposed to the usual $10.70 a month, although it did not say when the promotion will end. The price increase comes amid an "exponential increase in mobile data use" even as it is investing heavily in its network, said a StarHub spokesman.

About one-third of its 1.2 million post-paid users, or 450,000 customers, were on 4G as at December last year. Only those on its SmartSurf (Lite, Value, Premium and Elite) plans will be affected.

It has also started telling customers about the new charge by SMS, through which customers can also opt out.

Market observers expect SingTel and M1 to also start charging for 4G add-on services.

M1 stated on its website that its free 4G value-added service promotion will end on Dec 31 this year. An M1 spokesman said the telco is reviewing its charges with its 4G network upgrade.

A SingTel spokesman also said it regularly reviews its price plans, while its website states that its 4G value-added service, free for now, will cost $10.70 a month at "a date SingTel determines".

The imminent fee increase did not go down well with consumer advocates and mobile users.

Consumers Association of Singapore executive director Seah Seng Choon, for one, takes issue with 4G services being packaged as an add-on. "It is a different level of service from auto-roaming and caller ID display," he said.

"Telcos should be more transparent in the way they market 4G services rather than hide the information in terms and conditions that catch consumers off guard," said Mr Seah. "A normal person would expect to continue to enjoy 4G services without paying more until his contract expires."

Businessman Koh Wei Ming, 30, agreed. "I thought that once I bought a 4G plan, I stay on it until my next contract."

[email protected]





FINE PRINT NOT FINE

Telcos should be more transparent in the way they market 4G services rather than hide the information in terms and conditions that catch consumers off guard.

- Case executive director Seah Seng Choon

WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU GOT IS NOT WHAT YOU BOUGHT

Consumers were taken aback when they found out that the prices of the 4G plans they had signed up for may change in the middle of their contracts

STARHUB

What it costs now: Free 4G add-on service that lets users surf at up to 75Mbps.

What it will cost from June: $2.14 per month as a promotion (usual $10.70 a month)

SINGTEL

What it costs now: Free 4G add-on service that lets users surf at up to 150Mbps (valid until a date SingTel determines)

What it will cost in the future: $10.70 per month

M1

What it costs now: Free 4G add-on service that lets users surf at up to 150Mbps (valid until Dec 31 this year)

What it will cost in the future: $10.70 per month
 
Top