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Hong Kong Broadband Network begins trial mobile service, aims to capture 2% market share in first year of operations.
Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) last week began a free trial of its upcoming MVNO service and is working towards a full commercial launch in September.
The company, which, as its name suggests, already provides fixed broadband services in Hong Kong, was recently granted a licence to operate as an MVNO. It has signed memoranda of understanding with China Mobile Hong Kong and SmarTone that will enable it to use their networks for the service and is currently working out the final details of those deals.
On Thursday HKBN revealed that fixed broadband customers willing to renew their contracts and new fixed broadband customers will be able to trial the mobile service for free until 31 August. The trial will use SmarTone’s network.
The free trial is on a plan that would normally cost HK$108 per month (€12.55), HKBN said. It comes with 3 GB of data, 3,000 minutes of local voice calls, and unlimited intra-operator local SMS; inter-operator SMS are charged at HK$0.6 each.
Customers who port their number from a rival mobile player will receive an additional 2 GB of data under the plan.
"More than a decade ago, HKBN entered the residential broadband market and set a new industry standard with our fibre network and competitive pricing," said company co-owner and CEO William Yeung, in a statement.
"Now we expand into the mobile market with a vision to once again change the game, bringing top-value options to consumers," he added.
However, the South China Morning Post also quoted Yeung as saying that he does not expect to start a price war in Hong Kong’s mobile market, given that HKBN’s primary focus is to upsell its existing 800,000 broadband customers to bundled fixed and mobile options.
HKBN aims to sign up 150,000 customers in its first 12 months of operation, the paper said, a target that would give it a 2% share of Hong Kong’s HK$23-billion-a-year mobile services market.
