4G Wars: Check out what the telcos have to offer

ALL content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.
http://www.digitalone.com.sg/news/article/20452

The 4G war has begun.

M1 yesterday fired the first salvo, announcing that it will be offering nationwide 4G-branded Long Term Evolution (LTE) services next Saturday.

This comes after SingTel launched 4G services for mobile phones in June and for tablets last month.

StarHub has not launched 4G services yet but said it will launch the first phase of its LTE network "soon" in key business areas, including Changi Airport, Marina Bay, Suntec and Shenton Way.

The telco previously said it would launch 4G services later this year.

When it comes to coverage, M1 appears to offer the widest, for now. M1 has claimed its 4G coverage will be nationwide - with a caveat.

Coverage includes "indoor and outdoor" areas but not the MRT train tunnels as yet. This translates to about 95 per cent coverage, according to M1.

SingTel's coverage appears to be smaller. The telco said it is on track to achieve 80 per cent coverage by year's end. It expects over 95 per cent coverage by March next year.

But M1's 4G phone plans are pricier than similar plans from SingTel, with customers having to pay $3 to $10 more.

M1's 4G service is also $10.70 more expensive than its 3G plans for phones. For Sing- Tel, its 4G and 3G plans share the same price.

On the 4G premium, Mr P. Subramaniam, M1's chief marketing officer, said: "Essentially, you are getting a better user experience for 4G. We believe customers will pay that additional amount for a better experience."

M1 said its plans' top download speed is 75Mbps, with typical speeds of 6.9 to 17.4Mbps.

Its 3G plans have a top download speed of 7.2Mbps, and typical speeds of 0.9 to 4.5 Mbps.

SingTel's 4G plans have a top download speed of 75Mbps, too, but typical speeds appear to be lower - at 3.4 to 12Mbps. But it said it will soon launch a feature offering a minimum speed guarantee "to ensure a smooth and consistent experience".

"But if SingTel and StarHub put less premium on 4G when all three carriers have nationwide coverage, can M1 sustain its current pricing?" said Mr Foong King Yew, an analyst.

The days of generous mobile data plans are truly over.

Besides its 4G plans, M1 yesterday announced changes that will put a cap on free data accessed via the Internet on its smartphone service plans.

M1's move follows those of SingTel and StarHub in June, which also cut their data caps from 12GB to as low as 2GB and 1GB, respectively

M1 said that 78 per cent of its smartphone customers use less than 2GB of mobile data per month.