www.singtel.com

Customers of Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) will be the first in Singapore to be able to purchase 3G handsets from 16 December 2004. They will also enjoy free video calls and video-streaming services until 28 February 2005.

Mr Paul Kitchin, SingTel's Vice President (Consumer Marketing), said: "SingTel has received positive feedback from our recently concluded 3G trials. We have also received requests from customers who were not trial users to be among the first to use 3G in Singapore.

"To make this a reality sooner for them, we have been working very closely with our handset partners to address the issue of limited phone models, availability and performance. The handsets we are selling are those which we have tested on our 3G network to ensure optimum performance and have better form factor compared to earlier batches of 3G phone models.

"More importantly, we have ensured that the phones are affordable. So if a customer is considering upgrading their handset this Christmas, then a new 3G handset is an attractive option. This will be a prelude to the full commercial launch of our 3G services in the first quarter of 2005."

Four different 3G phone models

Customers will have four 3G phone models to choose from: Motorola A1000, Motorola E1000, Sony Ericsson Z1010 and LG U8100.

These phones come in both 'candy bar' and 'clamshell' designs and are priced under S$1,000 (with lines).

They will be on sale exclusively at just five of SingTel's hello! stores in CityLink Mall, Comcentre, Orchard, OUB Centre and Tampines Mall from tomorrow.

Video calls, video-streaming & high-speed data access

With their 3G phones, customers will be able to make video calls to other SingTel 3G mobile phone customers as well as fixed-line videophone users.

They can also make international video calls to 19 overseas networks in 14 countries such as Hong Kong, Japan and UK. Current charges for international video calls are based on prevailing IDD 001 rates.

In addition, those with 3G phones will be able to roam to Japan without changing out their handsets.

SingTel 3G customers will have access to a broad and growing range of content such as 'live' news broadcasts, music video clips, movie trailers and sports coverage via video-streaming.

Mr Kitchin said: "SingTel is continuing to build our 3G content suite for both business and consumer customers and we expect to announce our new content line-up and partners soon."

For customers who are interested in high-speed data access, they can now use their 3G phones as a modem for wireless Internet access at broadband speeds of up to 384kbps.

They can also purchase the Novatel Data Card Merlin U530 at S$1,088 (with GST) from SingTel to use with their laptops.

3G high-speed data access is charged at the current GPRS rate of S$5/MB until 28 February 2005.

Number retention & free USIM upgrade

Customers who purchase a 3G handphone will also be given a free upgrade to a USIM (3G SIM) card which offers greater security, higher capacity and the ability to log on to both 2G and 3G networks.

Mr Kitchin said: "While we have completed our nationwide 3G rollout, we will continue to improve and fine-tune the network as we move towards the full commercial launch of 3G services."