Date:14/06/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/06/14/stories/2005061402870300.htm

Back Airtel, 7 Asia Pacific cos in pact to offer more roaming benefits

Mamuni Das

Singapore , June 13

EIGHT telecom operators in the Asia Pacific region including Airtel from India today announced the launch of additional benefits exclusively for their international roaming subscribers in certain Asia Pacific countries.

While the benefits are not tariff related to start with, they come in the form of services that make it easier for subscribers using international roaming.

Asia Pacific operators reportedly earn annual roaming revenues in excess of $20 billion.

This is being done through Bridge Mobile Alliance (BMA), a company set up with equal equity share by the eight operators. They include Globe Telecom (Philippines), Maxis (Malaysia), SingTel Mobile (Singapore), SingTel Optus (Australia), Taiwan Mobile (Taiwan) and Telkomsel (Indonesia).

Hong Kong-based CSL was the latest to join the alliance in April 2005 as the eighth member. The company was incorporated in Singapore and plans to invest up to $40 million over the next three years, said Dr Patrick Sim, CEO, Bridge Mobile.

With this facility, all Airtel prepaid customers will be now be able to refill their prepaid accounts overseas at designated Bridge Mobile Alliance member counters using local currency, so that they can continue to use their prepaid accounts when roaming overseas without having to worry about insufficient credits in their prepaid accounts.

"The users would be charged at the same level as the prevailing international roaming charges," he said on asked whether any additional tariff benefits would accrue to users, Airtel customers can also use the top-up service for the prepaid accounts on behalf of a friend or relative back in their home countries.

Membership of BMA will be limited to one operator per country in order to maintain the exclusivity of its services. "We will extend our membership to other operators in the APAC region - one operator per country. Those operators would have to pay membership fees," he added.

In case many operators per country are interested in becoming members, BMA would extend the invitation depending on the service quality level and size of the operator in that country, Dr Sim said.

BMA members would give each other "preferential network treatment" for international roaming subscribers.

Customers of BMA members would be able to enjoy their home customer service support when they travel overseas through Bridge Concierge - a customer service support at designated Bridge Mobile Alliance counters providing roamers with on-site assistance if they lose their mobile phones or require roaming support.

The services include SIM Card and handset replacement, special purchase promotions and free Call-Home Support to the home operator customer service lines at selected locations.

According to Mr Atul Bindal, Director & Group, CMO, Mobility, Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd, "Asia Pacific has one of the largest overseas travelling population."