SingTel Launches 4G Service for Smartphones

4 June 2012, Singapore – SingTel today announced that it will launch Singapore’s first 4G service for consumer smartphone users.

Three 4G handsets (HTC One XL, LG Optimus LTE and Samsung Galaxy S II LTE) will be available from tomorrow with around 50% LTE coverage in Singapore.

By December this year, around 80% of Singapore will be covered with 100% coverage expected in early 2013, explained Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, SingTel’s CEO Consumer Singapore.

The 4G typical speeds expected will be from 3.4mbps to 12mbps. You can enjoy theoretical downloads of up to 75mbps.

New Tiered Data Plans for 3G and 4G Users

New data bundles ranging from 2GB to 12GB as well as significantly more generous SMS bundles and higher data speeds can be expected.

Local data bundle is currently 12GB across the board for SingTel’s plans. But the new plans will see a reduction of the local data bundle as currently 90% of subscribers do not exceed 2 to 30GB in its current plan options, explained Yuen.

Charges for data usage beyond bundled allowances will also become much more affordable with the new plans. Previously SingTel charges S$2.76 per megabyte, while the revised rate will be S$5.36 per gigabyte (charged in 2 kilobytes blocks) up to a cap of S$88.

These new plans will affect customers getting a new plan or re-contracting from 1 July 2012. Existing customers will not be affected till further notice.

10% of the SingTel’s existing customers who are heavy SMS users will end up paying less with the new plans.

Another interesting fact Yuen shared is that currently 10% of SingTel’s customer base consumes 64% of mobile data.

We checked with StarHub and MobileOne if they were also revising their plans.

“StarHub launched the i2Surf plans more than seven months ago. Bundled with a $30 data price cap as well as a free 24-month multiSIM service, i2Surf plans offer the best value among similar products in the market, especially well-catered to the rising trend of customers holding multiple devices, such as a smartphone and a tablet. To prepare for exponential growth in mobile data traffic, we will offer i2Surf as our core post-paid plans; SmartSurf will be discontinued in the near future,” explained Cassie Fong, StarHub’s Senior Manager of Corporate Communications.

“We are building our LTE network, which is expected to go “live” in key business areas (Eg, Singapore Changi Airport, Marina Bay, Suntec, and Shenton Way) later this year. As previously shared, we will not offer unlimited LTE data plans. More details about our LTE devices and services will be announced later.”

MobileOne did not have any tariff changes when contacted.