Patrons can enjoy wireless freedom with 4 Mbps WiFi by TrueMove and 7.2 Mbps TrueMove 3G
True Corporation Pcl and Thai Asia Pacific Brewery (TAPB) have joined forces to offer unlimited online fun by installing TrueMove 3G and WiFi wireless access points at the ‘GreenSpace by Greyhound’ beer park at Zen World Tower, CentralWorld. The latest generation of telecommunication standards for mobile networking enables members to keep in touch, via their mobile handsets, with their friends online or upload their photos of Bangkok’s panoramic view from the beer park located on the top three floors of the tower building.
GreenSpace patrons can now update their impressions timely on Facebook or Twitter through TrueMove WiFi which runs at a maximum speed of 4 Mbps or TrueMove 3G which runs at up to 7.2 Mbps, 4 to 35 times faster than the previous 2G system.
A selection of WiFi cards are made available at the True booth set up at the ‘GreenSpace by Greyhound’. The beer park, which opens from 18.00 – 24.00 hrs, operates from November to December 2009 on Floors 18-20 of Zen World Tower @ Central World.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
IBM Thailand launches LotusLive
IBM Thailand has launched its latest cloud-based offerings called LotusLive that brings web-based email, instant messaging, meetings, collaboration, social networking and project management to users over the Internet while keeping the best of enterprise grade security and privacy.
Jadesada Kraisingkorn, country manager IBM Software Group in Thailand,explained that IBM is playing at many levels in the cloud, from the actual hardware infrastructure, its CloudBurst management with flexible allocation and the top layer of solutions which is Lotus Live.
Unlike pure software-as-a-service vendors, IBM Lotus can deliver traditional on-premise,appliance (hardware preloaded with software) or cloud services.
Lotus Live delivers solutions in three key areas. The first group is messaging (email and instant messaging, called SameTime) and content management;second is communication and social networking, the art of linking people to people within a big organisation not just through work flow; and third is integration with corporate applications.
IBM stresses that while Lotus Live is not the first cloud email service, it is an enterprise-grade cloud email service with a strong focus on ownership of data,security and integration with the rest of the organisation.
Lotus Live Engage allows users to log in for meetings over the Internet where they can share screens and dashboards.Engage is a development of IBM's internal BlueHouse which was once showcased as a Facebook for the enterprise.
One of its strengths is the concept of guests. It is possible to give access to certain pages to outsiders without having to pay if they work on the project where they can share in collaboration and activities related to the project. Engage is integrated into work flow with meeting details kept along with transcripts and to-do lists on what was agreed from the meeting.
Then there is Lotus Live Events which is more one-way and focused on training and seminars.
The modules are built around Lotus Live Notes/iNotes which has email and calendaring and is integrate with all the other modules.
The big difference compared to other web-based office solutions is that Lotus Live has the concept of roles. In a typical organisation, the secretary of the boss will have her boss's password, which is very dangerous. In Lotus Live it is possible to delegate to the secretary such that she can read and create only but cannot delete, and any email sent out will be tagged sent on behalf of.
Unlike the paid-for competition, Lotus Live does not do data mining on user data and one of the spokespersons urged anyone using a certain free for up to 25 user competitor (clearly Google Apps)to check their fine print.
In January, IBM announced a partnership with salesforce.com that will turn Lotus Live activities into Salesforce opportunities where the progress of a sales lead can me monitored from Lotus Live's dashboards. Other partnerships exist with Skype for click to call and LinkedIn where files can be shared with people on linked in easily.
IBM Thailand is aiming the package at SMEs, selling it through partners and offering them IBM technology at an affordable price.
Jadesada Kraisingkorn, country manager IBM Software Group in Thailand,explained that IBM is playing at many levels in the cloud, from the actual hardware infrastructure, its CloudBurst management with flexible allocation and the top layer of solutions which is Lotus Live.
Unlike pure software-as-a-service vendors, IBM Lotus can deliver traditional on-premise,appliance (hardware preloaded with software) or cloud services.
Lotus Live delivers solutions in three key areas. The first group is messaging (email and instant messaging, called SameTime) and content management;second is communication and social networking, the art of linking people to people within a big organisation not just through work flow; and third is integration with corporate applications.
IBM stresses that while Lotus Live is not the first cloud email service, it is an enterprise-grade cloud email service with a strong focus on ownership of data,security and integration with the rest of the organisation.
Lotus Live Engage allows users to log in for meetings over the Internet where they can share screens and dashboards.Engage is a development of IBM's internal BlueHouse which was once showcased as a Facebook for the enterprise.
One of its strengths is the concept of guests. It is possible to give access to certain pages to outsiders without having to pay if they work on the project where they can share in collaboration and activities related to the project. Engage is integrated into work flow with meeting details kept along with transcripts and to-do lists on what was agreed from the meeting.
Then there is Lotus Live Events which is more one-way and focused on training and seminars.
The modules are built around Lotus Live Notes/iNotes which has email and calendaring and is integrate with all the other modules.
The big difference compared to other web-based office solutions is that Lotus Live has the concept of roles. In a typical organisation, the secretary of the boss will have her boss's password, which is very dangerous. In Lotus Live it is possible to delegate to the secretary such that she can read and create only but cannot delete, and any email sent out will be tagged sent on behalf of.
Unlike the paid-for competition, Lotus Live does not do data mining on user data and one of the spokespersons urged anyone using a certain free for up to 25 user competitor (clearly Google Apps)to check their fine print.
In January, IBM announced a partnership with salesforce.com that will turn Lotus Live activities into Salesforce opportunities where the progress of a sales lead can me monitored from Lotus Live's dashboards. Other partnerships exist with Skype for click to call and LinkedIn where files can be shared with people on linked in easily.
IBM Thailand is aiming the package at SMEs, selling it through partners and offering them IBM technology at an affordable price.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
CALL TO REQUIRE THAI-MADE EQUIPMENT FOR 3G ROLL-OUT
The national telecom watchdog yesterday was urged to include a requirement in the licence-auction guidelines to use locally made equipment in part of the third-generation network rollout. Former deputy transport minister Pinij Charusombat said otherwise only foreign suppliers would benefit fully from the network investment.
Pinij made the suggestion during a seminar in Bangkok entitled "3G and the Development of the Thai Capital Market", hosted by the Capital Market Academy.
He said this would enable local manufacturers to share in the benefits. Otherwise, Thais would gain only 20 per cent of the return from the 3G-network investment, with the rest going to foreign telecom-equipment suppliers. Although one of the banned Thai Rak Thai Party MPs, Pinij is believed to be a de-facto leader of the Puea Pandin Party.
He said veteran telecom operators should not be allowed to bid for the 3G 2.1-gigahertz licences, but rather only new entrants, which would promote real market competition.
One of two panellists, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) commissioner Sethaporn Cusripituck, said the auction for the four 3G licences would spark huge investment. Each of the four winners will spend an estimated Bt50 billion on their network roll-out during the initial phase, thus encouraging investment and creating jobs.
The other panellist, NTC member Sudharma Yoonaidharma, said the NTC should first finish the main rules regulating the market in the post-3G era before granting the licences.
But he said the licences should be issued soon, to give telecom operators time to prepare for rolling out their 3G networks before their concessions ended. All private telecom operators' networks belong to their concession owners - TOT and CAT Telecom - under "built-transfer-operate" arrangements.
Stock Exchange of Thailand president Patareeya Benjapholchai said during the opening of the seminar that the combined market capitalisation of listed telecom firms was about Bt500 billion, accounting for 10.88 per cent of the combined market capitalisation of all listed firms.
In a separate matter, securities houses yesterday downgraded telecommunications stocks in the face of a possible further delay to the NTC's plan to auction the four 3G licences. During a meeting on Wednesday, economic ministers asked the NTC to consult with the Council of State about whether it had full authority to grant the new spectrum before proceeding with the auction plan. The watchdog agreed to do so.
The securities houses said the possible delay had affected the attractiveness of shares of three listed telecom operators: Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Corp, parent of True Move.
A Finansa Securities analyst recommended "sell" for True shares and shares remained "buy", thanks to a high dividend yield.
The analyst said telecommunications operators hoped 3G would drive their earnings growth. Without the licences, their earnings growth would not be as attractive for investors and stakeholders over the next three years.
An analyst at UOB Kay Hian Securities (Thailand) said that if the 3G-licence auction were postponed by six months to a year, operating costs would be affected. The licences are expected to reduce costs at least 10 per cent.
The NTC is expected to auction the licences next February. Many parties believe they will pave the way for the telecom concessionaires to migrate customers from the state concessions to the licensees, in order to save on regulatory costs.
Each of them pays about 25 per cent of their revenue on average as their concession fee, while the annual 3G-licence fee will cost 6.5 per cent of revenue.
Similar to Finansa, the UOB analyst also recommended "sell" for True shares and "hold" for DTAC but maintained a "buy" recommendation for AIS. AIS< DTAC and True all closed lower yesterday. DTAC declined 4.58 per cent to Bt36.50, AIS 1.17 per cent to Bt84.25 and True 2.79 per cent Bt2.79.
Pinij made the suggestion during a seminar in Bangkok entitled "3G and the Development of the Thai Capital Market", hosted by the Capital Market Academy.
He said this would enable local manufacturers to share in the benefits. Otherwise, Thais would gain only 20 per cent of the return from the 3G-network investment, with the rest going to foreign telecom-equipment suppliers. Although one of the banned Thai Rak Thai Party MPs, Pinij is believed to be a de-facto leader of the Puea Pandin Party.
He said veteran telecom operators should not be allowed to bid for the 3G 2.1-gigahertz licences, but rather only new entrants, which would promote real market competition.
One of two panellists, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) commissioner Sethaporn Cusripituck, said the auction for the four 3G licences would spark huge investment. Each of the four winners will spend an estimated Bt50 billion on their network roll-out during the initial phase, thus encouraging investment and creating jobs.
The other panellist, NTC member Sudharma Yoonaidharma, said the NTC should first finish the main rules regulating the market in the post-3G era before granting the licences.
But he said the licences should be issued soon, to give telecom operators time to prepare for rolling out their 3G networks before their concessions ended. All private telecom operators' networks belong to their concession owners - TOT and CAT Telecom - under "built-transfer-operate" arrangements.
Stock Exchange of Thailand president Patareeya Benjapholchai said during the opening of the seminar that the combined market capitalisation of listed telecom firms was about Bt500 billion, accounting for 10.88 per cent of the combined market capitalisation of all listed firms.
In a separate matter, securities houses yesterday downgraded telecommunications stocks in the face of a possible further delay to the NTC's plan to auction the four 3G licences. During a meeting on Wednesday, economic ministers asked the NTC to consult with the Council of State about whether it had full authority to grant the new spectrum before proceeding with the auction plan. The watchdog agreed to do so.
The securities houses said the possible delay had affected the attractiveness of shares of three listed telecom operators: Advanced Info Service (AIS), Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Corp, parent of True Move.
A Finansa Securities analyst recommended "sell" for True shares and shares remained "buy", thanks to a high dividend yield.
The analyst said telecommunications operators hoped 3G would drive their earnings growth. Without the licences, their earnings growth would not be as attractive for investors and stakeholders over the next three years.
An analyst at UOB Kay Hian Securities (Thailand) said that if the 3G-licence auction were postponed by six months to a year, operating costs would be affected. The licences are expected to reduce costs at least 10 per cent.
The NTC is expected to auction the licences next February. Many parties believe they will pave the way for the telecom concessionaires to migrate customers from the state concessions to the licensees, in order to save on regulatory costs.
Each of them pays about 25 per cent of their revenue on average as their concession fee, while the annual 3G-licence fee will cost 6.5 per cent of revenue.
Similar to Finansa, the UOB analyst also recommended "sell" for True shares and "hold" for DTAC but maintained a "buy" recommendation for AIS. AIS< DTAC and True all closed lower yesterday. DTAC declined 4.58 per cent to Bt36.50, AIS 1.17 per cent to Bt84.25 and True 2.79 per cent Bt2.79.
iPHONE ARRIVES IN CHINA WITHOUT KEY FEATURE
Apple's iPhone is making its long-awaited formal debut in the world's most populous mobile-phone market, without a key feature and at higher prices than widely available black-market models.
Apple's local service provider, China Unicom, hopes the iPhone will give it an edge against giant rival China Mobile, the world's biggest phone company by number of subscribers.
Unicom was to start selling iPhones equipped for third-generation (3G) services last week at 2,000 stores in areas as far-flung as Tibet. Chinese news reports said Unicom hoped to sell 5 million iPhones in three years, but the company declined to confirm that.
Unicom's first iPhones lack WiFi, a possible handicap with sophisticated, demanding Chinese buyers. The technology, a key part of the iPhone's appeal, allows owners in other markets to use wireless networks in cafes and offices to download e-mail and the latest applications, free of charge.
"There's going to be a perception that the phone they have is 'dumbed down' from the one that somebody has in California," said Duncan Clark, the chairman of Beijing-based technology-research firm BDA China.
"We've seen before that Chinese consumers don't like to be treated like second-class citizens."
Apple and Unicom could also face competition from an unusual source: unlocked iPhones brought in from abroad that have WiFi.
There are already an estimated 1.5 million to 2 million such phones in China using China Moile's 3G service that allows Internet access and other features.
Unicom's prices range from 4,999-6,999 yuan (Bt24,500 to Bt34,300) for the high-end, 32-gigabyte iPhone 3GS. That is 20-per-cent more than the 5,700 yuan charged by merchants at Chinese street markets for a 3GS with WiFi.
The iPhone's awkward, delayed entry into China reflects the regulatory and technical hudles of a fast-changing market where other global technology companies have struggled to establish themselves.
Unicom's iPhones lack WiFi because it was temporarily banned by Beijing, which was promoting a rival Chinese system, BDA said. The ban was relaxed in May after manufacturing had begun.
A Unicom spokesman, YiDifei, said the company hoped to have WiFi in the next batch of phones.
"We are talking with apple and expect the problem to be solved by the end of this year," Yi said.
The iPhone debuted in the United States in June 2007, but its formal arrival in China was delayed as Apple negotiated with service providers. Chinese media said the talks were snagged on disagreements about how revenue should be divided.
China has more than 650 million mobile-phone accounts despite an average annual income of only US$3,000 (Bt100,000) per person. Consumers trade in phones as often as several times a year to obtain the latest models and features.
China Unicom has 143 million modile accounts, which would be an impressive figure in any other market but lags far behind China's Mobile's 508 million accoutns.
Global technology companies that dominate other markets have struggled to obtain a foothold in China. Search engine Google has less than 30 per cent of the market, against more than 60 per cent for local rival Baidu. Yahoo turned over its Chinese operation to a local partner after failing to expand its market share.
China's state-owned phone companies were restructured by the government into three groups last year in hopes of reviving competition after the explosive popularity of mobile services turned China Mobile into a behemoth.
Apple's local service provider, China Unicom, hopes the iPhone will give it an edge against giant rival China Mobile, the world's biggest phone company by number of subscribers.
Unicom was to start selling iPhones equipped for third-generation (3G) services last week at 2,000 stores in areas as far-flung as Tibet. Chinese news reports said Unicom hoped to sell 5 million iPhones in three years, but the company declined to confirm that.
Unicom's first iPhones lack WiFi, a possible handicap with sophisticated, demanding Chinese buyers. The technology, a key part of the iPhone's appeal, allows owners in other markets to use wireless networks in cafes and offices to download e-mail and the latest applications, free of charge.
"There's going to be a perception that the phone they have is 'dumbed down' from the one that somebody has in California," said Duncan Clark, the chairman of Beijing-based technology-research firm BDA China.
"We've seen before that Chinese consumers don't like to be treated like second-class citizens."
Apple and Unicom could also face competition from an unusual source: unlocked iPhones brought in from abroad that have WiFi.
There are already an estimated 1.5 million to 2 million such phones in China using China Moile's 3G service that allows Internet access and other features.
Unicom's prices range from 4,999-6,999 yuan (Bt24,500 to Bt34,300) for the high-end, 32-gigabyte iPhone 3GS. That is 20-per-cent more than the 5,700 yuan charged by merchants at Chinese street markets for a 3GS with WiFi.
The iPhone's awkward, delayed entry into China reflects the regulatory and technical hudles of a fast-changing market where other global technology companies have struggled to establish themselves.
Unicom's iPhones lack WiFi because it was temporarily banned by Beijing, which was promoting a rival Chinese system, BDA said. The ban was relaxed in May after manufacturing had begun.
A Unicom spokesman, YiDifei, said the company hoped to have WiFi in the next batch of phones.
"We are talking with apple and expect the problem to be solved by the end of this year," Yi said.
The iPhone debuted in the United States in June 2007, but its formal arrival in China was delayed as Apple negotiated with service providers. Chinese media said the talks were snagged on disagreements about how revenue should be divided.
China has more than 650 million mobile-phone accounts despite an average annual income of only US$3,000 (Bt100,000) per person. Consumers trade in phones as often as several times a year to obtain the latest models and features.
China Unicom has 143 million modile accounts, which would be an impressive figure in any other market but lags far behind China's Mobile's 508 million accoutns.
Global technology companies that dominate other markets have struggled to obtain a foothold in China. Search engine Google has less than 30 per cent of the market, against more than 60 per cent for local rival Baidu. Yahoo turned over its Chinese operation to a local partner after failing to expand its market share.
China's state-owned phone companies were restructured by the government into three groups last year in hopes of reviving competition after the explosive popularity of mobile services turned China Mobile into a behemoth.
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