Data and 3G may not be a priority in Asia: discuss. No, we’re not referring to Japan, Korea or Hong Kong. Not even China. This time we’re looking at the area’s so-called emerging markets – markets like Indonesia where the market-leading operator Telkomsel and third-ranked player Excelcom launched 3G services in early September. Or the Philippines, where rival operators Globe and Smartcom have been offering 3G for a slightly longer period. The question is: has anyone noticed?
CPRafrica 2012/CPRsouth7: call for abstracts and young scholar applications. Click here for details.
Emerging markets: a basic services bonanza?
Emerging markets: a basic services bonanza?
You can follow all the replies to this entry through the comments feed.
3G may fare better in Indonesia than other markets because there is pent-up demand for broadband Internet. Other than the incumbent’s ADSl service there is no other broadband access in the country. (CDMA-based data service are far from broadband speeds and nor do they provide reliable connectivity in Indonesia.)
I have tried both Indosat’s and Excelcom’s 3G Internet access through a datacard slotted in my laptop. The speeds were impressive at 300Kbps and the service connected quickly and signal strength remained solid in Jakarta. 3G may be viable service for broadband Internet access with added mobility function for those who can afford Indonesia’s premium prices.