Vietnam' Viettel has launched a subscription app store for its mobile customers in conjunction with browser developer Opera.
The new AppMarket offers unlimited downloads from a range of over 300,000 apps and games for a weekly subscription fee of 10,000 dong ($0.44).
The store includes apps for Android, Java, BlackBerry and Symbian. Customers can pay without a credit card using their existing billing arrangements. Subscriptions will be automatically renewed every week until canceled.
Viettel said the store has already attracted 174 Vietnamese app and game developers, giving the local mobile app development ecosystem a boost.
Opera is providing its Opera Mobile Store platform for the AppMarket, and is also taking care of the app store's operations and administration, including rotating and adding new apps every week.
“Mobile internet users in Vietnam have shown a strong interest in mobile stores, games and social-media content,” Opera country manager for Vietnam Viet Anh Nguyen said. “Nearly 8 in 10 ad impressions through Opera Mediaworks are served to these three categories.”
Viettel is Vietnam's largest mobile operator with around 50 million subscribers. The state-owned operator has been investing heavily to expand and extend its 3G network.