Asia Pacific Telecom aims for 3m users

Taiwan’s Asia Pacific Telecom has announced that it aims to boost its subscriber base to 3 million by the end of April.

 

The operator hopes to achieve this goal via increasing the number of smartphone users and the launch of its new EVDO network.

 

Asia Pacific Telecom's customer base stood at 2.88 million last year.

 

Plans to increase customer numbers include the launch of its own app store named ‘A+mart’, in a bid to increase the number of smartphone users on its network and value-added data plans.

 

According to company data, the firm sold 1.1 million phones last year, with smartphones accounting for 11% of the total number of handsets sold. Asia Pacific Telecom chief executive Vincent Chih told the Taipei Times that the company intends to spend up to NT$5 billion ($169.9 million) on smartphone purchases this year, so smartphones could comprise between 20% - 25% of total handset numbers.

 

Tablets from manufacturers Samsung and Coolpad are also being planned for retail by the operator.

 

The firm hopes to be able to compete with rivals Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and Far EasTone in Taiwan’s data services market as well as increase revenue from non-voice services from 12% to 15% of total revenue.

 

Asia Pacific Telecom is also aiming to launch its EVDO network in the second half of this year, in cooperation with China Telecom.