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The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
No need for travel e-SIM or roaming: S'pore telcos offer generous cross-border data bundles
SINGAPORE: More local telcos are offering 'borderless' mobile plans at record low prices to woo an increasing number of globetrotting consumers. Such plans allow consumers to use a generous bundle of mobile data across borders without paying more, or activating a travel e-SIM or roaming feature. The latest to jump on this trend is M1, whose Maxx plan offers 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for a record low of S$7.90 (US$6.16) a month. The plan also includes 10GB of mobile data for use in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan. This follows the January launch of Simba Telecom's S$10 monthly SuperRoam 10 plan that provides 300GB of 5G data that can be used in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. A separate 12GB of roaming mobile data for seven other Asian destinations is included in the same plan. Singapore's virtual telco started the borderless trend here in September 2023, when it let customers use 100GB across eight Asian destinations (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). The monthly plan costs S$30 for the first three months, and S$37 after that. Fabian Sossa, vice-president of corporate and global marketing at said: 'The plan is designed for mobile professionals, digital nomads, students, tourists and families with cross-border ties... essentially anyone who needs connectivity across multiple countries without friction.' Since then, other telcos have followed suit. While most of these plans today cover connectivity in Malaysia, others also include popular Asian destinations like Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. A rise in cross-border travel after the Covid-19 pandemic provided the initial impetus. For instance, the number of daily travellers at the Woodlands Checkpoint stood at 327,000 on average in 2024. This is up 22 per cent from the 269,000 in 2023, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. Likewise, in 2024, Indonesia received 1.4 million visitors from Singapore, while Singapore received 2.49 million visitors from Indonesia. Singapore is one of the top five source countries for visitors to Indonesia, while Indonesia is the second-largest source country for visitors to Singapore. Experts said the setting up of special trade zones in the region and the upcoming launch of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will further boost demand for such mobile data plans. These special economic zones, which include the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, are meant to boost the flow of goods, services and people across borders, and reduce barriers to trade and investment. The RTS Link will connect Malaysia's second-largest city, Johor Bahru, and Woodlands in Singapore over the Strait of Johor. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Peter Liu, an analyst at Gartner specialising in telecoms, said the upcoming special economic zones will significantly increase business travel and create a new category of 'super commuters' comprising skilled professionals working across borders daily or weekly. 'The seamless border, competitive tax incentives and infrastructure investments will normalise cross-border work arrangements, making borderless connectivity services essential rather than optional for this emerging professional class,' he said. Even prior to the setting up of the economic zones, the number of Malaysians and Singaporeans crossing each other's borders already provides a captive market for telcos, said Simba Telecom chief technology officer Benjamin Tan. 'The days of rationing roaming data are behind us. Consumers today want to use their mobile devices as freely outside as they do at home,' he said. Shilpa Aggarwal, vice-president of mobile customer solutions at Singtel, also cited the large number of mobile workers between Singapore and Malaysia as a reason for the telco's generous Malaysia roaming data allowance. Gomo, a sub-brand of Singtel, offers a basic 300GB of local data as well as 6GB of roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Australia for S$15 a month. Soh Wei Sheng, 30, who recently completed his master's degree, subscribes to Simba's 300GB plan as he frequently travels to Malaysia and Indonesia for leisure with his family. 'It is affordable and hassle-free when I travel,' he said. Cinthia Poh, a 41-year-old civil servant, uses Singtel Gomo so she does not have to purchase travel SIM cards any more when she travels to Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. She usually buys add-ons when the overseas roaming data is insufficient. Analysts said it is unlikely that the regions covered by these borderless mobile plans will expand, as telcos still need to make money, particularly from roaming fees. Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director at IDC, said: 'Roaming still forms a significant part of a telco's revenue. Incumbent telcos will still try to retain their consumer base with premium offerings rather than joining the race to the bottom in prices.' - The Straits Times/ANN
Business Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
No need for travel e-SIM or roaming: Singapore telcos offer generous cross-border data bundles
[SINGAPORE] More local telcos are offering 'borderless' mobile plans at record low prices to woo an increasing number of globetrotting consumers. Such plans allow consumers to use a generous bundle of mobile data across borders without paying more, or activating a travel e-SIM or roaming feature. The latest to jump on this trend is M1, whose Maxx plan offers 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for a record low of S$7.90 a month. The plan also includes 10GB of mobile data for use in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan. This follows the January launch of Simba Telecom's S$10 monthly SuperRoam 10 plan that provides 300GB of 5G data that can be used in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. A separate 12GB of roaming mobile data for seven other Asian destinations is included in the same plan. Singapore's virtual telco started the borderless trend here in September 2023, when it let customers use 100GB across eight Asian destinations (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). The monthly plan costs S$30 for the first three months, and S$37 after that. Fabian Sossa, vice-president of corporate and global marketing at said: 'The plan is designed for mobile professionals, digital nomads, students, tourists and families with cross-border ties... essentially anyone who needs connectivity across multiple countries without friction.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Since then, other telcos have followed suit. While most of these plans today cover connectivity in Malaysia, others also include popular Asian destinations such as Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. A rise in cross-border travel after the Covid-19 pandemic provided the initial impetus. For instance, the number of daily travellers at the Woodlands Checkpoint stood at 327,000 on average in 2024. This is up 22 per cent from the 269,000 in 2023, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. Likewise, in 2024, Indonesia received 1.4 million visitors from Singapore, while Singapore received 2.49 million visitors from Indonesia. Singapore is one of the top five source countries for visitors to Indonesia, while Indonesia is the second-largest source country for visitors to Singapore. Experts said the setting up of special trade zones in the region and the upcoming launch of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will further boost demand for such mobile data plans. These special economic zones, which include the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, are meant to boost the flow of goods, services and people across borders, and reduce barriers to trade and investment. The RTS Link will connect Malaysia's second-largest city, Johor Bahru, and Woodlands in Singapore over the Strait of Johor. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Peter Liu, an analyst at Gartner specialising in telecoms, said the upcoming special economic zones will significantly increase business travel and create a new category of 'super commuters' comprising skilled professionals working across borders daily or weekly. 'The seamless border, competitive tax incentives and infrastructure investments will normalise cross-border work arrangements, making borderless connectivity services essential rather than optional for this emerging professional class,' he said. Even prior to the setting up of the economic zones, the number of Malaysians and Singaporeans crossing each other's borders already provides a captive market for telcos, said Simba Telecom chief technology officer Benjamin Tan. 'The days of rationing roaming data are behind us. Consumers today want to use their mobile devices as freely outside as they do at home,' he said. Shilpa Aggarwal, vice-president of mobile customer solutions at Singtel, also cited the large number of mobile workers between Singapore and Malaysia as a reason for the telco's generous Malaysia roaming data allowance. Gomo, a sub-brand of Singtel, offers a basic 300GB of local data as well as 6GB of roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan and Australia for S$15 a month. Soh Wei Sheng, 30, who recently completed his master's degree, subscribes to Simba's 300GB plan as he frequently travels to Malaysia and Indonesia for leisure with his family. 'It is affordable and hassle-free when I travel,' he said. Cinthia Poh, a 41-year-old civil servant, uses Singtel Gomo so she does not have to purchase travel SIM cards any more when she travels to Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. She usually buys add-ons when the overseas roaming data is insufficient. Analysts said it is unlikely that the regions covered by these borderless mobile plans will expand, as telcos still need to make money, particularly from roaming fees. Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director at IDC, said: 'Roaming still forms a significant part of a telco's revenue. Incumbent telcos will still try to retain their consumer base with premium offerings rather than joining the race to the bottom in prices.' THE STRAITS TIMES
Business Insider
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Sonim Technologies Accelerates Expansion Strategy with Strong Momentum in the Second Quarter 2025
San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - April 23, 2025) - Sonim Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SONM), a leading U.S. provider of rugged mobile solutions, today announced significant progress in the execution of its expansion strategy, underscoring the company's commitment to long term growth and operational excellence. The foundation laid through strategic investments in 2024 has positioned Sonim for success through the development and delivery of new products and product categories, new customer acquisitions, the retention of an existing customer base due to upgrades to the next generation portfolio, and market expansion across North America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia. Copyright Sonim Technologies "Sonim entered the second quarter with strong momentum thanks to the disciplined execution of our strategy," said Peter Liu, CEO of Sonim. "Our investments are already laying the foundation for robust growth, with market acceptance affirming our progress. From product innovation and geographic diversification to operational advancements, we remain focused on delivering value to our customers and shareholders." New products set to launch in North America, EMEA, and Australia Sonim is set to launch three products as stocked offerings in the second quarter with Tier 1 carriers in North America. These include the company's flagship Sonim XP Pro next generation rugged 5G smartphone. Three additional products are slated to launch in the second quarter with leading distribution partners and Tier 1 operators, including Deutsche Telekom in Germany, which currently stocks three Sonim SKUs. These new placements further strengthen Sonim's growing footprint in these key markets. Purchase orders for second quarter launches Validating market demand, purchase orders have already been placed for Sonim's upcoming product launches late in the second quarter. Enterprise customer growth Sonim continues to attract and retain enterprise customers with next generation Sonim products. Notably, Sonim secured major next generation device upgrade agreements and/or expanded their current deployment base with leading Fortune 500 and enterprise customers. These include two of the top 10 healthcare systems in the United States, one of the largest integrated energy infrastructure companies in the U.S., and one of the world's largest emergency medical services companies. Diversified manufacturing options Demonstrating its commitment to a strengthened supply chain, Sonim has successfully diversified its manufacturing footprint outside of China. Production of all next generation 5G products is based in Taiwan and Vietnam, ensuring cost optimization and risk mitigation, while adhering to Sonim's proprietary Rugged Performance Standards and the highest quality benchmarks. "Our ability to execute at such a high level is a testament to the talented Sonim team," added Liu. "By proactively moving our manufacturing outside of China, we have minimized the impact of tariffs on our new products. We are closely monitoring the tariff situation and will take additional actions as needed to minimize the effect of tariffs on our customers. We are excited for what lies ahead as we continue to drive our expansion strategy across higher growth markets to deliver results that matter to all stakeholders." About Sonim Technologies Sonim Technologies is a leading U.S. provider of rugged mobile solutions, including phones, wireless internet data devices, accessories and software designed to provide extra protection for users that demand more durability in their work and everyday lives. Trusted by first responders, government, and Fortune 500 customers since 1999, we currently sell our ruggedized mobility solutions through tier one wireless carriers and distributors in North America, EMEA, and Australia/New Zealand. Sonim devices and accessories connect users with voice, data, workflow and lifestyle applications that enhance the user experience while providing an extra level of protection. For more information, visit Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements relate to, among other things, the projected revenue growth, the declaring and reaffirming of Sonim's business strategy and objectives, the successful expansion of Sonim's products in new markets, and the new product launches and associated timelines. These forward-looking statements are based on Sonim's current expectations, estimates and projections about its business and industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by Sonim, all of which are subject to change. Forward-Looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "achieve," "aim," "ambitions," "anticipate," "believe," "committed," "continue," "could," "designed," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "future," "goals," "grow," "guidance," "intend," "likely," "may," "milestone," "objective," "on track," "opportunity," "outlook," "pending," "plan," "position," "possible," "potential," "predict," "progress," "promises," "roadmap," "seek," "should," "strive," "targets," "to be," "upcoming," "will," "would," and variations of such words and similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the following: the availability of cash on hand; potential material delays in realizing projected timelines; the current interest and potential attempt of hostile takeover from a third party may divert the management attention from Sonim's business and may require significant expenses; Sonim's material dependence on its relationship with a small number of customers who account for a significant portion of Sonim's revenue; Sonim's entry into the data device sector could divert our management team's attention from existing products; risks related to Sonim's ability to comply with the continued listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market and the potential delisting of Sonim's common stock; Sonim's ability to continue to develop solutions to address user needs effectively, including its next-generation products; Sonim's reliance on third-party contract manufacturers and partners; Sonim's ability to stay ahead of the competition; Sonim's ongoing transformation of its business; the variation of Sonim's quarterly results; the lengthy customization and certification processes for Sonim's wireless carries customers; various economic, political, environmental, social, and market events beyond Sonim's control, as well as the other risk factors described under "Risk Factors" included in Sonim's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly filings on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (available at Sonim cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Sonim assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release, except as required by law.
