NEWS: Driving mobile broadband to tourists

KUALA LUMPUR: Telecommunications company Celcom (Malaysia) Bhd has launched a new programme to push Celcom Broadband Prepaid — its mobile broadband service for cellphones — to tourists and business travellers in the country.

The programme involves decking out 400 limousines operating from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with Celcom Broadband stickers and lighted signs on the vehicle roofs.

Inside the limos, Celcom has placed pamphlets and brochures detailing its broadband service and related products.

“Also, the limosine drivers will serve as Celcom ambassadors who will answer queries from their passengers on the mobile broadband service,” said Celcom chief marketing officer Chee Pok Jin.

In addition, he said, the drivers would have Celcom Broadband Prepaid starter packs to sell to interested passengers.

Chee was speaking at the launch of the campaign recently at the KLIA. “We hope that with this initiative, we can expand our broadband user base to travellers who need to stay connected online,” he said.

Big plan

The telco is spending about RM1mil on the marketing campaign that will run over six months.

Celcom Broadband Prepaid plans are available for RM20 for a week’s worth of unlimited Internet connections while RM6 will buy you 24 hours of unlimited connectivity. The connection speed is up to a maximum of 384 kilobits per second.

It expects to sell at least 400 of the prepaid packs a day under the new marketing campaign.

Meanwhile, several hotels that In.Tech spoke to, said they aren’t worried about competition because their broadband services — in their rooms and via WiFi hotspots in other parts of their premises — are free for guests.

They also said Celcom’s latest initiative would be most beneficial to those travellers who need a mobile broadband service, such as users of social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter.