Hopefully, we will be able to add a third country where data services are starting to have an impact.
sg.biz.yahoo.com
Taiwan's KG Telecom Says i-mode Service To Boost 2002 Rev
TAIPEI (Dow Jones)--KG Telecommunications Co. said Tuesday its 2002 revenue may be more than expected because of contributions from its i-mode mobile Internet service.
"The final number may be a single-digit percentage higher than our original target. We should expect more contributions next year," said Leslie Koo, chairman of the fourth largest wireless operator in Taiwan.
KG Telecommunications, in which Japan's NTT Docomo Inc. (J.NTX) holds a 21.43% stake, has targeted revenue of NT$24 billion (US$1=NT$34.915) for 2002.
KG Telecommunications reported revenue of NT$17.23 billion in 2001.
The company launched i-mode services in June, making Taiwan the first country outside Japan to have the service, which allows users to access various Internet Web sites through mobile phone handsets.
KG Telecommunications had 22,000 i-mode subscribers at the end of September, according to Koo.
The company expects the number of users to more than double by the end of the year and to reach 100,000 in March 2003. That forecast will depend on the availability of more phone models specifically designed for KG Telecommunications' i-mode service, company officials said.
So far, KG Telecommunications only has one model available, which is made by NEC Corp. (J.NEC). KG Telecommunications is still in talks with several other phone suppliers, said officials. The next model may arrive late this year, officials said.
Meanwhile, Koo acknowledged KG Telecommunications has been in talks with Far EasTone Telecommunications Co. (Q.FTN), the No. 3 operator in Taiwan, over a merger.
"If you ask me whether there are talks, yes there are. But not serious ones," Koo said.
Earlier, Far EasTone Chairman Douglas Hsu said his company has been in talks with KG Telecommunications and another regional carrier, but there has been little progress.
-By Perris Lee, Dow Jones Newswires; 8862-2502-2557; perris.lee@dowjones.com |
