The campaign also aims to counteract a similar broadband offering from True Corp Plc earlier this month.

TOT's campaign offers an access speed of 256 kilobits per second (kbps) at a monthly fee of Bt290 for 30 hours, undercutting True's offer for a speed of 128kbps.

Additional hours will cost Bt12 each up to a maximum of Bt585 per month, compared to a Bt590 maximum under the True package.

TOT subscribers will also enjoy unlimited surfing hours during the first two months after signing up. Subscription to the service costs Bt500 and subscribers have to stay with the service for a minimum of 12 months.

Adit Harinasuta, chief marketing officer for the telecom giant, said the package targeted dial-up users in Bangkok and the provinces. He said TOT's strength was that its broadband network covers the whole country.

Currently TOT has around 100,000 broadband Internet subscribers, 70 per cent of which are in the provinces. It aims to increase this by 100,000 subscribers by the end of the year.

There are about one million Internet users in Thailand, of which some 40 per cent are broadband subscribers.

Sirivish Toomgum

The Nation