A True presenter displays a home healthcare solution.

The new product is part of the telecom operator's plan to develop value-added services to sell with its broadband-Internet access.

True's director, Phaibul Sirivanich, said the product was designed to easily allow seniors or at-home patients to contact a hospital in an emergency.

When activated, the portable device - similar to a remote control unit - sends a message to the hospital via the owner's True broadband-Internet service.

It can also send a text message to a series of preset mobile-phone numbers such as those of family members or a doctor.

If the home healthcare product is used in conjunction with True's existing camera-based home-monitoring system, relatives and doctors can use it to monitor at-home patients via their PC or mobile-phone cameras.

True offers five broadband-Internet plans designed for home users. The home monitoring plan, which includes broadband-connected cameras, enables users to view areas of their home from a computer or mobile phone.

Another plan offers high-speed wireless Internet access, home security and "home automation".

Phaibul said that True was in talks with a major hospital to jointly promote the product.

He added that the new product reflected the continued synergy of True's businesses, ranging from fixed-line telephones to mobiles and broadband-Internet access.

The company has almost 500,000 broadband-Internet users and more than 5 million mobile-phone subscribers.

True's assistant-director, Viwat Haruthaithanasan, said the company had to create value-added services for its broadband-Internet business, or else customers would only care about the price.

True is looking into enhancing the home healthcare system so that it can allow patients to check their blood pressure at home and send updated results to specialists or hospitals, he said.

Sirivish Toomgum

The Nation