Internet Protocol phone service launched
Pacific Internet, a major Internet service provider in South and Southeast Asia, yesterday launched an Internet-based telephone call service for business enterprises in Thailand.
Prithayuth Nivasabutr, managing director for Thailand, said the service, PacNet Vocal, was initially aimed at the company's existing 2,000 corporate Internet-access customers.He expects 90 per cent of them will sign up with PacNet Vocal by year-end. The service is aimed at taking advantage of a growing demand for low-cost Internet Protocol (IP)-based phone calling. Prithayuth said research had pegged the value of last year's Thailand's international-call market at Bt62 billion, of which Bt7.7 billion came from IP-based services. Pacific Internet Thailand is operating its Internet-based phone service under licence from the National Telecommunications Commission. PacNet Vocal offers two packages: one for small- and medium-sized enterprises with two IP phones for Bt499 a month; and the other for large firms with five IP phones for Bt5,000 a month. Calling between PacNet Vocal subscribers will be free, while the minimum rate for calling fixed or mobile phones abroad will be Bt2 a minute. The service covers most countries and territories. Pacific Internet recently introduced PacNet Vocal in Singapore, India and the Philippines, creating a wide regional pool of free-calling subscribers. Sirivish Toomgum The Nation
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