Total Access Communication (DTAC) will aggressively promote iPhone and BlackBerry smart phones upcountry, where it expects the market to double this year.
Upcountry markets have started looking attractive to DTAC following the slow growth rate for smart phones in Bangkok.
DTAC will spend Bt20 million on marketing activities and road shows in major provinces.
Another Bt10 million will be used to add 77 new outlets selling iPhones and BlackBerries in an additional 17 provinces, on top of the 100 outlets in 18 provinces at present. Each one will cost Bt100,000 to open.
Pakorn Pannachet, senior vice president for products, yesterday said DTAC's expansion upcountry was part of the company's goal of at least 250,000 smart phones, 60 per cent of them iPhones and 40 per cent BlackBerries.
"Upcountry markets are up and coming for smart phones. The demand is there, and all we need to do is educate the market to turn that demand into purchases. Some 200 DTAC iPhone Buddies and BlackBerry Gurus are on hand to provide consultations and other services for smart-phone customers," he said.
Pakorn said DTAC had targeted sales of 100,000 iPhones this year, generating Bt2 billion, with 30 per cent of this expected to come from upcountry.
"The overall smart-phone market in Thailand is expected to number 800,000-900,000 units this year. We estimate we'll have a 40-per-cent market share with the iPhone and the BlackBerry," he said.
Expanding upcountry will help DTAC increase data revenue. Some 30 per cent of new iPhone users are new subscribers generating new data revenue for the company.
"Average revenue per user for data use is Bt600 a month, and 30 per cent of this comes from iPhone users," said Pakorn.
He estimated the company's non-voice revenue at Bt7 billion to Bt8 billion this year, up 20 per cent from last year. Some 25 per cent of this will come from mobile phones accessing data services and the Internet wirelessly.
Data revenue is the second-largest earner for DTAC, at 25 per cent, second to SMSs. However, data revenue will represent the highest growth among non-voice revenue this year.
"In 2011, data revenue will surpass SMSs to become the largest portion of non-voice revenue," said Pakorn.