Telcos need to be more creative in tussle for mobile customers

M1'S announcement on Wednesday that it would offer a new mobile postpaid plan which would come bundled with unlimited data indicates that it is ready to protect its market share and, if possible, garner new customers from rivals, as the Singapore telecom market gears up for the entry of the fourth telco, Australian company TPG Telecom, which is expected to start its services from September of next year.

The telco's unlimited data plan comes with a 12-month contract at a rather steep monthly payment of S$98. With no contract, the data is capped at 25GB (gigabytes). The telco also rolled out other plans with the mobile data offering ranging from 5GB to 30GB per month with a one-year contract.

M1's strategy reflects what is considered a kind of Holy Grail in mobile telephony nowadays - unlimited data usage. However, how effective that's going to be in Singapore, as a tool to develop customer loyalty, remains to be seen. But more on that later.