Hutchison-Whampoa, the owner of the mobile network 3 Ireland, has reported its global 3G customer base has hit 10 million after just 18 months operating with a full range of handsets.
Hutchison’s group managing director, Canning Fok, said the milestone reflected the group’s ability to achieving “above-market expectation customer take-up” and added that the operator was recording better-than-market average revenue per user figures in all its markets.
The company attributes the success to strong customer take-up of the group’s mobile broadband internet and data services as well as its mobile media products. The company reports, for example, that more than 30 million full-version music clips have so far been downloaded over its networks. It also claims to be the first operator to launch dual-mode WCDMA networks and multimedia video mobile services in the world.
“We are continuing to introduce new and innovative products and services in all of these areas and I am confident that we will maintain our leadership position in this industry as we move into the important Christmas market season ahead,” said Fok.
Hutchison currently has 3G operations in nine markets: Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Sweden and the UK and markets a total of 30 different 3G handsets. Its Irish business, 3 Ireland, launched in July this year.
By Brian Skelly
