Singapore, 27 November 2008 – Mobile and MaxOnline hubbers are set to enjoy even greater benefits as StarHub today launches ‘Home Zone’, the world’s first commercially-available 3G femtocell service. 3G femtocell is a portable cellular access device that connects a user’s 3G mobile phone directly to a MaxOnline-enabled router in the home so that users can make voice and video calls and send SMS over StarHub’s cable network from their mobile phones.
StarHub is making all local outgoing voice, video calls and SMS free for customers using the ‘Home Zone’ service, ensuring that users, who make frequent mobile calls and SMS from home, can enjoy significant cost-savings on their mobile phone bills.
“As the operator that frequently delivers new innovations to the Singapore market, we see tremendous potential in the ‘Home Zone’ service which uses the 3G femtocell technology. While services such as Voice-over-IP (VoIP) have been available for some years, these are restricted to VoIP-enabled mobile phones. The beauty of the 3G femtocell technology is that all 3G-enabled phones are supported and customers do not need to purchase special handsets to take advantage of it,” said Mr Anil Nihalani, Head of Mobile and Communications, StarHub.
‘Home Zone’ supports all 3G mobile usage. While all outgoing local voice calls, video calls and SMS are free - MMS, IDD calls, mobile downloads, mobile surfing and other GPRS activities conducted over the mobile device will be charged at standard published rates. StarHub mobile customers on eligible plans can even make Free IDD 018 calls to 18 destinations using the ‘Home Zone’ service. Local call charges will however still apply.
As an added bonus, besides his/her own mobile number, the subscriber can nominate up to three other StarHub mobile numbers to a white-list that will be recognised by the ‘Home Zone’ service. This means that up to four StarHub 3G mobile users can call out simultaneously over a single ‘Home Zone’ connection, each of the callers being able to enjoy the same benefits.
Mr Nihalani said, “The ‘Home Zone’ service demonstrates the true benefits of hubbing with StarHub. By extending the ability to use the ‘Home Zone’ service to immediate family members, hubbing families who are our 3G mobile and MaxOnline customers, will be able to get more out of it with better cost-savings and convenience.”
SERVICE DETAILS
Customers keen to experience 3G femtocell can subscribe to the ‘Home Zone’ value-added service (VAS) today.
The ‘Home Zone’ VAS is offered at a monthly subscription of $30 (without GST). However, customers who subscribe to the VAS from now till 31 December 2008 can enjoy a special 50% discount for 12 months. The ‘Home Zone’ device will be offered on loan free of charge to ‘Home Zone’ users.
The ‘Home Zone’ service and device is at present limited to the first 200 customers. Interested customers can sign up for the service at -
SITEX Exhibition (See it first at SITEX)
New and existing StarHub customers can visit the StarHub booth at Singapore Expo, Hall 6, Booth Number 6D-01 (from 27 to 30 November 2008). The ‘Home Zone’ service and device will be available at the StarHub booth for demonstration.
StarHub Shop at Vivocity
New StarHub customers can visit the StarHub shop at Vivocity, #02-202, 1 Harbour Front Walk (from 29 November onwards, 11am – 9:30pm daily).
StarHub Customer Service Centre at Vivocity
Existing StarHub customers can visit the StarHub customer service centre at Vivocity, #02-216, 1 Harbour Front Walk (from 29 November onwards, 11am – 9:30pm daily)
For more information on recommended mobile phones, routers and pre-requisites to signing up for this service, please refer to Appendix A.
For more information on StarHub, visit www.starhub.com.
APPENDIX A
PRE-REQUISITES
To enjoy the ‘Home Zone’ service, please ensure that you have the following -
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT LIST
The ‘Home Zone’ service deploys 3G femtocell technology and supports most 3G mobile phones and routers. The following is a list of brands and models recommended for use with the ‘Home Zone’ service. To obtain the most recent list of recommended phones and routers, please visit www.starhub.com/mobile for more.
Recommended 3G Handsets
The following 3G handsets are recommended for use with the ‘Home Zone’ service -
Recommended Routers
The following routers are recommended for use with the ‘Home Zone’ service -
