CELCOM (M) Bhd's subscriber base is expanding at a faster pace, thanks to its x-series pre-paid packages that cater to different user groups. Celcom has had 180,000 to 200,000 activations of the new pre-paid card every month since its launch in mid-July, compared with only 50,000 previously, senior vice president ( customer management group & mobile data ) Zubir A.Rasid said.

Speaking to reporters after a signing ceremony between Celcom and e-pay (M) Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Zubir said the growth of the company's pre-paid subscriber base had been "good" after the launch of the X-series. They account for 65% of the mobile service operator's total subscriber base of 4.2 million as at end-October.

Zubir said the pre-paid market was a growth area for the mobile service sector and hence one of intense competition for market share among operators. "Today's market is a pre-paid market," he said of such users accounting for between 80% and 90% of new Celcom customers, who are mostly from the younger generation. However, the average revenue per pre-paid customer was RM 70 per month against RM 145 for post-paid.

Next year, Celcom is targeting at least 50% to 60% of the new potential mobile market, he added. To attract them, Celcom in partnership with e-pay, launched an online electronic top-up (e top-up) for pre-paid users yesterday. The online service would allow Celcom's pre-paid customers to reload their airtime credit through e-pay's terminals in peninsular Malaysia.

Zubir said Celcom was the first cellular service provider to offer the online recharge service via an e-pay terminal. The service was currently available for Celcom 019 customers while Celcom 013 users could enjoy it from early next year, he added.

From Star News.