Eight Telecom discussion thread

[JAYSCS]

Manually?!?

If it isnt why it isnt standardised?

 

[hereiam7788]

There is a sizeable customer group who just need a plan for basic connectivity and do not care about download speeds or lag.

They do not mind the SIMBA standard for speed; ie 20mbps. Which is exactly the target demographic the $8 plan is targeting.

Eight is making sure you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you do care about performance, they force you to pay up for 5G, even if you were ok with the 100-200mbps of unthrottled starhub 4g.

for any mobile users, one certainly do not need such bandwidth for whatever u can do on ur phone: web surfing, video streaming (4k) etc.

even youtube 4k video streaming only needs 25Mbps.

one is not using laptop as well, that u may need to download huge files etc. too. so high bandwidth at least to mobile users is not relevant.

if one is talking about mobile gaming on the go, yes u need low latency to get a good mobile gaming experience but anyone who has experience will certainly know that even u have 5G today, and u are travelling on MRT, even 5G u will also experience lag, not to mention when you transit from one stop to another or even tunnel. Whether u have 5G or not, it is totally not relevant too, because the coverage and speed are not there yet. Maybe u are at a fixed location that the 5G coverage and speed are really that good that u can really tap on the advantages of 5G. Else, for now, the 5G coverage and speed especially indoor is not enough to meet the expectation for anyone who needs to be on the move also.

 

[keenklee]

There is a sizeable customer group who just need a plan for basic connectivity and do not care about download speeds or lag.

They do not mind the SIMBA standard for speed; ie 20mbps. Which is exactly the target demographic the $8 plan is targeting.

Eight is making sure you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you do care about performance, they force you to pay up for 5G, even if you were ok with the 100-200mbps of unthrottled starhub 4g.

IMHO.
If go for price, no need to talk about connectivity.

 

[tan9969]

next time q up
hello, i want top up $28
(after done)
sorry sorry i need top another $28, count wrongly
(after done)
sorry ah di, i need top up $28 again, so sorry ah. promised last one liao
(after done)

paynow 84 one shot

BAO JIAK DURIAN CREDIT WILL COME IN.

That's the way. If you know this song.
That's the way aha-aha I like it aha-aha.

I love this company.
Thanks.

 

[tan9969]

I truely agree, as long as it is not making a loss why unsustainable? Just because other countries are making more in the telco industry that we have to move back to the old age. During the high mobile cost era, it was actually the time telcos were exploitating us. Businessman or entreprener never say he earns enough, that is the common strategy. Different countries have different basket of good and services to leverage on, why no one is complaining about the world most expensive car ownership here instead? You take some, you give some. The authority should make low mobile costs as a unique feature in SG, especially it is a necessity good/service. I remebered when Wireless SG was introduced, our then PM Lee was saying to make it island wide, that was the vision. Now, this vision is irrelevant as mobile data has surpassed wifi adoption, not asking for free wireless connection but low cost data connection should be the reality.

For me I think eight business strategy is make themself market value big big prevent or not so easy being takeover. I guessed.

If eight not making enough money but in green and occupied a big piece of market share pie. Book value look good good, Is it enough for them to survive? Is this sub brand a golden egg goose for SH? Compare to giga which one more value for SH? I am thinking.

Eight a MVNO is capable to challenge a MNO. Match what a MNO doing.

I don't know how to read company annual report.

Just my 2 cents.

I love this company.
Thanks.

 

[sibeiTrolled]

Guess this Billing History may be manually input by the staff? Weird mine only show 1 entry and not 2 for the 1-for-1 top up.

All i know is the billing history isn't complete as my first history is Dec, as my previous or next is not clickable.
Could be my adblock.. but oh well

 

[BBCWatcher]

To avoid discrepancy, iam upgrading maybe on friday or Saturday. Since plan recharge on the night before plan recharge at around 2345.

There is no plan recharge if you turn off Auto-Recharge! There’s no need to panic. You’re in control.

Here is the English summary of the video interview between Gerald from Beansprout and Nikhil Eapen, CEO of StarHub….

• Rock-bottom Prices vs. High Costs: Singapore has one of the highest per capita incomes globally, yet its mobile data prices have been driven down to some of the lowest in the world (e.g., promotional plans under $10/month).

We also have hawker markets with S$3 lunches and Mixue S$1 cones. So?

• Too Many Players: There are four network operators (MNOs) and numerous virtual operators (MVNOs) competing in a very tiny geographic market.

There are many countries/territories with 4 mobile network operators, or even more. Including geographically small ones such as Hong Kong. Moreover, Singapore doesn’t really have 4. It has 3 1/2 because StarHub and M1 have a common 5G network (Antina).

• Unfair Cost Arbitrage: The price war was aggressively triggered by a fourth operator (referring to Simba/TPG), which initially wasn't subjected to the same heavy regulatory impositions, cyber security spends, and critical infrastructure obligations as the top incumbents.

That’s correct, there is cost arbitrage: unlike Singtel and SIMBA, StarHub never had to build out its own 5G network and shoulder all the associated investment and operating costs on its own. Regulators allowed StarHub to share costs (with M1) to build and operate a single 5G network (Antina). Should the regulators break up Antina to reverse this “unfair cost arbitrage”?

• Severe Cybersecurity Threats: Singapore is a prime target for highly sophisticated, state-sponsored cyber threat actors. Protecting national infrastructure costs massive amounts of money, which directly contradicts a heavily depressed, low-revenue market.

Well, one way to help fix this issue is to split Antina and to mandate “SOS mode” so that networks are better segregated and a network collapse doesn’t prevent subscribers from reaching 995/999.

As for “price stabilization,” StarHub subsidiary Eight literally just offered 100% top up bonuses on S$28 top ups, effectively reducing their senior plans to S$2.50 per 30 days. They’ve cut their 5G plan to S$10.80 (effectively S$5.40 with the top up promotion) at least for now (which Vivifi essentially matched, albeit without the top up benefit), and they’ve cut fibre broadband service to ~S$25 per month. If that’s price stabilization, I hope we get more of it!

Telcos in Singapore are still quite profitable according to their recent financial reports. StarHub might want higher profits, but that’s not a matter of public concern.

 

[JAYSCS]

IMHO.
If go for price, no need to talk about connectivity.

IMHO
If go for connectivity, also no need to talk about price.

High price is not able to solve 5G fundamental weak wall penetration issue. Constant switching between 4G & 5G is not helping but worsen usage experience.

 

[keenklee]

IMHO
If go for connectivity, also no need to talk about price.

High price is not able to solve 5G fundamental weak wall penetration issue. Constant switching between 4G & 5G is not helping but worsen usage experience.

IMHO.
That's why need to depend on usage.
I have experienced 4G+ speed faster than some 5G speed.
If I want, I can use dual SIM.

 

[JAYSCS]

For me I think eight business strategy is make themself market value big big prevent or not so easy being takeover. I guessed.

If eight not making enough money but in green and occupied a big piece of market share pie. Book value look good good, Is it enough for them to survive? Is this sub brand a golden egg goose for SH? Compare to giga which one more value for SH? I am thinking.

Eight a MVNO is capable to challenge a MNO. Match what a MNO doing.

I don't know how to read company annual report.

Just my 2 cents.

I love this company.
Thanks.

You are comparing a model that prove to work and increasing market share and another model that is suffering a slow death. The mindset of telcos high profit margin may be a past if the market prefers value-for-money product, telcos have to change with situation change The recent non-stop long queue for Simba and Eight promo speaks for what the market really wants.

 

[JAYSCS]

IMHO.
That's why need to depend on usage.
I have experienced 4G+ speed faster than some 5G speed.
If I want, I can use dual SIM.

IMHO
Arent you saying if go for price, no need to talk abt connectivity?

Essentially your statement above has nothing to do with price.

 

[tan9969]

Happy PH everyone.

If you received free credits today. Please let us know. Let's see how they handle this promotion free credits got ot or not? I know unlikely is the word.

I love this company.
Thanks.

 

[keenklee]

IMHO
Arent you saying if go for price, no need to talk abt connectivity?

Essentially your statement above has nothing to do with price.

IMHO.
If go for price in that context i.e, low price, no need to talk about connectivity.
If you want connectivity, the price may not be low.

 

[JAYSCS]

Happy PH everyone.

If you received free credits today. Please let us know. Let's see how they handle this promotion free credits got ot or not? I know unlikely is the word.

I love this company.
Thanks.

As you have mentioned, it is PH so today is not counted as 1 of the required 7 working days to process the free credits.

 

[JAYSCS]

IMHO.
If go for price in that context i.e, low price, no need to talk about connectivity.
If you want connectivity, the price may not be low.

IMHO
Likewise, the price may not need to be high.

 

[hereiam7788]

IMHO.
If go for price, no need to talk about connectivity.

the true fact is that, 90% do not need high speed (5G). they just need a network (4G) with good coverage and enough speed for web surfing, youtube etc. only.
4G vs. 5G makes very little practical difference in day-to-day experience.

thus $8 4G Double Eight Plan is more than sufficient. (technically $4 only with 1 for 1 promo)

if one really feels that using 5G will make them feel 'happier', just go with the 5G Value Eight Plan $10.80. (technically $5.40 only with 1 for 1 promo)

$4 vs $5.40 the difference is merely $1.40, seriously no need to think so hard which one to get. $1.40 is just enough to buy a mcD ice-cream cone only given the inflation.

As i always said that back then we were paying average $40 to $60 per month on mobile phone bill, now it is almost 10 times or more cheaper, dun see a difference of high price or low price.

$5.40 for 5G vs $4 for 4G, it is not considered 'any higher price'. but depends only if u really need it.

 

[tan9969]

As you have mentioned, it is PH so today is not counted as 1 of the required 7 working days to process the free credits.

It is depends. Is back end staff working hours same with office staff 9 to 5? Or working 12 hours shift public holidays also working?

I know it is paused at day 2 working day.

I love this company.
Thanks.

 

[BBCWatcher]

High price is not able to solve 5G fundamental weak wall penetration issue. Constant switching between 4G & 5G is not helping but worsen usage experience.

"Weak wall penetration issue" is dependent on the deployed frequency band(s), not on the mobile technology generation. In Singapore all of the MNOs have 900 MHz allocations, and all except SIMBA have 700 MHz allocations too. These lower frequencies have better in-building penetration characteristics, but they have less capacity (other things being equal). The mobile carriers have wisely prioritized higher frequency bands for their 5G deployments because those are the "fatter pipe" bands, the ones where 5G adds the most value.

You, as a mobile subscriber, have some freedom to choose your service characteristics. If you prefer longer battery life and maximum available coverage (including in parking garages, elevators, and other interior spaces), you can disable 5G on your phone. Then you'll stay on 4G, and you'll more often (but still not always) connect to lower frequency band stations. If you prefer higher data rates, can tolerate shorter battery life, but you want to maintain best available coverage even if it means more variable data rates, let your phone automatically switch between 4G and 5G. And if you prefer higher data rates, can tolerate shorter battery life, and can also tolerate less coverage (especially in interior spaces) to try to maintain higher data rates, "lock" your phone on 5G.

Over time you may change your mind, or you can change your mind moment to moment. And your carrier's network will evolve as they make configuration and allocation adjustments.

Some phones — especially older, less expensive phones — may not support all the frequency bands that your carrier uses. However, the most important one for coverage is currently 4G LTE Band 8. Make sure your phone supports at least that band so you can get at least basic mobile service with every carrier in Singapore that's good enough for voice, SMS, other text-oriented communications (WhatsApp, iMessage), and low data volume services such as basic music streaming, WhatsApp/FaceTime audio calling, e-mail, Grab, Gojek, mobile banking/PayNow QR, etc.

Just in case anyone is confused about this, you do not have to pay even one penny extra for 5G service if you have a 4G-only phone. (I suspect there are at least a few seniors with Nokia 4G feature phones who are paying extra for 5G service they cannot even use.)

 

[JAYSCS]

It is depends. Is back end staff working hours same with office staff 9 to 5? Or working 12 hours shift public holidays also working?

I know it is paused at day 2 working day.

I love this company.
Thanks.

Usually when it mentions no. of working or business days to process, it does not include PH, Sat and Sun. If it happens to go thru, take it as a bonus.

 

[JAYSCS]

"Weak wall penetration issue" is dependent on the deployed frequency band(s), not on the mobile technology generation. In Singapore all of the MNOs have 900 MHz allocations, and all except SIMBA have 700 MHz allocations too. These lower frequencies have better in-building penetration characteristics, but they have less capacity (other things being equal). The mobile carriers have wisely prioritized higher frequency bands for their 5G deployments because those are the "fatter pipe" bands, the ones where 5G adds the most value.

You, as a mobile subscriber, have some freedom to choose your service characteristics. If you prefer longer battery life and maximum available coverage (including in parking garages, elevators, and other interior spaces), you can disable 5G on your phone. Then you'll stay on 4G, and you'll more often (but still not always) connect to lower frequency band stations. If you prefer higher data rates, can tolerate shorter battery life, but you want to maintain best available coverage even if it means more variable data rates, let your phone automatically switch between 4G and 5G. And if you prefer higher data rates, can tolerate shorter battery life, and can also tolerate less coverage (especially in interior spaces) to try to maintain higher data rates, "lock" your phone on 5G.

Over time you may change your mind, or you can change your mind moment to moment. And your carrier's network will evolve as they make configuration and allocation adjustments.

Some phones — especially older, less expensive phones — may not support all the frequency bands that your carrier uses. However, the most important ones for coverage are currently 4G LTE Band 8 and Band 28. Make sure your phone supports at least those two bands so you can get at least basic mobile service with every carrier in Singapore that's good enough for voice, SMS, other text-oriented communications (WhatsApp, iMessage), and low data volume services such as basic music streaming, WhatsApp/FaceTime audio calling, e-mail, Grab, Gojek, mobile banking/PayNow QR, etc.

Just in case anyone is confused about this, you do not have to pay even one penny extra for 5G service if you have a 4G-only phone. (I suspect there are at least a few seniors with Nokia 4G feature phones who are paying extra for 5G service they cannot even use.)

You sound like 4G bands 8 and 28 are 3G. I think 4G is much more capable definitely, much closer to 5G connectivity adopting lower frequency to address penetration issue. It is time not to differntiate price plan according to 5G and 4G by telcos.