Tune in now!

PETALING JAYA: Tune Talk Sdn Bhd, an MVNO in which Celcom (M) Bhd has a 35% equity stake, is finally set to launch a new prepaid mobile service on Aug 19, 2009 after over a year’s delay.

Celcom has an option to raise its stake in Tune Talk to 51% within three years or when Tune Talk’s subscriber base reaches 1.5 million, whichever is sooner.

“We are offering voice, SMS and data services rides on Celcom 2G platform. A user just needs to buy a SIM card for RM5 and insert it into his mobile phone, choose the number he wants and he is connected to our network,” Tune Talk chief executive officer Jason Lo. “We are going to offer very low flat rates on nationwide coverage leverage on Celcom 2G network.’’

Tune Talk’s prefix for its cellular service is 010-5.

The company has a paid-up capital of RM10mil.

Lo expects the capital expenditure over the next three to five years to be between RM40mil and RM50mil, of which RM10mil will be invested in the first year.

Tune Talk will be riding on MVNO bandwagon as Merchantrade, XOX and RedTone International Bhd on Celcom infrastructure.

What Tune Talk is about to offer may stir up competition, with entry level SIM cards reasonably priced at RM5 each, competitive rates and plans to give out 10 e-vouchers daily for a year which will cost the company RM1mil.