AIS targets businesses with 'push-to-talk' service

BANGKOK: Advanced Info Service (AIS) has kicked off the much-vaunted "push-to-talk" phones, targeting mainly the corporate market and giving a boost to its revenues.

AIS marketing manager Artorn Techatantiwong said the service was aimed at attracting business customers in need of instant communication among branches.

The push-to-talk phone is a combination of cell phone and walkie-talkie device, allowing people to talk with other users in a pre-defined group at just the push of a button.

AIS has offered the service on its nationwide high-speed data transmission General Packet Radio Service network and on Nokia push-to-talk 5140 models that retail for around Bt15,000.

Push-to-talk corporate customers now include Siam Cement, Apollo Oil, and the Hard Rock Hotel in Pattaya.

"It's better than a walkie-talkie since you can communicate on our nationwide network, while a walkie-talkie has a limited coverage," Artorn said.

AIS charges a monthly fee of Bt100 per user, plus Bt2 per minute of use for corporate users, Bt2.50 per minute for post-paid phone individual users, and Bt3 for pre-paid phone individual users.

An industry observer said the service was expected to boost AIS revenue since users have to pay the normal tariffs when using the devices as normal phones and pay the push-to-talk rate when using them as walkie-talkies.

Shaun Colligan, managing director of Nokia (Thailand), said that by the second half of the year Nokia would roll out an additional five to 10 push-to-talk models locally to support the service.

Nokia is among the world's major handset vendors promoting the push-to-talk technology.

During the initial period, AIS is not expecting huge push-to-talk customer numbers due to the current limited availability of such phones.

"In the long term, perhaps the next three years, we expect to have 300,000 push-to-talk customers or more when the push-to-talk phones become a mass product at low prices," Artorn said. He added that AIS was also in talks with all other major handset vendors - for example, Samsung - to jointly offer such services.

Its rival Total Access Communication (DTAC) also has a push-to-talk service prepared, but has yet to launch it commercially.

Artorn said that AIS push-to-talk phone users could communicate with different push-to-talk networks and on an international roaming basis.

--The Nation 2004-04-09

We've had that here in the US since 1997 (Nextel Corp). Works great. Just in the past year they hooked up the nation-wide push-to-talk feature. Now they've included a wireless web browser that works anywhere they have coverage (most everywhere in US).

FYI

Actually I have it on very good authority that within 3 years each and every AIS Signal Source (Tower) is going to become a WiFi Access Point, making Thailand proably the first nation to do so. In other words WiFi access for the masses. The push to talk devices can run off such networks in addition to numerous PDA's and of course the Centrino chip will be able to sue the technology.

Hmmm walkie talkie? Guess everyone will need a license to operate the touch to talk option.

may i know which network support push to talk in thailand?when i go there i buy which prepaid for using push to talk?

Nationwide push to talk has been in service in the states for some networks as far back as 1999. And for local use its been the norm. for most small companies. Look for this service in Thailand to cost 5 times normal, like Internet does, but then at least it will be available and its really is a great tool. As far as AIS putting WiFi everywhere. I think they could do it but if they run it like AIS has other internet services, I won't be touching it.

may i know which network support push to talk in thailand?when i go there i buy which prepaid for using push to talk?

at a rough guess im thinking it might be AIS that is supporting push-to-talk.

Actually I have it on very good authority that within 3 years each and every AIS Signal Source (Tower) is going to become a WiFi Access Point, making Thailand proably the first nation to do so. In other words WiFi access for the masses. The push to talk devices can run off such networks in addition to numerous PDA's and of course the Centrino chip will be able to sue the technology.

Not exactly, either you are confused or your "good authority" is confused. AIS's PTT service will utilize their existing GSM data network (GPRS/EDGE) to provide Voice over IP. AIS has 100% GPRS coverage so can guarantee the service. VoIP over the GPRS network is used primarily to achieve quick call set-up times, 5 sec., or less. Using the GSM voice network would result in call set-up times of more like 30 sec., which would be "push to wait to talk". This service is targeted at logistics, construction, delivery applications and is not really a consumer application. Not sure why the Hard Rock Hotel is using the service? Maybe to quickly locate and dispatch service personnel, on premises or possibly off trying to meet arriving guests, to deal with guests?

Putting WiFi on all but a few base stations would be a pretty brain-dead implementation.

..this service in Thailand to cost 5 times normal...

3 years later...

are the costs lowered? (as for adsl service)