IT Show 2017: Telcos and ISPs battle it out with bundle deals and gaming consoles

First day of the IT Show 2017 saw crowds streaming in after 7pm, on March 16, 2017. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

SINGAPORE - Telcos and Internet service providers (ISPs) are sticking to tried-and-tested ways to stand out from one another at the IT Show 2017 this weekend. Some are offering cheaper deals while others are going with free game console bundles.

Telco M1 dangled the season's hottest gaming toy, the Nintendo Switch console, free with two games for customers who sign up for its 1Gbps fibre broadband plan at $59 per month.

ISP MyRepublic also zoomed in on the gaming crowd by throwing in a free PlayStation Pro gaming console for those who opt for its two-year 1Gbps fibre broadband plan.

Meanwhile, StarHub is giving customers six months of free fibre broadband Internet and TV for its HomeHub plan, which also includes a mobile broadband dongle and free local calls on a land-line.

With this, customers effectively pay $66.60 per month on a two-year contract, instead of the regular monthly fee of $88.80.

Singtel introduced an option for subscribers to triple their monthly mobile data, starting from a 5GB to 15Gb jump at $26.75.

While ViewQwest's fibre broadband pricing remains unchanged, the ISP is offering savings to customers who sign up for its 1Gbps or 2Gbps plan at the show and make an upfront payment instead of monthly payments.

For instance, customers can choose to pay $888 upfront for a 1Gbps plan, which works out to be $37 per month, compared to the original price of $49.90 per month.

An estimated 150,000 shoppers thronged the halls of Suntec Singapore on Thursday (March 16), the opening day of the four-day event, which is organised by Singapore Press Holdings subsidiary Exhibits Inc.

Visitors trying out the Samsung Gear VR on the first day of the IT Show 2017, on March 16, 2017. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

The crowd is expected to grow, with an estimated 480,000 shoppers over the weekend.

Engineer Wan Weng Kin, 43, headed to the show on its opening day to secure a Brother laser printer he had his eye on.

"I came early to skip the crowd," he said. "The prices are always the most competitive during the show, so I came down to buy rather than buy online or elsewhere."

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