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TPG Telecom’s free mobile plan for seniors a ‘pleasant surprise’

Australia-based TPG Telecom’s announcement of its free mobile plan targeted at seniors aged 65 and above is a hugely pleasant surprise for many. Seniors may now look forward to the second half of the year for this plan, which includes a SIM card, 3GB of monthly data, and unlimited calls to mobile phone numbers in Singapore.

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Steven Lo Chock Fei

Australia-based TPG Telecom’s announcement of its free mobile plan targeted at seniors aged 65 and above is a hugely pleasant surprise for many. Seniors may now look forward to the second half of the year for this plan, which includes a SIM card, 3GB of monthly data, and unlimited calls to mobile phone numbers in Singapore.

The market segment for seniors has been largely ignored by the other three telcos for too long. It is disheartening that the incumbents, as part of their meaningful contribution to Singapore’s smart nation initiative, did not see the need to introduce a similar plan to help seniors cross the digital divide at a reasonable cost.

It took a foreign telco to finally cater to them in this way.

Seniors with limited spending power have also been neglected in the area of fibre broadband connectivity. They generally do not need a bandwidth that is more than 100 Mbps to surf the Internet. The lowest entry-level bandwidth on the market is 300 Mbps. It would be very helpful if the entry-level bandwidth is reduced to 100 Mbps with a commensurate reduction in the subscription price.

There is a clear need for the the Info-Communications Media Development Authority to provide regulatory assistance to seniors and low-income citizens in this area, and not just for those who can afford it.

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