MUMBAI: CNBC has signed a three-market (Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore) distribution agreement to provide a series of specially customised mobile-on-demand business news and information content on the 3G mobile platform.
The content will be distributed in the three markets through SmarTone-Vodafone in Hong Kong, Celcom in Malaysia and SingTel in Singapore from 1 November 2005. This will give CNBC access to the fast-growing population of 3G mobile subscribers across the Asia Pacific, which currently stands at over 20 million.
The selection of specially tailor-made minute long content available to 3G mobile subscribers of these three operators include:
Asia Market Update - A compilation of top business news and updates aimed at helping viewers stay on top of their investment portfolios. Delivered twice daily Mondays to Fridays.
Asia Market Wrap - A daily wrap-up of the big market movers and top financial news of the day. Content refreshed every business day. Delivered daily Mondays to Fridays.
The Expert - Provides daily expert advice from key money managers, market experts and corporate chiefs. Delivered daily Mondays to Fridays.
Managing Asia - Looks inside the minds of the region's top corporate leaders who set the business agenda for Asia. Delivered once a week.
Generation-e - Asia's premier source of technology news, highlighting the latest gizmos and gadgets. Delivered once a week.
CEO Moment - An up-close and insightful snapshot of top CEOs' viewpoints in today's business environment. Delivered once a week.
Suze Orman - Best-selling author Suze Orman, with her unprecedented popularity as a personal finance expert, provide viewers with practical advice. Delivered once a week.
CNBC Asia Pacific CEO and president Alexander P Brown said, "CNBC's audience of CEOs, senior managers and business decision makers across Asia are already early adopters of technologies such as 3G. As a significant proportion of our viewing is in the away-from-home environment, presenting our content in partnership with these three world-class operators will help us enhance our brand positioning amongst this very important demographic."
SmarTone-Vodafone CEO Douglas Li said, "We are pleased to be chosen as the first and exclusive partner in Hong Kong to deliver the business news from such an authoritative news channel. With the strong network quality providing 99.9 per cent 3G coverage in Hong Kong and the fast and stable data transmission, SmarTone-Vodafone's customers can stay up-to-date with unlimited international and financial video news from one of the most authoritative TV channels through compelling and uninterrupted mobile experience. We look forward to seeing our customers to be benefited from receiving important business news and information around the world in order to stay closer to what matters to them."
Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad COO Dato' Zubir A. Rasid said, "As Malaysia's premier mobile communications provider and the first to introduce 3G services in the country, Celcom is proud to offer CNBC's leading-edge business news and feature content to our rapidly-growing base of 3G subscribers. As we boast the widest mobile broadband 3G coverage in the country, we are confident that CNBC's selection of customized 3G content will be well-received across Malaysia. With Celcom 3G, we give our customers the tools that can enhance their mobile lifestyle."
Singapore Telecom Mobile Pte Ltd vice president, consumer marketing Thomas Yeo said, "It is great to see the most trusted voice in the financial world and the biggest communication company in Singapore coming together to provide a seamless TV/mobile experience. Using SingTel's strong nation-wide and roaming 3G network, customers can enjoy true mobility by seamlessly accessing time-sensitive information in data and video modes with their mobile phones. With CNBC Mobile's comprehensive video content, our customers can now look forward to reviewing the latest news and to make time critical decisions on-the-go, to meet various lifestyle needs."
