Rumor: Guangdong Telecom to Launch "WeChat + Weibo" Package
Sohu IT, 7/29/13
According to a source close to the company, China Telecom's (NYSE: CHA; 0728.HK) Guangdong branch will launch an exclusive social media data package in August, charging users RMB 6 per month for 2GB of exclusive data for use on Tencent's (0700.HK) WeChat (Weixin) mobile messaging application and Chinese internet company Sina's (Nasdaq: SINA) Weibo microblogging platform. Guangdong Telecom previously released a 3G App Store data card priced at RMB 9 per month (allowing unlimited app store downloads), and will release the similarly priced 3G "QQ Music" exclusive data card and the 500MB "I Music" data card priced at RMB 3 in September, targeting users of different popular mobile apps.
The "WeChat+Weibo" data package is part of a host of exclusive app-specific data plans to be featured as part of China Telecom's "Fly Young" exclusive SIM card and data plan, priced at RMB 19 per month for 80 minutes of intra-provincial voice calling, 80 free SMS, 20MB of data, and 8 hours of Wi-Fi access. Both new and existing China Telecom users are eligible for the Fly Young plan.
Previously, China Unicom (NYSE: CHU; 0762.HK; 600050.SH) launched the "WeChat Wo Card," providing exclusive WeChat data plans for China Unicom users in Guangdong.
Editor's Note: For more background on this topic, please see "Tencent, Guangdong Unicom to Launch WeChat-Customized SIM" MD 7/18/13 issue.
Keywords: tariffs Guangdong Telecom China Telecom wireless Tencent Sina 0700.HK 0728.HK CHA WeChat mobile application mobile IM package
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