Telcos cut fibre broadband costs, offer perks at Comex

Broadband deals have become a tad sweeter, after Singtel and MyRepublic both lowered the prices of their 1Gbps fibre broadband plans at consumer electronics fair Comex.

Singtel's plan now costs $49.90 a month, down from its $54.90 offer at June's PC Show.

MyRepublic's deal is $49.99 a month, with six months free. Over the required 24-month contract, this works out to be $37.49 a month, cheaper than its PC Show price of $44.99.

Comex, organised by Singapore Press Holdings subsidiary Sphere Exhibits, opened yesterday at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Eric Ng, head of marketing at Exhibits, said 2Gbps plans are also available at a "very competitive price".

The other three telcos here - StarHub, M1 and ViewQwest - stuck with their PC Show prices of $37.43 to $49.90 a month.

Many telcos also sweetened the deal with perks like lucky draws and free routers.

Analysts said telcos should not compete just on price.

Clement Teo, principal analyst at market research firm Ovum, said: "Competition should not be based on a race to the lowest pricing, as this is good for new sign-ups, but bad for existing customers who are paying a higher price. Instead, telcos should compete on value-added services."

But consumers are glad that competition has led to cheaper prices.

Teacher Chong S. K., 41, who was at the show, said: "When MyRepublic first entered, it was the cheapest but now traditional telcos have cut their prices as well."

For the first time, Comex is offering services such as laptop memory and storage upgrades, which will be done for a fee.

Used electronics such as television sets, laptops and tablets can also be traded in for vouchers to use at the show.

Gamers can check out the latest gaming laptops and desktops at the Gamex area, and take part in tournaments for video games such as Dota 2, Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Comex 2016

Where: Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, Levels 3, 4 and 6

When:Now until Sunday. Level 3 is open from 11am to 9pm, and levels 4 and 6 from noon to 9pm.

Admission: Free For more information, go to www.comexshow.com.sg

lting@sph.com.sg

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