MEDIA-I: Far EasTone launches mobile mall in Taiwan

TAIPEI: Taiwan-based cellular provider Far EasTone Telecommunications has linked up with the country's e-tailers and banks to launch a trading platform and a secure transaction system. Far EasTone expects its 3.7 million subscribers will use the wireless platform to shop for books, CDs, airline tickets, hotel reservations and tickets for concerts and movies. The telecommunications company's vice-president of business development and investment, Andrew Wong, said: "The uniqueness is it's a complete mobile shopping environment. Users can browse for products, place orders and make payment in a single stop. "M-commerce accounts for only three per cent of Taiwan's cellular network traffic. With the new platform, we expect it to grow to 10 per cent for Far EasTone by the end of next year." The platform will feature e-tailers such as book.com, ezfly.com. ezTravel.com.tw, mobilehome, music.com.tw, springnetwork.com, olemap. com, goolu.com and other major sites. To encourage early adoption, user charges are minimal - NT$5 per completed transaction. Far EasTone said it would absorb the SMS traffic cost, while affiliated e-tailers would pay to push content to shoppers. Payment can be made through a variety of avenues, from credit cards to telephone settlement, ATMs or 7-Eleven, while delivery to the home will be available through the post office or Federal Express or pick-up at 7-Eleven stores. Technologically, Far EasTone's platform is a leap ahead of competing systems launched in June by Chunghwa Telecom and TransAsia Telecommunication. The earlier systems use SIM tool kits, said Wong, adding that Far EasTone uses the latest generation SIM browser. "With the SIM tool kit, the customer can only complete transactions through a single bank," he said.

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