Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Cashless push stimulating APAC m-payment market

    Cashless push stimulating APAC m-payment market

    A top down regulatory push toward cashless societies will stimulate exponential growth in the mobile payment market in Asia-Pacific (excluding China and India), which will surge from $71.92 billion to $271.47 billion by 2021, research from Frost & Sullivan indicates.

    According to the research firm, the number of active customers will also double to 130.8 million users by this time.

    With standardization and increasing openness toward FinTech, competition is intensifying for the entire supply-side ecosystem. Mobile payments solution providers will need to fully understand the mobile payments market in the region to gain an edge.

    Asia-Pacific is expected to continue to lead the world in mobile payment developments as smartphone penetration here is the highest. Apple, Samsung and Google with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay have also addressed existing security concerns through tokenization in the payment infrastructure, supplemented by biometrics on the smartphone.

    “The mobile payments market in Asia-Pacific, however, is guided by local preferences and considerations,” noted Frost & Sullivan Digital Transformation Industry Principal Analyst Quah Mei Lee.

    “For instance, in Indonesia and the Philippines, telcos lead with their e-money products whereas in Japan, South Korea and Australia, credit card is the key payment method. Understanding these dynamics is critical for mobile payments solution providers to succeed.”

    Mobile payment in Asia-Pacific is being led by developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, Australia and Singapore. Japan and South Korea has dominated since the early days of near-field communications (NFC) in 2011 and continues to account for 89.2% of market revenue share in Asia-Pacific.

    Among mobile payment market segments, m-commerce dominates despite the rapid increase in point-of-sale (POS) payment transaction volumes. The strong deployment of NFC in some countries is expected to help expand POS payment shares.

    For now, the mobile payment market has the most promise in countries that have a mandate to go cashless, like South Korea, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. These will be followed closely by countries such as Thailand and Vietnam which are slowly transitioning to cashless.

    “The opportunities are limitless and mainstream integration of mobile payments into everyday life is already underway,” said Quah. “Even beyond this, there is tremendous potential for growth alongside connected devices in the Internet of Things era.”

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  • Ooredoo Maldives signs deal with Thuraya

    Ooredoo Maldives signs deal with Thuraya

    Ooredoo Maldives has contracted mobile satellite services provider Thuraya to supply fisheries and resorts in the tropical nation with satellite-based voice and broadband connectivity.

    The operator yesterday launched Thuraya SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot devices and accompanying data packages at its retail outlets.

    In the first phase of the partnership, Ooredoo is offering the devices and services to fisheries under a two-year contract.

    The agreement addresses a mandate from the Maldives government requiring commercial fishing operators to outfit their vessels with satellite equipment and supply anglers with satellite phones, to address requirements including worker safety.

    Ooredoo’s Hussain Niyaz commented that “traditionally, fishery is the main occupation and major source of livelihood in the Maldives. It is also the second largest industry in the country. Safety is an important driver in this sector, where there are many accidents.”

    In the second phase of the agreement, which will come into effect later this year, the operator will market the services to the Maldives’ 105 plus resorts.

    This too will fulfil a mandate by the government requiring all resorts and tourist facilities to install satellite communications equipment as an additional safety measure.

  • RFID market is growing

    RFID market is growing

    IDTechEx Research has tracked the RFID market since 1999. IDTechEx find that in 2015, the total RFID market is worth $10.1 billion, up from $9.5 billion in 2014 and $8.8 billion in 2013. This includes tags, readers and software/services for RFID cards, labels, fobs and all other form factors, for both passive and active RFID. IDTechEx forecast that to rise to $13.2 billion in 2020.

    In retail, RFID continues to be adopted for apparel tagging – that application alone will demand 4.6 billion RFID labels in 2016 – which still has some way to go with RFID penetrating about 15% of the total addressable market for apparel in 2016. RFID in the form of tickets used for transit will demand 800 million tags in 2016. The tagging of animals (such as pigs, sheep and pets) is substantial as it continues to be a legal requirement in many more territories, with 420 million tags being used for this sector in 2016.

    In total, IDTechEx expects that 8.9 billion tags will be sold in 2015 and 10.4 billion in 2016. Most of that growth is from passive UHF RFID (RAIN RFID) labels. However, in 2015 UHF (RAIN RFID) tag sales by value will only be 11% of the value of HF tag sales, mainly because HF tags where used for security (such as payments, access etc) have a higher price point versus the cheaper, usually disposable UHF (RAIN RFID) tags used for tagging things.

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  • Lenovo launches transit app in China

    Lenovo launches transit app in China

    Lenovo has commercially launched its transit application in China with the electronic payment and settlement service provider BMAC (Beijing Municipal Administration and Communications Card).

    The service is supported  on Lenovo X3 smartphones driven by the eSE PEARL by OT (Oberthur Technologies).

    Thanks to OT’s NFC embedded Secure Element, end-users can now use their Lenovo X3 smartphone to install the Beijing Municipal Administration Traffic Card in their Lenovo Transit application and commute simply by waving their phone in front of contactless transit terminals.

    PEARL by OT is described as  the most advanced embedded Secure Element on the market, offering a yet unattained level of security and the largest memory on the market. It allows easy deployment of secure mobile contactless payment, transit, governmental and automotive applications, as well as secure access to online services for enterprise and consumer markets.

    In addition to its eSE, OT provides its Key Management System to Lenovo to manage security domains on the eSE in which partners can securely load, install and run their applications.

    Via its China Secure Hub, a platform used to connect handset makers and their partners in different cities in China, OT also securely ensures the connectivity between Lenovo and BMAC’s TSM provider, Beijing eNFC science and technology.

    “China is often at the forefront of new technologies and we are happy to offer Lenovo users with a convenient, secure and easy-to-use way of commuting with the BMAC application” said Viken Gazarian, deputy managing director of the connected device makers business at OT.

    “PEARL by OT is the best eSE on the market to address the fragmented market of transport systems throughout the world and is the sole component to support international as well as Chinese transit technologies,” said Gazarian.

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  • ‘Tremendous challenges’ for Chinese eCommerce

    ‘Tremendous challenges’ for Chinese eCommerce

    Chinese eCommerce companies could face “tremendous challenges” as Alibaba aims to transform the the mainland’s traditional retail industry, worth an estimated US$4.5 trillion.

    In a letter to shareholders, CEO Daniel Zhang says the company hopes to “upgrade” traditional retailers through improvements to distribution, service and product manufacturing.

    “The most important opportunity on the horizon is not growing online sales in isolation but rather helping traditional retailers upgrade into a brand-new retail model,” he writes. “The consumer retail industry as a whole is experiencing radical disruption driven by digital transformation.”

    Alibaba chairman Jack Ma has set a target of 20 years to attain 2 billion customers and support 10 million profitable businesses globally.

    Zhang cites cloud-based infrastructure and data as two areas where Alibaba sees future growth.

    “Cloud computing and big data will become ubiquitous,” he says. “Data has already become the new ‘natural resource’ that is as vital as oil and electricity. Cloud computing is the new ‘engine’ powering commerce.”

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  • Zurich Insurance has launched a solution in Hong Kong and Singapore

    Zurich Insurance has launched a solution in Hong Kong and Singapore

    Zurich Insurance has launched a solution in Hong Kong and Singapore which provides risk-assessment services and protects businesses against the risks associated with supply chain disruptions.

    Called Zurich Supply Chain Insurance, the product is the first-of-its-kind in the Asia-Pacific region and is now available to qualified customers based in the two markets.

    “Increasing globalisation, improved transport and logistics through to technological advancements have enabled companies to source materials from virtually anywhere in the world,” said Keith Thomas, chief executive officer of Zurich’s Global Corporate in Asia Pacific business unit. “While this provides increased flexibility and cost savings, it can also result in complex supply chains that are highly interconnected, more exposed and difficult to manage.”

    According to Zurich, the new solution helps reduce supply chain failures and provides cover if delayed or undelivered supplies result in a financial impact on a company’s operations. Supply Chain Insurance consists of two components. In the first phase, risk engineers carry out a risk assessment to identify and evaluate customers’ exposure to critical risks throughout their supply chain, and recommend prioritized mitigation actions. In the second phase, the risk assessment is combined with other sources of data to underwrite and price the risk.

    “Many organizations are not aware who their key suppliers are, especially in the lower levels of the supply chain, and very few have visibility over their entire supply chain,” said Hassan Karim, technical underwriting manager of Zurich Asia Pacific. “Half of supply chain disruptions occur beyond the preliminary supplier of goods, therefore making it extremely difficult to establish where an organization lies within its suppliers’ priorities.”

    Karim added that it is essential to take a holistic approach and to identify critical supplies when working with customers to manage their exposures.

    “Effective supply chain risk management can present significant benefits to businesses and is becoming an increasingly important driver of their profits,” he said. “Every customer’s supply chain is different so we work with them to shape the appropriate solution and offer an individually tailored policy to meet their specific needs.”

    The Supply Chain Insurance solution has been available in Europe and North America for the past six years, according to Zurich.

     

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  • Vodafone plans to launch world’s first NB-IoT networks

    Vodafone plans to launch world’s first NB-IoT networks

    Vodafone has revealed plans to launch what it expects will be the world’s first live commercial narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) networks in early 2017.

    The operator will launch LPWA NB-IoT networks in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain during the first three months of the year.

    Vodafone said it will be able to implement the NB-IoT rollout by way of a software upgrade to its existing 4G base stations, allowing the company to deliver nationwide coverage almost immediately in the four markets.

    The operator plans to roll out the technology to additional markets later in the year, and provide full coverage of the operator’s global network by 2020.

    In preparation for the launch Vodafone has been conducting testing of the technology. Last week Vodafone Spain completed the first test of an NB-IoT connected product on a commercial network, by burying a parking sensor in a space within Madrid’s Vodafone Plaza. A smartphone app was able to display that the space was occupied when a car was parked in it.

    “The questions of battery life and deep in-building penetration have now been answered by NB-IoT,” Vodafone’s director of IoT Ivo Rook said.

    “The low cost of the modules means we can expect a new wave of connected devices and soaring market demand. Vodafone’s world leading expertise and experience in IoT will prove invaluable in shaping this exciting market.”

    Singapore’s M1 has also announced plans to deploy a commercial NB-IoT network in 2017, but did not specify the time during the year that the company plans to launch.

  • Vodafone Australia to offer fixed broadband services

    Vodafone Australia to offer fixed broadband services

    Vodafone Australia has revealed plans to branch out into offering fixed broadband services over the national broadband network (NBN).

    The operator plans to extend into fixed-line broadband to give its mobile customers more access to data both at home and on-the-go.

    While the NBN rollout is not scheduled for completion until 2020, around three million premises have access to the network and more than 1.1 million have signed up.

    At a press briefing, Vodafone Australia CEO Inaki Berroeta said the move into fixed broadband is a “natural progression” for the company, and it’s the right time to make the move because the NBN project is reaching the scale required to deliver an NBN service that complements its mobile network. It is expected that 4 million premises will be NBN-ready by the end of the year.

    Vodafone plans to make its first commercial NBN services available next year.

    Market research from Roy Morgan indicates that 550,000 of Vodafone’s mobile customers already intend to switch fixed broadband provider over the next 12 months, giving the operator a large potential market at the ready.

    Vodafone’s customers are also over 50% more likely than average to be dissatisfied with their current fixed broadband provider, and are statistically 10 percentage points less likely than the national average to have market leader Telstra as a fixed broadband provider.

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  • How to make the most of the Asian food retailing boom

    How to make the most of the Asian food retailing boom

    Asia’s consumers are expected to spend US$5.9 trillion on food, beverages, and tobacco by 2018, making up 60 per cent of global expenditure in this category.

    This means retailers need to expand aggressively, scaling up in new markets and keeping their supply chains adaptable to target more customers to make the most of the Asian food retailing boom. The middle class population in Southeast Asia is projected to grow to 400 million by 2020 and businesses that fail to scale will miss out on this tremendous market opportunity.

    Food retailing is all about delivering the best customer experience through high on-shelf availability (OSA), wide stock variety, and immaculate product quality to drive sales. Whether you are a convenience store chain, supermarket, or hypermarket, the goal is to build and retain a loyal customer base while keeping operating costs low to ensure prices remain competitive. However, food retailers in Asia Pacific face a unique set of roadblocks.

    Countries across the region are at different stages of development. With geographic diversity, companies face significant challenges when it comes to taking advantage of the growth possibilities. This will prove problematic, especially with Asia Pacific’s status as the world’s largest and fastest growing B2C eCommerce region. Consumers will expect faster, better services from food retailers as their threshold for waiting times lower in the “on-demand” age.  A recent announcement by Kantar Worldpanel forecast online grocery sales will be worth US$150 billion by 2025 – currently South Korea and Japan hold the first and second spots on the global e-commerce grocery market with Taiwan in the fifth position and China coming in sixth.

    The Four Ingredients of Supply Chain Success

    Asian food retailers , especially those selling fresh or frozen products, face issues due to the time-sensitive nature of the products which spoil quickly if not kept in the right conditions. Delivering chilled or frozen food across long distances is difficult due to infrastructure and asset availability, with options such as local sourcing or storage not always feasible. In light of these factors, it is critical to change the mindset to view the supply chain as a strategic business enabler driving competitive advantage, rather than a backend function focused on transport and storage. Here are four key ingredients to get you on your way.

    1. Take a fresh look at your supply chain

    Make a commitment to review your supply chain from end to end. What you need to look out for are potential cost inefficiencies and gaps in service performance, and understand the underlying reasons why these occur to help identify appropriate new solutions. For example, can you automate packing processes to speed up your deliveries down the line? Are you facing over- and under-stocked inventories because you cannot accurately anticipate supply and demand? Getting these questions answered is vital to your success. One route is to engage a consultant to assist. However, a specialist supply chain partner with extensive expertise will not only help with the review and design, but also has the capability to deliver. But also think about the long-term strategy and predicted expansion so that the new design is fit not just for today, but for your future business.

    1. Streamline your operations end to end

    Facilities, people, transportation, and technology are the ingredients within your supply chain that influence your overall business performance. Hence, it is important to make the right investments and realise the maximum benefits through continual review and optimisation.

    You can begin by analysing your truck fleets and find ways to fully use their capacity and improve routing. New designs and technologies enable delivery trucks to have different temperature zones to transport ambient, chilled, and frozen products in the same vehicle – enabling food products to be consolidated and transported using a single vehicle rather than needing to run multiple vehicles to the same location. And to accelerate deliveries, transport management systems provide insight and data analysis to determine the quickest and most cost-effective routes – incorporating telematics and real-time tracking gives full visibility throughout the journey which can lead to far more efficient unloading processes at the receiving end. Often, retailers can leverage a specialist 3PL like DHL and its existing investments in resource, technology, facilities and assets, such as trucking, to reduce retailers’ cash outflow and deliver a competitive cost-per-unit. In addition, a good supply chain management (SCM) partner with inroads in emerging markets can offer effective consultation on building delivery networks in new territories.

    1. Add visibility and control

    Gaining more control over your supply chain empowers you to navigate and anticipate any potential disruptions to food product deliveries. The first step is to improve visibility over inventory levels to maximise OSA whilst minimising spoilage – it’s a fine balance to manage and focus on the detailed insights of supply and demand patterns. Inventory optimisation manages stock cost effectively, balancing stock holding with customer service levels by taking into account availability, requirements, and lead time variability.

    A high level of inventory is not only capital intensive but also expensive to service through increased indirect spend, such as warehousing, transport, and procurement. Hence, not only will inventory optimisation reduce logistics costs, but drive excellent service to create satisfied customers by having the right stock at the right location.

    By looking at inventory holding, you can then make informed decisions about your storage requirements, and whether other options are more suitable. For instance, instead of using a conventional warehousing model, you can complement it with cross-docking for fast-moving goods. This speeds up distribution and reduces warehousing space as stock is not moved into storage. You can also consider hybrid inventory models to make the most of your existing warehouse facilities. Effective solutions can help you achieve an average inventory age of between 15 and 30 days which brings the additional benefit of improving cash flow. Achieving these metrics is not easy but specialist knowledge, experience, and sophisticated systems are the catalysts to creating a lean and responsive operation.

    1. Innovate to deliver

    Innovation has become a critical differentiator for food retailers in recent years. Automated sorting and storage retrieval solutions can speed up picking processes and shrink warehousing footprints; packaging technologies can quickly create promotional packs with minimal labor requirements; and IT system development will enhance customer experience should shoppers switch from purchasing in-store to online, where they will have home delivery or “click and collect” options. These are just a few developments and there are many more taking place to help meet the ever-increasing customer expectations when making decisions.

    Get Your Supply Chain Right

    Supply chains are no longer just “part of the organisation” for today’s food retailers. An adaptive and flexible supply chain is the difference between winning and losing the market – given the escalating demands of customers. You must understand your customers, and then focus on those elements which are most important to them to drive sales. Whether you are competing on price, convenience, or quality or even a combination of all three, these best practices will give you a head-start in creating an integrated supply chain that will bring advantages now and into the future.

    If you are part of the Asian food retailing industry, you need to start re-thinking your supply chains today to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

    -Dean Eichorn-

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  • FPT Retail Vietnam sets up milk store chain

    FPT Retail Vietnam sets up milk store chain

    Vinamilk and FPT Retail Vietnam have entered a joint venture to open a chain of stores specialising in dairy products.

    This “uncommon partnership” is hoped to bring benefits to both parties, FPT adding extensive retail industry experience and insight, Vinamilk a household name and favourite brand.

    A six-month pilot program will see the concept trialled at two of 200 FPT stores in Ho Chi Minh City, with a nationwide rollout to follow if the trial proves a success. Most of the stores will be located alongside an FPT store.

    Vinamilk-FPT instore

    The two sides hope this ‘win-win partnership’ will maximise their own strengths in manufacturing, distribution and retail.

    Shoppers at the Vinamilk stores will have access to product information, direct or online consultation, delivery and other promotions and offers.

    Vinamilk started selling dairy products online earlier this month to compete with new players in the dairy market, including Dutch Lady, Mead Johnson, Nestle, Abbott and TH True Milk.

  • Telkom picks HAUD for A2P SMS monetization

    Telkom picks HAUD for A2P SMS monetization

    Telkom Indonesia has adopted HAUD’s A2P SMS monetization and SS7 security managed services to create new sources of revenue and improve subscriber experience for the operator.

    The managed service agreement with HAUD will help Telkom Indonesia mitigate any lost A2P revenue, and its subscribers are protected from spam and fraudulent SMS traffic.

    Through its Revenue-as-a-Service approach, HAUD will manage the entire A2P monetization process, from traffic identification and blocking, to redirection of traffic to monetizable channels, without requiring any initial investment from the MNO.

    HAUD’s mobile network firewall provides modular protection against SS7 security vulnerabilities, fraud and spam SMS, while preventing grey route traffic that bypasses network termination fees. Its range of packages effectively ring-fence networks from malicious messages, while improving customer experience and revenue assurances.

    Mårten Björkman, SVP for Asia Pacific at HAUD, said Revenue-as-a-Service is a new approach to helping operators to make the most of all possible income streams available to them.

    Björkman said the global A2P SMS market is worth billions, but many operators are not equipped to claim their fair share, and routinely lose out on large amounts of revenue due to the ongoing use of grey routes.

    “HAUD’s knowledge and experience of the global A2P and fraud landscape can help MNOs like Telkom Indonesia stay in control of their networks with a minimal outlay of resources,” he said.

    Michael Adiguna, AVP of sales strategy at Telkom Indonesia, said the agreement with HAUD was particularly attractive, and the ability to deliver results almost instantly “was impressive.”

    “With our revenues maximized and network utilization improved, we can focus on delivering the quality of service that modern mobile users demand,” said Adiguna. “HAUD’s solution makes sure that the messages our subscribers receive are from genuine, trustworthy sources.”

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  • Carl’s Jr Cambodia opens first drive-through

    Carl’s Jr Cambodia opens first drive-through

    Cambodia has its first quick-service drive-through restaurant with the opening of a Carl’s Jr burger outlet in Phnom Penh, being run by TH F&B Co.

    Carl’s Jr Cambodia has been franchised by California-based CKE Restaurants Holdings, the parent company of Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s.

    “We’ve been experiencing phenomenal international growth this year,” says CKE international president Ned Lyerly. “In fact, Cambodia comes on the heels of successful openings in Australia, Japan and Kenya, and marks the 40th country CKE International has entered.

    “This is an important market for our overall expansion strategy, and we plan to open 15 restaurants in Cambodia.”

    Carl’s Jr Cambodia store

    As well as burgers, the Carl’s Jr brand offers chicken sandwiches, all made fresh to order. Its burgers feature chargrilled Australian beef. Also on the menus are ice-cream shakes.

    “We’re confident that Cambodia, with its large youthful population and increased awareness and desire for western brands, is going to love having this global burger chain,” says TH F&B MD Hav Norm.

    On the corner of Street 51 and Street 310 in Phnom Penh, the restaurant is open 12 hours daily, offering partial table service, an “all you can drink” beverage bar and complimentary Wi-Fi.

    Carl’s Jr Cambodia

    A privately held company headquartered in Carpinteria, California, CKE had its beginnings with Carl Karcher’s hot-dog cart in the 1940s. It now has 3729 franchised or company-run Carl’s Jr Restaurants and Hardee’s outlets in 44 states and 40 countries.

    Awarded with the master franchise and the exclusive rights to run Carl’s Jr in Cambodia, TH F&B Co has a portfolio including Cold Stone Creamery and Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ.

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  • GTel Mobile has become Vietnam’s fourth 4G licensee

    GTel Mobile has become Vietnam’s fourth 4G licensee

    GTel Mobile has become Vietnam’s fourth 4G licensee, joining MobiFone, Viettel and VNPT in securing a license.

    As with the major operators, GTel Mobile has secured permission to deploy 4G services on the 1800-MHz band.

    GTel Mobile is owned by Vietnam’s Global Telecommunications Corporation (GTC).

    The operator was originally established as a joint venture between Russia’s Vimpelcom and GTC, providing services under the Beeline brand, but Vimpelcom sold its indirect 49% stake in April 2012. The company now provides services under the Gmobile brand.

    The news comes days after the government revealed it had allocated 4G licenses to MobiFone, Viettel and VNPT. The telecoms ministry has set a target of ensuring at least 95% of Vietnam’s population is covered with 3G or 4G infrastructure by 2020.

    GTel’s license acquisition leaves Vietnamobile as the market’s only operator yet to secure a 4G license, the report adds.

  • Gong Cha Korea to expand globally

    Gong Cha Korea to expand globally

    Bubble tea brand Gong Cha Korea is planning international expansion.

    Aided by the global passion for Hallyu, or the so-called Korean Wave, Gong Cha plans to open stores in the Middle East and Europe. It will also buy more than 1380 stores in 18 countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Hong Kong.

    Currently, Gong Cha Korea operates only about 360 stores in its home market, which last year brought in KRW8 billion (US$7 million) profit – representing 11 per cent growth year-on-year.

    As most of Gong Cha’s customers are aged from 10 to their 30s, the company expects entering new foreign markets will be easier through creating synergies with Hallyu.

    The expansion will be facilitated by a share transaction with its parent company Royal Tea Taiwan in which the Korean business will progressively boost its ownership from 35 per cent to 70 per cent by January 2017.

    Royal Tea Taiwan was launched in 2006, and introduced to Korea by franchisee Kim Yeo-jin in 2012. Two years later, Japanese private equity fund Unison Capital bought 70 per cent of the Korean business.

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  • M1 nine-month profit falls 12.6%

    M1 nine-month profit falls 12.6%

    Singapore’s M1 has reported a 12.6% decline in net profit for the first nine months of the year, due to slowing service revenue and depreciation and amortization costs associated with the operator’s 4G network.

    Net profit fell to S$117.9 million ($84.7 million), while service revenue decreased 1.4% to S$604.5 million as a result of the ongoing impact of OTT substitution on traditional telecoms services revenue.

    Mobile data revenue grew by 6.2 percentage points year on year to account for 54.2% of service revenue, with average postpaid smartphone data usage growing to 3.4GB per month in the third quarter from 3.3GB a month a year earlier.

    Fixed service revenue for the nine-month period meanwhile increased 26.1% year-on-year to S$77.1 million, or 12.8% of service revenue. M1’s fiber customer base increased by 7,000 to 152,000.

    Looking ahead, M1 said barring unforeseen circumstances, the operator expects a similar percentage decline in net profit for the full year as reported for the first nine months.

    Announcing its results, M1 said its planned of Singapore’s first nationwide commercial NB-IoT network, announced n August, will help open up a new growth market for the operator.

    “The needs and behavior of our consumers and corporates are changing rapidly. We will continue to make network investments to provide our customers with a superior and all-encompassing experience while also tapping into new growth areas in data analytics, IoT and other solutions,” M1 CEO Karen Kooi said.

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