The triple play (Telephony - TV - Internet) by Primetel is not as impressive as I was hopping. Speeds offered are only up to 1.5Mbit and the basic package with just 300Kb at 25 pounds per month is not much cheaper than i-choice+Mivision.
PrimeTel, the strategic partner of the EAC in the telecommunications has extended its pilot scheme to selected sectors in the major cities, offering subscribers 3-month testing free of charge, which in usual circumstances would cost CYP 25 per month.
Stephanos Stephanou, Marketing Director of PrimeTel confirmed to the Financial the launch of the pilot schemes in selective areas in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos, adding that the service is offered free of charge until all the technical tests are completed.
Stephanou would not comment on future pricing, but did not dismiss speculation that the Prime Home basic package would range about CYP 25 per month, offering telephone, Internet and television.
The indicative value of the offer quoted on the promotional material suggests a value in excess of CYP 75 for the three-month trial period and is in line with an earlier comment made by Hermes Stephanou, Managing Director of PrimeTel who during the company’s first official presentation had promised that the Triple Play service (voice, data & picture) would be competitively priced.
“Our objective is to offer customers voice, data and picture with one connection and at the same price that customers are paying now for any one of the services,” said Stephanou.
He cautioned that people in the areas covered who apply need to realise that from the time it takes to file an application to CyTA to change to PrimeTel, it will require at least 25 days.
Stephanou is confident that by the end of April, beginning of May, PrimeTel will be in a position to extend its offer on a commercial basis island-wide as it reaches its target of reaching 170.000 households.
Triple Play
Triple Play is the industry term used to describe a combined package of fixed telephony, fast and continuous access to the Internet and home entertainment services like TV, movies and video-on-demand through one single connection.
Stephanou explained that a subscriber opting to choose PrimeTel would thus save the monthly rental paid to CyTA, gain access to the Internet at speeds of up to 24Mbps using ADSL2+ (the latest technology) and watch hundreds of TV channels and films on order, play on-line games, pause and record live TV and do home shopping by the use of the remote control.
Many of the features of the Triple Play services on offer have been designed by PrimeTel and tested over the years.
Cheaper
Stephanou said the basic package for telephony will be 20% cheaper for local calls, 40% cheaper when both subscribers are PrimeTel customers and 30% cheaper for international calls compared to the current rates charged by CyTA.
The basic Internet package starts at a speed of 300kbps for download and 128kbps for upload but can be upgraded to speeds of 24Mbps. It will give 5 email addresses and 25Mbps space for web sites.
The basic PrimeTV package will include all the local channels, 100 satellite channels, on demand films that can be rented for 3 days at a cost of CYP 1.5 per film for new releases as well as the ability to play on-line games, place orders, record, playback and more.
