3HK launches NEC c616V and gourmet dining and leisure video hot spot

May 17, 2004

3 Hong Kong proudly presents the brand new NEC c616V video mobile phone, an upgraded model with a built-in 300,000-pixel VGA camera designed to bring more powerful video and photo shooting performance. NEC c616V is available in a choice of trendy graphite and silver colour. Besides, 3 Hong Kong once again enriches its content portfolio by partnering with the famous gourmet and tourism expert, Mr Chua Lam, to introduce Hong Kong's first video mobile service for gourmet dining and leisure pursuits - the "Chua Lam Channel". This brand new channel offers three major contents: "Chua's Taste", "Chua's Column" and "Chua's Verse". To enjoy the rich content of the "Chua Lam Channel", 3 customers can choose to pay per viewing at a charge as low as HK$1, or join the "Chua Lam Community" at a monthly fee to view the channel at an attractive price. (£1 = HK$13.12)

Mrs Agnes Nardi, Managing Director of 3 Hong Kong, said during the press conference, "We are once again bringing customers a brand new video mobile phone and another pioneering video content. In addition to having all the advanced features of the NEC c616 video mobile phone, the present upgraded model NEC c616V has a built-in 300,000-pixel VGA camera for enhanced video and photo shooting performance. This new phone is available in a choice of graphite and silver colour. We are also delighted to partner with Hong Kong's top gourmet Mr Chua Lam to bring to our customers a rich infotainment service on gourmet dining, travel and leisure, and to have Mr Chua recommend special cuisines, restaurants, and dishes, as well as share his travel experiences and personal views on life in general. This partnership further enriches 3's video content and brings much convenience and pleasure to 3 customers."

Mr Chua Lam expressed his enthusiasm about being part of this pioneering service, "3's video mobile platform allows me to share the pleasures of life by offering personally selected entertainment and travel options in a more direct, flexible and interesting manner. I will bring 3 customers exclusive discounts and benefits so that they can save money when trying out the gourmet dishes I recommend to them at selected restaurants."

Brand new NEC c616V video mobile phone with high quality camera

The NEC c616V upgraded video mobile phone comes with a 300,000-pixel VGA camera for better images. Other leading features include video calling, video streaming, video messaging, POP3 and IMAP4 email access, JAVA application download, GPRS, bluetooth, supporting memory card and 65K colour screen, dual screen display and a camera flash. The 1100mAh slim-sized battery and the more powerful 1800mAh battery will be offered free for any purchase of the NEC c616V video mobile phone.

3 Hong Kong further presents a referral programme. 3 customers who succeed in recommending their family and friends to purchase the NEC c616V video mobile phone and subscribe to 3 services can enjoy a discount of HK$1,000 for purchasing the new handset model (original price at HK$3,980 per unit). For the new customers being referred, they can enjoy a discounted price as low as HK$1,440.

"Chua Lam Channel" combines gourmet and leisure information

When 3 customers log on to the "Chua Lam Channel", they can enjoy "Chua's Taste", "Chua's Column" and "Chua's Verse". By joining the "Chua Lam Community" service at only HK$25 per month, customers can also link to "Chua's Talk" to read the excellent articles there, or if they wish, send in questions for a chance of getting personal replies from Mr Chua.

Through video clips, "Chua's Taste" introduces 3 customers to specially selected cuisines and extends offers of "Chua's Menu" exclusive to 3 customers. To start off, there are exclusive offers from the world-famous Yung Kee Restaurant, as well as from Yeung's Kitchen which recently made a popular hit with their court-styled delicacies. From today, when 3 customers visit a restaurant recommended in "Chua's Taste", they only need to show their 3 video mobile phones to be offered specially designed ?Chua's Menu", enjoying the best meals at super-value prices. To view each video within "Chua's Taste", customers will deduct one "M" from their monthly plans and pay HK$2 per video while subscribers of "Chua Lam Community" will deduct only one "M" from their monthly plans.

In "Chua's Column", Mr Chua Lam fully shows his talents as an excellent columnist, sharing his beliefs in the pursuit of a better quality of life, his travel and dining adventures as well as his other experiences in life. Customers will deduct one "T" from their monthly plans and pay HK$1 per text message while subscribers of "Chua Lam Community" may read "Chua's Column" for free.

In "Chua's Verse", 3 customers can use multimedia messaging service to read and share with friends content of "Chua's Verse", through which he expresses his unique points of views and attitudes towards life. The charge for this service is the same for "Chua Lam Community" subscribers and other customers: to download or send one multimedia message, customers will deduct one "M" from their monthly plans and pay HK$9 per multimedia message.

3 Hong Kong currently provides 99% 3G network coverage in populated areas throughout Hong Kong. With over 1,300 radio stations (980 outdoor and 320 indoor), 3 Hong Kong is serving Hong Kong with the world's largest number of 3G radio stations in any single metropolitan city.