M1 Stops PagingM1 Stops Paging

SINGAPORE -- M1 today announced that it would terminate its paging service on 31 December 2003, more than six years after its launch. M1 will offer its approximately 22,000 paging customers the option to switch to M1 GSM with attractive handset prices and subscription plans. Customers who switch will be able to retain their pager numbers as their mobile numbers.

Explaining the decision for the move, M1's Chief Executive Officer, Neil Montefiore, said : "Demand for paging service in Singapore has been declining sharply for some years now. IDA statistics indicate that pager subscriptions have plummeted from 1.12 million in April 1997, when M1 launched its service, to 242,700 in April this year, a drop of almost 80%. The affordability of mobile handsets and services coupled with the convenience and versatility of mobile technology have largely contributed to the declining popularity of the pager, and this trend is likely to continue."

"To minimise disruption and inconvenience to our paging customers, we are offering them attractive mobile packages as an alternative to ensure that they can continue to enjoy the benefits of a mobile lifestyle. We have also ensured that they can retain their pager numbers so that contact with their business and social networks is not affected," he said.

MobileOne (Asia) Pte Ltd. (M1)