CTExcelbiz to run on the Everything Everywhere network to offer customised service for UK's Chinese population
China Telecom Europe, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Telecom in the EMEA region, has announced that its CTExcelbiz MVNO has now launched on the Everything Everywhere network. Partnering with Everything Everywhere and its MVNA partner, Transatel, China Telecom Europe is the first Chinese telecom operator to launch MVNO services outside China.
CTExcelbiz is a tailored pay as you go mobile service aimed at meeting the specific communication requirements of the UK's Chinese population, be they permanent residents, students or tourists.
To cater for the specific needs of its customer base, CTExcelbiz will offer Chinese language voicemail services, a bi-lingual Chinese-English customer service hotline and website, unlimited free calls among CTExcelbiz users, and low cost bundles at highly competitive rates, available both in-store and online.
Yan Ou, managing director of China Telecom Europe, said: 'We are very excited to launch the CTExcelbiz brand into the UK, and offer the Chinese population here services that have not been available to them before. With Transatel's help, we have been able to get up and running very quickly, and we look forward to expanding our international relationship with Everything Everywhere to launch in other European markets over the coming months.
'With increasing numbers of Chinese visitors to the UK, we will be rolling out innovative and targeted mobile services to our customers,' he added. 'These will include the provision of a local Chinese number for friends and family to call, a chat application for customers to share content with each other, and an information service hotline in Chinese targeted at travellers to the UK, to name just a few.'
Marc Overton, vice president of wholesale and M2M at Everything Everywhere, said: 'We're delighted that CTExcelbiz has been readied for launch in just a few months. China Telecom Europe has some exciting plans for this brand, and Everything Everywhere will ensure they have all the tools they need to provide their customers with the outstanding voice and mobile data capabilities you would expect from the UK's largest mobile communications company.'
Chinese H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming said at the launch of CTExcelbiz: 'This event means China Telecom Europe is the first Chinese telecommunications operator to launch its own branded mobile service outside China. I believe the launch of CTExelbiz in the UK has the following three advantages. First, it has made full use of advances in technology. This is the mobile virtual network operator technology, better known as MVNO. MVNO enables China Telecom to combine its strengths with a local mobile service provider. That is why China Telecom has collaborated with the UK mobile business Everything Everywhere. The collaboration with Everything Everywhere will give China Telecom a platform to promote its own distinctive retail mobile services.'
The second advantage, said Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, is the large Chinese population in the UK that potentially may use the service. Around 600,000 Chinese live in the UK, while a further 100,000 Chinese students study here. Additionally, 200,000 Chinese tourists and tens of thousands of business travellers visit the country.
This figure will be boosted significantly this summer, when Britain hosts the 2012 Olympics, giving CTExelbiz its third advantage of timing; Ambassador Liu Xiaoming commented: 'CTExelbiz has seized a rare opportunity which is the coming London Olympic Games. In two months time, hundreds of Chinese athletes, coaches and thousands of Chinese journalists will arrive in London. On top of this, it is estimated that Britain will receive at least 170,000 spectators and tourists from China's mainland around the Olympic Games. All these people will need convenient and quality communication with friends and families. I have no doubt that CTExcelbiz will be their first choice.'
Everything Everywhere currently has the following MVNO partners: Virgin, H3G, Telecom Plus, Ikea, Vectone, Nowtel, Matrix, Econet, Lycamobile, Cable and Wireless, i-Pass, Talk Talk Business, Intercity and Talk Home. In addition the following MVNOs are on Eveything Everywhere's network through Transatel: Axis Telecom, Unicom, Priyo, The Phone Co-Op, Shebang, Apollo, Zamir Telecom, Team SIM, Natterbox, and China Telecom (Europe).
