CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited has announced the launch of the self-developed “DataMall Global Data Traffic Trading Platform” starting 1 October 2015, providing an innovative and revolutionary business model for global data roaming services, to capture the enormous potential of global mobile data consumption and combat the challenge of high service costs. The DataMall platform is a key component of the Group’s transformation, business and innovative strategy.
DataMall is the first international mobile data traffic trading platform in the world. Through this platform, operators may provide local data services to mobile phone users visiting from overseas, these users can do it without changing their SIM card, mobile phone numbers or using any external devices, and they can subscribe, pay for and use the service through the devices and mobile apps of the platform’s business partners. Thus, it is one of the most convenient international mobile data traffic solutions available on the market. DataMall is an open platform aims for win-win cooperation that supports mobile operators, virtual mobile operators, handset manufacturers, OTT internet companies, financial and tourism related companies, etc. These partners can use the innovative DataMall platform to provide a greater range of services to customers, providing dynamic local mobile data services to customers and lowering the costs of international mobile data.
Data traffic has become an irreplaceable service for smartphone users, but the rocketing charges of international data roaming has been a hot global topic. Market data shows that more than 47% users of data roaming service are “Silent Roamers”, they are concerned about the charges that they choose to disable the data roaming function, and there are as many as 70% users that do not have data roaming, which in turn suppresses the demand for related services. Thus, many companies cannot secure data roaming customers and for this reason lose business opportunities. DataMall has been created under such operating environment.
Mr. Xin Yue Jiang, Chairman of CITIC Telecom said, “The mobile data services segment is one of core strategies in the Group’s development. The launch of DataMall unlocks new growth drivers and reinforces the Group’s strategy to ‘maintain a solid foundation in mainland China, with Hong Kong and Macau’s operational bases serving as connections to accelerate expansion into international markets’, creating added value for its partners.”
Dr. Lin Zhenhui, Chief Executive Officer of CITIC Telecom said, “DataMall is a major breakthrough in the conventional overseas roaming business and technological model in the internet era. It marks a departure from the ‘mutual agency model’ of conventional roaming service. DataMall delivers a ‘direct transaction’ between local operators and consumers, giving consumers the choice of choosing a specific overseas data network and turning data traffic into a tradable commodity around the world. Therefore, wider acceptance of the DataMall model will bring greater convenience to end-users and lower their spending, as well as creating new business opportunities for the platform’s partners.”
Mr. Sutton Cheung, Chief Technology Officer of CITIC Telecom explained, “DataMall leverages CITIC Telecom’s technical capabilities and business understanding, it has achieved innovations in network construction, operations and services, allowing platform partners to provide non-roaming, local mobile data service through smart phone apps (iOS or Andriod), mobile phones of specific brands, internal website interfaces of other applications, platforms of operators and social media platforms (such as WeChat and Weibo), etc. Users can easily access overseas networks by combing the technologies of smart phone apps and ‘Cloud SIM Cards’ as a local user, as they can purchase local data service packages anytime and anywhere they want.”
Mobile operators and major handset manufacturers in the Greater China region will become the first batch of cooperative partners to join the DataMall platform. Mobile operators from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore will also join DataMall as merchants, providing online transaction service for mobile data traffic products. It is expected that the coverage of the DataMall platform will further expand to countries and regions including the United States, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Europe by the end of 2015. Looking ahead, mobile operators, virtual mobile operators, OTT internet companies, financial and tourism enterprises from around the world will also become potential cooperative partners of the DataMall platform. As the DataMall platform expands, partners can offer more diverse services to users, including flexible cross-border and cross-country traffic, global traffic, traffic management, traffic resale and transfer services. Through cooperation with these partners, merchants and DataMall platform, users are no longer bound by the choice of network or service and they can use data traffic on their smartphones for business and pleasure freely and happily without cost concerns.
