iLounge

According to statements made by Advanced Info Service chief marketing officer Sanchai Thiewprasertkul, the Thai-based mobile operator is collaborating with Singapore Telecom and Australia’s Optus to launch the iPhone throughout the region. “Mr Sanchai said that AIS, in collaboration with SingTel and the Australian mobile operator Optus, were discussing phone volumes, marketing terms and business model partnerships,” the Bangkok Post reported. Optus is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecom, and SingTel owns 21.4 per cent of AIS; however, Sol Trujillo, CEO of competing Australia telecom Telestra, has said he had conversations with Apple about bringing the iPhone to the country. It was previously reported that Apple was in talks with AIS to launch the iPhone in Thailand, but Sanchai also warned that Apple’s demands for revenue sharing may prove to be a sticking point in the negotiations. “Given our one baht a minute of airtime, it would not make sense and would be impossible for us to share revenue with Apple,” Sanchai said.