Singaporean data disruptor Circles.Life plans regional expansion – CNET

capture

The virtual network operator is also offering a free trial for new customers that comes with 20GB.

Circles.Life

A plucky virtual network operator from Singapore is hoping to change things in the region.

Having successfully disrupted the local scene by offering consumers bigger data caps compared to traditional carriers, Circles.Life is hoping to shake things up in Indonesia and Hong Kong next.

Unlike traditional carriers, Circles.Life doesn’t have infrastructure like cell towers. Similar to other virtual network operators in the US, such as Cricket Wireless, Circles.Life leases its network from a traditional carrier to do business.

vCard QR Code

vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.

The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.

The company said today it plans to launch in the region’s biggest market of Indonesia before the end of the year. Hong Kong is also in the works, though a timeline has not yet been revealed.

The announcement comes off the launch of a new service called Circles Switch in Singapore that offers potential customers a free trial of its network. It lets users sign up for a 20GB a month plan, a move similar to Netflix’s free one month trial, though Circles.Life lasts till 31 Dec 2017.

Users who subscribe to the service will automatically port their current number to the new plan after the trial ends, though they can cancel before this happens with no penalty. In Singapore, users typically sign two-year contracts when buying a new phone, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 or the iPhone 8 Plus, and Circles.Life is hoping to snag new customers who are about to recontract.

Circles.Life is currently aiming for a three to five percent share of the local Singapore market, and has stated that it is ahead of schedule by two years. Competition is expected to get heated once the fourth carrier, Australian-based TPG Telecom, enters the fray in 2018.

Batteries Not Included: The CNET team shares experiences that remind us why tech stuff is cool.

CNET Magazine: Check out a sampling of the stories you’ll find in CNET’s newsstand edition.


🕐 Top News in the Last Hour By Importance Score

# Title 📊 i-Score
1 My Kids Were Targeted by Scams. Here’s How I Keep Them Safe 🔴 75 / 100
2 Blue Skies Space to build satellite fleet around the moon to map the ancient universe 🔴 72 / 100
3 Shocking moment bull smashes into children at Easter festival after crashing through flimsy barrier and goring the crowd 🔴 72 / 100
4 Who is Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the acting head of the Vatican? 🔴 72 / 100
5 Game Boy clone maker Anbernic suspends all shipments to US 🔴 70 / 100
6 With a jury now in place, the heart of Karen Read's retrial is set to begin 🔴 65 / 100
7 The cruise offering 'floating homes' and a never-ending holiday – but it will cost £490k 🔵 55 / 100
8 Lyrids Meteor Shower Peaking Tuesday: Get Outside and Watch the Fireballs 🔵 40 / 100
9 Harrison admits he misjudged Dončić’s popularity with fans before Lakers trade 🔵 35 / 100
10 Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for April 22 🔵 35 / 100

View More Top News ➡️