Cheap calls make '3' sales surge

net1

Retailers are reporting sales of 15,000 a week for '3' handsets up from 3,000 following the company's decision to gamble on cutting its monthly tariff. Following disastrous sales in the weeks following launch, earlier this month '3' introduced two new 'video talk' packages offering 500 or 750 'any network' minutes for E35 or E50. This undercuts similar offers from other MNOs and has sparked the consumer's interest in a way the much promoted video calling or watching goals on the phone did.

Retailers also claim the returns rate is relatively low at 5-10% only slightly higher than with other networks. However the apparent turnaround in demand comes at a heavy price with reports suggesting retailers are getting a E450-580 subsidy per customer - about double the other networks - as '3' drives for market share.