Singapore Telecommunications ( SingTel), the leading telecom operator in the city state, launched a third generation (3G) mobile phone service named "3G TV," according to Channel NewsAsia report on Monday night.

The first-ever initiative, with access to a video portal on a 3G platform instead of using the normal Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) access, allows users to enjoy video on their handsets in an easy and visual way.

Users may view all the 3G TV contents for free till the end of this year before a charge ranging from 0.5 to 3 Singapore dollars (about 0.3 to 1.8 US dollars) per channel applies in the future.

Currently serving some 40,000 3G subscribers, SingTel plans to launch two more 3G initiatives, Video Call on Broadband and 3G Live Cam, by the end of 2005, said the report.

Attempting to spur the market demand for 3G services, SingTel claimed that it is lowering the margins for the initial period, expecting the 3G penetration to leap over time.

Singapore commercially rolled out the 3G services on Feb. 17 this year and as many as 744,800 Singaporeans are expected to use 3G mobiles by 2009, accounting for about 20 percent of the country 's population.

Source: Xinhua