Immediate concerns for Filipino mobile operators appear to be the continued reluctance of subscribers totake up 3G services. This is best illustrated by the reluctance of both Smart and Globe to reveal their 3Gsubscriber figures. The main obstacle to growth appears to be the lack of affordable handsets, with mostUMTS-capable handsets retailing at between US$300 and US$400. In recent months, low cost handsetshave made their way onto the market - for example, LG has launched its KG KU250 model, which costsaround US$130. Smart says it has around 500,000 3G-enabled handsets on the network, while Globe hasabout 250,000. However, not all consumers with 3G handsets are subscribers to 3G services. Smart isbelieved to have 200,000 3G subscribers from its total base, while Globe has around 50-60,000 3Gsubscribers, according to local press reports.
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