Total Access Communication (DTAC), the country's third largest mobile operator by subscribers, is gearing up efforts to expand its customer base by working with PTG Energy, ThaiNamthip and Kasikornbank (KBank) to give away free prepaid SIM cards.
DTAC is also strengthening its prepaid brand positioning through a variety of jai dee (kind-hearted) services that provides users with assistance in their daily lives.
This includes Jai Dee Chuay Kah Ya discounts on medicine purchases at 400 pharmacies across the country. Prepaid customers can buy an online voucher worth 89 baht that can be used to purchase medicine valued at 200 baht.
The number of participating pharmacies is projected to rise to 7,000 by 2021.
The first batch of 500,000 free prepaid SIM cards, called "Termsuk SIM", will be handed out through the three partners.
Termsuk SIM cards provide users 1GB of internet service per week.
PTG Energy is the operator of PT gas stations, while ThaiNamthip is the largest producer and distributor of Coca-Cola products in Thailand. KBank is a major Thai bank.
DTAC chief marketing officer How Lih Ren said the company is gearing up for a nationwide campaign presenting three benefits: super-fast internet connection, excellent value and new services that make life easier for users.
The firm is sharpening its focus on provincial markets' rising prepaid data usage.
The company's prepaid data usage jumped 70% this year from last year, and it did so five times faster in the provinces than in Bangkok, he said.
DTAC is expanding its 4G network on the 700-megahertz spectrum range.
Mr How said the latest move is meant to help people during a depressed economy as 8.3 million people are expected to be jobless. Consumer behaviour has changed and more people are switching to online tasks.
"In the past eight months, DTAC prepaid users added credit on the system with 97 million transactions, with transactions starting from 10 baht," he said.
Mr How said DTAC prepaid users comprise more than 80% of total subscribers. Average revenue per user of prepaid services is 125 baht compared with more than 500 baht for postpaid users.
One of the 11 jai dee services offered is borrowing internet data service when users cannot yet pay for it.
"We never stop looking for ways to support our customers, particularly in the current economic climate," he said. "We also see a greater need for services and offers that can save our customers money in their daily lives."