Mobile leader Advanced Info Service (AIS) is extending its chargeable mobile content service in a drive to boost the strength of its non-voice business and increase revenue.
Jirayu ‘James’ Tangsrisuk, a brand endorser for 3G service, shows his James’ Life app developed by AIS for his fans.
The company launched yesterday what it calls a celebrities app, dubbed the first time in the mobile industry brand endorsers partnered for applications.
Celebrities can earn revenue for their self-generated content by selling to fan clubs via mobile devices.
After spending 14 million baht on TV star Jirayu "James" Tangsrisuk as a brand endorser for 3G service in one year, AIS is collaborating with Mr Jirayu for the James' Life app.
Pratthana Leelapanang, AIS's senior vice-president for digital products and service, said local celebrity content has become an emerging market for mobile entertainment apps, apart from local music, information, entertainment news, sports and horoscopes.
The application comprises new versions of James' stickers with his real photos instead of cartoon characters, photo frames and updated video clips of activities.
The application works with phones running on iOS and Android. Customers can download it by dialing *303*3#. The company charges 29 baht per download.
Mr Pratthana said AIS has 13 million mobile internet users, 9 million of which are social-media users.
As of June, he said the company's non-voice revenue accounted for 30% of total consolidated revenues.
Mobile data services made up half of AIS's non-voice revenue, followed by chargeable premium content at 35% and SMS service 15%.
Mr Pratthana said non-voice revenue in Japan and South Korea accounts for over half of mobile operators' revenues.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) recently reported that as of October, Thailand has 17.7 million 3G subscribers on the 2.1-gigahertz frequency. Of the total, AIS had 12 million users, followed by DTAC's Trinet with 5 million and True Move H 700,000.
Mobile payment service is a major revenue source for AIS, thanks to the proliferation of smartphones.