SQ SMS Check-in

Singapore has recently launched a SMS Check-in Service, which draws my attention immediately. You can find the link here of you can see the text below: 

Singapore Airlines is pleased to offer you SMS Check-in service designed to reduce hassle and offer more convenience should you be on the go.
To take advantage of this facility, you need to be a Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer or PPS Club member. When you log-in to your KrisFlyer account, access  “My Booking Alerts” and register for a personal flight alerts profile. 
To check-in, simply reply with the given code in the check-in notification sent from “SQAlert” and you will receive a check-in confirmation message when you are successfully checked-in for yourself. 
SMS Check-in is currently available for flights operated by Singapore Airlines with the exception of flights departing from Colombo.  The service is unavailable for mobile phone subscribers in Canada, Japan, Korea and USA.

For me, this is kind of innovative service because it is really better to check-in with mobile, especially when I am in oversea where internet connection is not obvious. The process is simple, just replying a SMS. It is done.

But then, the next question coming is, why I need to do an early check-in?
To reduce hassle, which is answered in the above already.

However, how do we present the boarding pass? Perhaps one day, the Singapore airport and some more airports allow to use a bardcode (or something else) on the mobile as the boarding pass, it could be the solution. Technically is possible and it is not very costly. But I don't see this will happen because part of the check-in process is visual check. This can't be done by a mobile device. In addition, even if I have checked in with mobile but I arrive the airport late. At the counter, will the airline still help me to print the boarding pass? I doubt. Or they have just released by seat because I did not show up in time.

The second reason for an early check-in is to select a seat, but I don't think this can't be done by SMS.

So? Do I need a SMS check-in?

Singapore Funny Posters Series

係星加坡，見得最多既就係所有預防既 Poster。
係地鐵有預防恐怖襲擊，係 商場 / Food Court 有預防小偷，係球場有預防雷擊，偷車場有預防汽車底盜竊，Lift 都會有 Lift Robbery。

近期 D 既有洗手 Poster...

再近期 D 既有 Great Singapore Steal，因為就尼有 Great Singapore Sales...

有 Poster 係好事。不過呢 D Poster 絕對會多過香港 D 美容纖體 Posters...  同埋，睇完 D poster 真係會令人好不安。~


呢張好 D，只係警告呀，有少少似漁濃署既山泥警告牌。

呢個 slogan 幾押韻

 

呢四張就不得了，係一 Set 咁。其實仲有好多款。有機會見到新款 Upload 埋。

 

呢張我估 D 小朋友睇到會喊啦

呢張如果我係遊客，我睇到我會即刻走...

黑社會歡迎你

One day, I went to the biggest shopping mall in Singapore, Vivo City. i saw this banner and i through this is so funny.

It is actually a banner from a restaurant. The name of the restaurant is "Boss", and the Chinese name is '黑社會'!

Look at this banner, it actually said '黑社會歡迎你'. I guess they just want to make a joke, but i don't think this is any funny.

Or, I just can't imagine, when we are going to have a dinner outside. Someone will ask, where we go to eat........... Hm.. "黑社會", even in English "Bosses". 

Hm... or actually, 其實我應該無資格話人. XD

Why I need to switch to prepaid mobile service in Singapore?

Usually, a mobile operator would prefer a postpaid (contract) subscriber rather than a prepaid subscriber. It is because postpaid subscribers are usually more loyal to the network and they generate higher revenue.
Postpaid subscribers also bind to a contract in term of years. It could mean the operator can give a bigger discount because once they have signed the contract, the cost to manage them for the coming years (1 year - 2 years usually) will be lower.

In simple, postpaid subscribers are higher revenue and lower cost.

On the other hand, prepaid subscriber is price sensitive and they are easier switched to other operators just because of the price. They usually don't value the service provided by the operator. From every annual reports of any mobile operators, we can easily figure out that the value of a postpaid subscriber is much higher than a prepaid subscriber.

Moreover, the additional cost overhead such as SIM cards, topup cards are also huge. Therefore, a prepaid subscriber usually means lower revenue and higher cost.

However, after receiving this bill, I would switch my postpaid subscription to prepaid subscription.

The picture here may not clear, but basically:
1: Postage & Handling Fee for Reminder. S$0.50
  I am being charged because I paid my bill late. They have sent a reminder and it costs $0.5.
2: Caller-ID: S$5.00. Caller ID service is worths $5
3: AutoRoam: S$10.00: Roaming service is $10. It allows your mobile to roam.
4: Free v019: S$5.35. IDD call, subscription is S$5.35 per month.

If I switch to prepaid, the item 2 - 4 will be ALL free. It is just part of the package. In addition, since I become a prepaid subscriber, the operator does not need to send a reminder if I pay my bill late. I will save $0.50.

It is true that my mobile bill is paid by company. But I don't feel I am a value customer at all. One time, I paid my bill late, they have stopped my service when I was in Jakarta. I can't make call and I can't receive call. The operator did not allow me to log on to any network.

That's all.

Arsenal Singapore Club

After losing to Man U last night, surfing the Arsenal Singapore Club web site and found out that they have posted some pictures of the futsal game I played before.

Then, I found out that I was captured in one of the pictures... Haha...

DA21, DA12-24 @ Clarke Quay

In one evening, the sky was pretty and I have went to Clarke Quay to take few evening shots.
 

 

DA21

 

DA21

DA12-24@15mm

Airfare: CX vs SQ

在一個偶然的情況之下，去了 Cathay 和 Singapore Airlines 的網頁。
在現今的經濟情況下，幾乎所有的航空公司都有不錯的優惠。始終，無論個人或公務而出外的人都少了。而所有的新聞都說明航空是艱難的一年。

看看 CX 的海嘯價，注意以下貨幣是新加坡圓：

從香港人看來，沒有什麼特別之處。星加坡曼谷 S$150 (HK$ 765)，星加坡台灣 S$380 (HK$1938)，星加坡日本 S$480 (HK$2448)，星加坡上海 S$430 (HK$2193)，星加坡美國 S$950 (HK$4845)。
我只可以說，超值。星加坡日本 $2448。從前這個價錢由星加坡回香港都不夠，現在加送日本。

再看看 Singapore Airline：

從香港人看來，這一個是震憾價。
星加坡東京 S$798，星加坡上海 S$838，星加坡北京 S$938，星加坡台北 S$838。星加坡 Los Angeleus S$1498。注意的地方是，去東京是最少二人同行，所以價錢平一點。

有趣的地方是，星加坡台北 S$838，CX 是 S$380。用同樣的錢，CX 是二人同行還有錢來買免稅品。到上海也差不多差兩倍。

很有趣的現像。