TWO weeks into the latest round of competition in the cellphone markets and already, customers are turning out to be the big winners. All three telcos here are slashing prices for even the latest and most-wanted mobile phones by as much as $600, in a bid to woo and retain customers.

Usually, telcos offer customers subsidies of about $300-$400 for phones, but now, such subsidies have almost doubled in some cases.

Though users have not been rushing to switch telcos at the get-go, the fact that the new rules allows them to do so and still keep their numbers means telcos are being forced to work harder to retain subscribers.

Analysts say the number of people switching from one telco to another may be small - 5 to 15 per cent in the first year - but that does not mean consumers are not benefitting from the tougher competition.

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.