AMID a tight competition and the economic slowdown, Smart Communications Inc. reported a double-digit growth in subscriber base, boosted by cheap promotional offerings.
The country’s leading mobile- phone provider said subscriber base rose to 35 million as of end-2008, up by 16 percent compared with last year.
Smart said the growth in the cellular business was bolstered by new low-cost service offerings that were developed, based on the usage patterns of subscribers.
Napoleon Nazareno, Smart president and chief executive, said the company has maintained its leadership in the mobile-phone industry through innovative product offerings based on strategic market.
“We call it ‘slicing and dicing’ the market and the objective is to address the needs of different segments of our subscriber base.”
Orlando Vea, Smart chief wireless advisor said, “We complemented our initiatives in our mainstream business by introducing mobile broadband services that are laying the foundation for our future growth. This is part of our vision of promoting Internet for all as a means of further improving the lives of Filipinos.”
In the last quarter of 2008, Smart also boosted its postpaid business by introducing Smart
Gold Lite, which offers an affordable voice call rate of P2 per minute for Smart-to-Smart calls.
After building its fixed wireless Internet service, Smart also said that the company is now developing its mobile Internet business.
In 2008, it launched postpaid and prepaid Smart Bro mobile Internet services using USB modem devices. By year-end, this was the fastest-growing segment of the wireless broadband business.
“Offering USB plug it devices attached to laptops is the first step in developing the mobile broadband business. Soon, you will see more compelling applications offered via cellular handsets. This will usher in the mobile broadband era where the mobile phone is the preferred Internet access device for millions of Filipinos. This will make Internet for All possible,” Vea said.
Smart’s current drive to make broadband Internet more widely available and accessible to
Filipinos aims to replicate what the company helped achieve for its mobile phone business. –Darwin G. Amojelar, Manila Times
It’s women’s month!
“Support women every day of the year!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and Made-in-the-Philippines
Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
Mar 4— Employee Appreciation Day
Mar 15 — World Consumer Rights Day
Mar 18 — Global Recycling Day
Mar 21 — International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Mar 23 — International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
Mar 25 — International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
Mar 27 — Earth Hour
