PLDT vice-president Joaquin L. San Agustin said this new service would enable a PLDT landline subscriber to send and receive text messages from another PLDT landline subscriber and to Smart and Talk ‘n Text users.
"The landline phone can now do everything that a cellphone can do. It is not merely a gadget you use for making phone calls anymore. You can now use it for texting and even content downloading for news, traffic updates, etc. This time, however, you have the reliability of fixed line technology," San Agustin explained.
Called PLDT Hype, this new service requires the use of special phones and has an affordable monthly fee so that PLDT subscribers can take advantage of the usefulness and ease of texting via landline.
With this service, there will be no need to reload, no weak signal, and no low battery problems unlike the mobile phone.
"This new product ushers in the landline’s resurgence in the telecommunications industry. We at PLDT continue to find creative and innovative ways to address the needs of our customers," San Agustin added.
There are three gadget models available: The Siemens’ Gigaset, Atlinks’ Biloba, and the TXT Pad. The Gigaset and the Biloba are cordless phones with LCD screens similar to cellular phones while the Txt Pad is a handy keyboard with a large LCD screen that is attached to a traditional PLDT handset.
These gadgets have built-in caller ID and phonebook features. One even has speakerphone capability and has a number of ringer tones to choose from.
The costs of these gadgets range from P1,500 to P5,500 depending on whether the user is a post-paid subscriber or a Telesulit (pre-paid) subscriber.
Post-paid users can avail themselves of either Plan 250 (P250 monthly) or Plan 550 (P550 monthly), inclusive of caller ID service. Subscribers of these plans also enjoy up to 200 free text message allocations per month.
PLDT is giving an introductory offer of two months’ free use of the service. Free units will also be given to selected high-end customers.
Also, for a limited time only, text messages exceeding the allocation will cost 50 centavos each for landline to landline, P1 for landline to cellular, and P15 for international text messages. For Telesulit users who pay per use of the service, landline to landline messages will cost 75 centavos each, P1.25 for landline to cellular, and P15 for international.
Subscribers to PLDT Hype will also be able to join the text-based activities and games of two major TV networks, ABS-CBN Channel 2 and GMA-Channel 7; avail themselves of chatting services on major chat channels such as LINK TV, The Lounge, Cable Café, FUSE, and MYX; avail themselves of Pinoycentral services such as chatting, news, horoscopes, and sports updates; and take advantage of other various services such as downloads of weather and showbiz information. Additional services will also be introduced regularly as they become available.
"PLDT is the first to offer this innovation in the country and is one of the first in Asia. Texting has become a vital means of communications for many Filipinos. Those without cellular phones and pre-paid cellphone subscribers who want to save on cellphone load will find PLDT Hype a useful, complementary, and convenient means of communication," said San Agustin.
"This is just the start of fixed lines’ resurgence in the telecommunications industry.You can expect other new services soon," he added.