PLDT Online expands global reach

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s (PLDT) web portal PLDT Online, which was launched last year for the US market, has now expanded its reach to most countries in the world to serve a larger market of Filipinos abroad.

PLDT Online now serves Filipinos in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and many other countries.

PLDT Global Online Inc. vice-president Ariel Roda said this presents a great opportunity for PLDT to reach out to more Filipinos in foreign countries who want to keep in touch with their relatives and friends back home.

"We launched the service last year for US-based Filipinos in order to test the waters for this relatively untapped marketing medium. With the success of the portal in the US market, we now feel the timing is right for rolling out the service worldwide," Roda said.

Through the portal, Filipinos abroad can now easily avail of affordable telecommunications and other value-added services that will help them keep in touch with relatives and friends in the Philippines.

They can purchase prepaid international calling credits, order telephone line installations for relatives back in the Philippines, treat friends through online purchase of Jollibee and SM Gift Certificates and even load Smart and Talk ‘n Text prepaid mobile phones.

"By empowering our Filipinos offshore and giving them access to a wide variety of Filipino services uniquely designed for them, we allow them to still play an active role in the lives of their loved ones here in the Philippines," PLDT Global Online Inc. president Alfredo Panlilio pointed out.

Meanwhile, Roda revealed that PLDT Online is continually expanding its product offerings and that a new product line for the Christmas season is in the works.

Some of the products and services available through the portal include: PLDT USAP TAYO! (Let’s Talk!) ePhone Cards or calling cards that are "clean," reliable and which offer lower rates for calls to the Philippines and are available online through credit cards; PLDT Telesulit service which allows US-based Filipinos to pay for installation and purchase of prepaid phone credits for friends and family in the Philippines; SmartLoad and Talk ‘N Text Load which allows US-based Filipinos to replenish credits for prepaid cellular phones for friends and family in the Philippines; gift vertificates from popular retail chains which allows for online purchase of gift certificates to be delivered to friends and family in the Philippines; and Philippine news, sports, financial and entertainment news headlines as well as AM/FM Internet radio broadcasts.

The portal uses reliable technology to ensure that online credit card transactions are secure and that services and products are easily obtained.

PLDT Online is also talking with other like-minded companies who may want to make their products available through the portal as well.