Globe, Digitel want to make cut-price promo permanent

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-largest Philippine mobile phone company, and rival Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc. asked for regulatory approval to make permanent their cut-price call-rate promotions.

"We are still evaluating the applications filed by Globe and Digital Telecom,’’ said Edgardo Cabarios, a director at the Manila-based Philippine National Telecommunications Commission. He added "They will be called from time to time to formally hear their intent as to why they want to implement the promotion on a permanent basis.’’

Globe Telecom, Digital and other Philippine phone companies have introduced an array of promotional services that allow customers to make cheaper phone calls, in a bid to boost usage as competition rises and growth slows in mobile phone subscriptions, the industry’s most profitable segment.

The competition for cheap services was triggered by Digital which began offering a service last year that allows customers to make unlimited mobile phone calls and send unlimited text messages in an effort to boost subscriptions of its Sun Cellular, the smallest among the nation’s five mobile phone services. – Bloomberg