Napocor taps Smart for pre-paid mobile phone services

MANILA, Philippines - State-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) has entered into a two-year multi-million peso contract with a unit of dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) to provide pre-paid mobile phone services to its employees nationwide.

Renato Castaneda, vice president for corporate relations of PLDT, said the government-owned and controlled corporation has appointed PLDT ALPHA Enterprises to supply and deliver pre-paid mobile phone services to Napocor employees through Smart Communications Inc.

As part of the multi-million peso contract, Castaneda pointed out that Napocor would enjoy post-paid benefits at pre-paid arrangements and would help the agency manage its operational expenses.

“With a pre-paid cellular phone service, Napocor can now monitor loads that are provided to its employees based on the approved amount per job grade plan,” he said.

Furthermore, PLDT corporate relationship business head Anton Lim said Napocor would have the flexibility to acquire additional services and add-on subscriptions immediately as the need arise.

Napocor manager Virgilio Leyba said the tie up would help boost employee productivity with improved communications within the company given Smart’s extensive network and reliable connectivity.

“Mobile communications is very important to Napocor as we operate from the different islands across the country in view of our mandate to energize the whole Philippines,” Leyba stressed.

This is not the first time Napocor entered into a partnership with PLDT after tapping ePLDT for the data communication link of 103 of its field offices, power barges, and off-grid/island grid power plants as part of its thrust to intensify missionary electrification.

ePLDT connected designated National Power sites nationwide through the Wide Area Network (WAN) connectivity project that provided voice, electronic mail, and file/data transfer services.

Aside from the Napocor head office, the other sites covered by the WAN project are Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Baguio City, Tacloban City in Leyte, Angat in Bulacan, Tablas Island in Romblon, Masbate, San Jose in Mindoro, Iloilo City, Davao City, and Zamboanga City.