PLDT wireless units tie up with traffic app developer

MANILA, Philippines - The wireless services companies of dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) tied up with community-based traffic and navigation app developer Waze to provide smartphone users the fastest and most efficient traffic maps and updates.

PLDT’s Smart Communications Inc., Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (Digitel), and Voyager Innovations Inc. became the first Philippine mobile operator partners of Waze.

Through this partnership, the PLDT companies would encourage further expansion of Waze usage in the Philippines through a marketing, promotion and distribution agreement to Smart and Sun’s more than 73.4 million subscribers.

In addition to special promotions, Smart and Sun would pre-install the Waze application on smartphones bundled under its commercial postpaid and prepaid offerings.  

The Waze Philippines map would display Smart and Sun-branded retail pins to help extend both companies’ customer service.

Digitel president and chief wireless advisor Orlando Vea said the company is proud to make Waze available to its subscribers.

 â€œWith our fast-growing smartphone subscriber base, Waze is an exciting addition to the growing number of Smart and Sun’s leading global mobile apps partners,” Vea said.

Charles Lim, executive vice president and head of consumer wireless business group for Smart and Sun, said in a statement that Waze provides real-time and community-based information to make navigating traffic easier.

“It is especially useful in the high-traffic areas of the country’s major cities and has a growing user base in the Philippines. This partnership is mutually beneficial to all parties - with our subscribers enjoying a world-class mobile app and with Waze having access to the biggest share of the Philippine mobile services market,” Lim said.

Voyager chief operating officer Jose Benjamin Fernandez said the company would serve as a critical partner working with Waze for technology integration and exchange of map data for both Smart and Sun. 

“Voyager is bringing Waze, a leading crowd-sourced mapping and traffic information app experience to the Philippines. By downloading the app, users can gain access to a rich navigation experience thru the mobile phone - no need for another gadget.  It is just the beginning – we are bringing more of these innovative services to enrich everyday life,” he said. Waze was recognized as Best Overall App at the Global Mobile Awards 2013 in Barcelona, Spain early this year. With the Philippines as one of the fast-growing smartphone markets in Southeast Asia, mobile apps and data usage is on the rise.