PLDT mobile data revenues up in H1

MANILA, Philippines - Mobile data revenues of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) grew by more than a fifth in the first semester from a year ago supported by the company’s free Internet promo and digital service offerings.

In a statement, PLDT said its mobile data revenues from its wireless subsidiaries grew 21 percent to P4.7 billion in the first six months of the year from a year ago.

Mobile data traffic passing through PLDT’s wireless arm Smart Communications Inc. surged by almost 170 percent in the first-half.

PLDT said the tremendous growth in mobile data traffic shows more consumers are accessing the Internet on their mobile devices.

“This ‘data explosion’ started when we introduced our ‘Free Internet’ promo last year which aimed to give our subscribers an opportunity to try out various Internet and digital services,” Ariel P. Fermin, executive vice president and head of consumer business at Smart said.

As smartphone penetration increase, attractive data packages are introduced and more digital content services are rolled out, PLDT expects the trend of individuals accessing the Internet using mobile devices to continue until the end of the year.

The company is looking to take advantage of the trend by offering more digital content services.

Fermin said such move should bring in added revenues for the company.

Some of the new digital initiatives PLDT has undertaken include the Free Instagram offer for Smart subscribers, as well as the Free Facebook promo for Sun subscribers.

PLDT has also started stimulating data usage among subscribers through content partnerships.

Among the content partnerships launched in the first-half of the year was with Southeast Asia’s leading Internet TV service iflix which offers top shows and movies from around the world, and with global entertainment company Fox International Channels to provide PLDT HOME and Smart customers access to subscription video-on-demand as well as live shows and catch-up television.

Earlier, PLDT said it is spending $100 million on top of its record P43 billion worth of capital expenditures this year to acquire digital assets to serve the needs of evolving digital consumers.