MANILA, Philippines - More and more Filipinos are using Smart Communications’ mobile application platform SmartNet to avoid unexpected Internet data charges.
Smart’s chief wireless advisor Orlando Vea said the company continues to promote mobile Internet usage in the country but at the same time makes its more affordable and safe for subscribers.
Introduced in 2011, SmartNet has steadily gained ground with over one million users now because it offers a suite of popular mobile applications such as Twitter, Facebook, Facebook Chat, and Yahoo! Messenger for free.
It also allows users to browse Smart’s news aggregator service Headlines, and use Yahoo! search and email services on their mobile phone without added data charges.
“Available on Android, iOs and Windows operating systems, SmartNet is a Filipino innovation that provides a model for other emerging markets where subscribers have limited budgets for Internet services,†Vea stressed.
A key innovative feature of SmartNet is a widget called Safe Zone, which serves as the platform’s anti-bill shock solution.
By simply pressing the widget’s “Internet button,†users can turn “off†all applications outside of the SmartNet suite of applications. If users want to access Internet services outside of SmartNet, they can just press the widget’s Internet button once more to turn “on†these services. Only then will regular data charges apply.
“By giving subscribers full control of their Internet usage, SmartNet gives them greater confidence to actually use more web-based services. The strategy is working. SmartNet users are heavier data users than average subscribers,†he added.
The average monthly revenue per subscriber in the Philippines is below $5 providing little headroom for people to spend on mobile Internet services.
Moreover, people with tight budgets are hurt much more by unexpected data charges, which often happen because they are unfamiliar with the data features of smartphones.
By removing that fear and offering a suite of popular social media services for free, Smart head for Internet product management Michael Padua said SmartNet opens the door for people to try out mobile Internet services.
“We developed SmartNet to address the unique needs of Filipinos. Pinoys are a social media-savvy people – there are 30 million of us on Facebook and 10 million on Twitter – but many of us are hesitant to use mobile Internet for fear of bill shock. Through SmartNet, we are making the Internet and social media more accessible to Filipinos,†he said.