'Ultimate unlimited' calling for 38-million Smart subscribers

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Communications Inc. has launched a new service that enables Smart Buddy and Smart Gold subscribers to make unlimited calls to over 38 million mobile phone users on its network.

Called Smartalk, the new service does not require any changes in SIM or cellphone number. Subscribers simply purchase loads for unlimited calls that come in two denominations.

One is “Smartalk 100,” which for P100 offers five days of unlimited calls to any subscriber on the Smart network anywhere in the country, at any time of the day.

The other is “Smartalk 500,” which offers 30 days of unlimited calls to any subscriber on the Smart network for only P500 — effectively reducing the cost to as low as P17 for a whole day of unlimited calling to any number within the country’s largest mobile subscriber base.

“With this new service, subscribers need only one phone, one SIM, and one number to make unlimited, crystal-clear calls to over 38 million Smart numbers anytime, anywhere,” says Orlando Vea, chief wireless advisor and one of the founders of Smart.

“This is our way of helping out our subscribers in these difficult times and responding to the government’s call for more affordable telecommunications services,” he adds.

Danilo Mojica, head of Smart’s wireless consumer division, calls the new service “the ultimate unlimited.”

He says, “Smartalk rewrites the rules in the way ‘unlimited’ mobile services are made available to Filipinos — no other service offering provides unlimited, nationwide calling to a subscriber base as large as Smart’s, while assuring callers of crystal-clear signal quality anywhere in the country.”

Smart Buddy prepaid subscribers may avail themselves of the new service by texting Talk100 to 6400 for a Smartalk 100 package, or Talk500 to 6400 for a Smartalk 500 load.

The payment will be automatically deducted from the subscribers’ prepaid load, and they just need to have a P1 maintaining balance. They can also buy Smartalk packages as a load from any of over a million Smart Load retailers all over the country.

When making a call using the Smartalk unlimited package, Smart Buddy subscribers just need to dial *6400 plus the 11-digit subscriber number being called, for example, *640009181234567.

Subscribers of Smart Gold, the company’s pioneering postpaid brand, may also stretch their monthly budget for mobile services by availing themselves of Smartalk.

All Smart Gold subscribers to Plan 800 and up may avail themselves of 30 days of unlimited calls to any number within the Smart network with Smartalk 500.

They just need to send Talk500 to 6400 to purchase the package, and the P500 charge will be billed on top of their monthly service fee.

Smart Gold subscribers can also purchase Smartalk 100 or Smartalk 500 from any of over a million Smart Load retailers all over the country. This is best for postpaid subscribers who prefer to stay within their monthly fee cap yet need to avail themselves of unlimited calling service through the convenience of a prepaid package.

Smart is widely credited with making mobile phone services much more affordable and accessible, when it introduced “sachet” packets of prepaid airtime through Smart Load.

The electronic load platform has also enabled it to offer a wide variety of light call-and-text packages available through a retailer network that has every corner of the country covered.

“Over the years we have progressively lowered the costs of our services and designed our services to truly meet the varying needs and purchasing power of our subscribers. By offering Smartalk — a service that’s easy to understand, ubiquitous, and affordable — Smart once again transforms the playing field and offers real value to mobile subscribers,” Vea says.

Initially Smartalk will be available nationwide until Sept. 30. For more information, log on to www.smart.com.ph.