Smart launches unlimited call service in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Strengthening and guarding its position as the leader in mobile telecommunications services in the Philippines, Smart Communications Inc., (Smart) recently introduced its unlimited voice call promo to its growing 38 million subscribers nationwide.

Initially a promotional campaign, this unlimited voice call offer dubbed as “Smartalk,” is expected to draw in more Smart subscribers. 

“Times are hard therefore we have to adjust to the consumers’ pocket. We noticed that an increasing number of consumers are availing of bucket promotions, as they are looking for more value [added services],” said Danilo “Bong” Mojica, Smart’s head for wireless consumer division.

Mojica said Smart expects to fatten its subscriber base in the next few months, because of this unique offer.

The offer was officially launched in Cebu, the other day, to kick off its nationwide promotional campaign.

This new service, Mojica said does not require any changes in SIM or cellphone number and can be enjoyed by Smart Buddy (prepaid) and Smart Gold (postpaid) subscribers.

The “Smartalk 100” offer for instance provides subscriber five days of unlimited calls to any subscriber on the Smart network anywhere in the country. This is calculated to cost a subscriber only P20 day of call expenses.

While, the “Smartalk 500” package offers one-month unlimited call for subscribers that will translate to P17 call expense in a day.

SIM upgrade is automatically available to the 1.3 million load retailers nationwide, Mojica said.

“This is the biggest unlimited offer,” Mojica said adding that postpaid subscribers, who are not the main target of this “bucket promotion,” can still avail of the offer.

While, this particular campaign is considered as promotional, Mojica said the company will gauge the success of this promotion, and might extend the span of the service for a long term period depending on the consumer response.

Mojica dismissed impressions that this kind of cheap voice call offer is the network’s way of battling rivals’ unlimited offers such as the unlimited text and voice calls offered by the Gokongwei-controlled Sun Cellular.

He said Smart will further strengthen its leadership in the mobile telecom industry, and offering cheaper service rates is one of the driving forces to sustain and increase consumer base.

“This is the ultimate unlimited. Smartalk re-writes 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,” Mojica added.— Ehda M. Dagooc