ABS-CBN launches foray into telecom business

MANILA, Philippines - Multimedia giant ABS-CBN Corp. has initially launched its foray into the telecommunications business to become a third player in the capital-intensive industry dominated by Smart Communications Inc. as well as Globe Telecom Inc.

ABS-CBNmobile, a joint venture between ABS-CBN and Globe, is giving away 100,000 subscriber identification module (SIM) cards to survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda to help them communicate with family and friends.

These will be given away along with relief packages, in tandem with Sagip Kapamilya relief efforts in several Yolanda-hit areas,” the company said in a statement.

Each ABS-CBNmobile SIM card has free prepaid load worth P50, 15 free texts to all networks, and 5MB of Internet that the survivors could use to connect with their loved ones.

ABS-CBNmobile would make available another 100,000 SIM cards to sell in Metro Manila and other areas not affected by the typhoon to enable the sharing of load with the survivors.

Just buy ABS-CBNmobile SIM cards found in sari-sari stores and tiangges and share load by texting Share <space>< amount> and send to 2131. Any of the following load amounts can be shared: P10, P20, P50, P100.

All load shared would be collected and distributed to the Yolanda survivors. To find out how much load has been shared, ABS-CBNmobile SIM card subscribers can text Share <space>Status to 2131. All transactions to 2131 are free. 

Given the limited telecom signal and access to television currently being experienced in Yolanda-ravaged areas, ABS-CBNmobile and SkyCable have partnered to put up TV viewing stations and calling centers, starting with Tacloban and to be rolled out in other key calamity areas.

The viewing and calling centers would be available until power and communication lines in affected areas have normalized.

ABS-CBN has partnered with Globe as part of its efforts to boost the company’s media convergence strategy. Globe is in the middle of taking over cash-strapped Bayan Telecommunications Holdings Inc. of the Lopez family.

Last May, ABS-CBN and Globe forged an agreement to launch ABS-CBN Mobile as a third player in the competitive telecommunications industry dominated by rivals Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Globe.

The broadcast firm through ABS-CBN Convergence would offer traditional telecom services such as voice calls and short messaging system (SMS) as well as wireless internet to deliver content just like the two major players.

ABS-CBN is spending as much as P3 billion to acquire communications equipment and for working capital while utilizing the network of Globe nationwide.

Under the partnership, ABS-CBN would buy capacity from Globe on a wholesale basis as part of the network sharing agreement to deliver its content and to offer traditional telecoms services such as voice and SMS services on mobile devices.