Islacom, Globe tie up for Visayas market

Isla Communications Co. (Islacom) has joined hands with Globe Telecom in offering Globelines Prepaid service in the Visayas region.

Globelines Prepaid, which Globe started pre-selling in its Metro Manila and Southern Luzon service areas last month, provides a highly-competitive pricing package that is expected to boost the company’s fixed line subscriber numbers and make phone services more affordable.

For the Visayas, Globelines Prepaid is initially available in Bacolod even as other Islacom service areas are expected to follow in the next few months.

Islacom operates landline service in Panay, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Biliran, Leyte and Samar.

Globelines Prepaid is similar to cellular phones with prepaid cards. Subscribers can make and receive calls without having to pay monthly bills, thereby, allowing them to control their phone expenses.

Gil B. Genio, Globe senior vice-president for fixed lines and Islacom chief operating officer, said Globelines has the lowest rates for prepaid landline service.

"With this new service, Globe expects to attract budget-conscious people who either do not want or cannot afford to pay the fixed monthly charge for a regular phone," he said.

According to Genio, Globelines Prepaid is patterned after Globe’s cellular phone business where most of its subscribers are into prepaid.

"One of the ways of increasing access to telephone service is to come up with various rate plans and to give our customers more choices. This way they can decide which tariff plan makes sense to them. We believe there are a lot of people who love prepaid because of its convenience," he said.

To avail oneself of Globelines Prepaid, one merely has to visit the nearest Globel Telecom or Islacom business center and fill out the Globelines Prepaid service application and agreement form without the need to submit additional documents.

If a line is available in the area being applied for, the subscriber will be required to pay the Globelines Prepaid one-time charge of P1,300. Upon payment, the subscriber will receive his Globelines Prepaid welcome kit inclusive of a free Globelines Prepaid P300 card.

Since Globelines Prepaid is PIN-based, the subscriber only has to sratch off the protective covering of his Globelines Prepaid card to get the card number, dial 12898-111 from the Globelines Prepaid phone and follow the voice prompts.

The value in the account is valid for 60 days from the date it is loaded. After the period, no outgoing calls can be made although the subscriber will continue to receive incoming calls up to 180 days after the last loading date. Thereafter, the account shall be disconnected.

Globelines Prepaid are available in P300 and P500 denominations and can be purchased at Globe Telecom and Islacom business centers and authorized outlets.