BayanTel expects its landline subscriber base to hit 400,000

Lopez-owned Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel) expects its landline subscriber base to reach 400,000 by 2008, a 33-percent increase compared to the present 300,000 subscriber level.

BayanTel is likewise spending P1.5 billion this year, mostly for its Span wireless local loop service, which allows Span phones to function like a mobile phone as it allows users to move around with much greater reach than the conventional cordless landline phone.

But unlike mobile phones, the Span allows for unlimited calling at a fixed monthly fee with text messaging features. It is currently being offered in Marikina, Pasay, Caloocan and Manila, as well as certain areas outside of Metro Manila such as Naga and Tacloban.

Currently, BayanTel has a 10-percent market share nationwide, but is strong in certain areas of Metro Manila such as Quezon City where it has a 52-percent market share.

BayanTel chief executive consultant Tunde Fafunwa said Span will provide a more cost-effective way for the company to expand its reach and increase its subscriber base without having to invest in the more expensive traditional copperwire infrastructure of landlines.

An industry-wide survey recently conducted by BayanTel among subscribers of different telecommunications companies and Internet service providers in the country showed a high level of dissatisfaction among customers.

According to the survey, 90 percent of landline, 85 percent of Internet, and 92 percent cellphone users have experienced frustrations with their service. Billing problems, slow connections and poor customer care were among those cited as reasons for their frustration.

The same survey revealed that 45 percent of Internet, 23 percent of landline, and 32 percent of mobile phone users in the country have "moderate or higher levels of distrust" for communications service providers while one of four Filipinos feel that telecommunications companies have not been able to deliver on their promise.

Fafunwa, however, pointed out that despite what they perceive to be poor service, 93 percent will not change their landlines, 72 percent will not switch to a new Internet service provider and 86 percent will remain with their current mobile phone service operators.

"This is because majority of Filipinos believe that the situation is not likely to improve soon, so they might as well stick with the provider they’re used to dealing with," he said.

Fafunwa admits that they may be part of the problem. "The difference is, we are going to do something about it," he emphasized.

He explained that BayanTel is promising to turn things around and change the status quo through new and unparalleled service programs, the company hopes to show Filipinos that they don’t have to make compromises when it comes to telecommunications and that there are real choices available to them.

BayanTel is the first to introduce a customer satisfaction guarantee program that guarantees stable connections, reliable technical support, and transparent service. A P50-million rebate program was created to back this quick-repair promise.

"If a phone or DSL connection remains unrepaired for more than 24 hours, a one-day refund equivalent to P100 will be given for every four hours the problem stays unsolved. If a subscriber’s connection is out for more than 72 hours on the other hand, his service fee for the month will be waived," Fafunwa said.

Fafunwa emphasized that there are no requirements to avail of the rebate program, and regardless of the cause of the service outage.

He noted that BayanTel operates one of the most far-reaching fiber-optic backbones in the country and owns major cable systems in Asia and the transpacific. About P3 billion has been spent in the past few years to improve infrastructure.

BayanTel has likewise started marketing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services which allows greater coverage, mobility and allows users to call at cheaper rates.