Smart, Opera Software renew accord

MANILA, Philippines - Smart Communications Inc., the leading wireless services provider in the Philippines, and Opera Software, the developer of the world’s most popular mobile web browser, recently renewed an agreement to bring the best Internet experience to Smart subscribers with a customized Opera Mini browser.

Ranging from basic feature phones to high-end smartphones and tablets, more than 3,000 mobile device models in the Philippines will benefit from this upgrade.

With more than 107 million users every month, the Opera Mini browser has built a reputation for its market-proof compression technology, which decreases the size of webpages by up to 90 percent before sending them to the phone. It results in significantly faster page loading and lowers data costs when users access the Internet on a mobile network.

The lowered data size also makes Opera Mini a perfect partner to Smart’s volume-based Always On packages. Always On lets Smart mobile users stay connected to the web at a more affordable rate based on the amount of data they wish to consume.

The new version of the Opera Mini browser further levels up the user experience by improving page scrolling, introducing a new intuitive user interface and adding more functionalities, such as pinch-to-zoom on supported devices and a share button for sharing to popular social networks.

Smart is renowned for its innovation in bringing world-class wireless data services. The company first introduced the Smart-Opera Mini browser in early 2010. The number of monthly users of this co-branded browser has grown on average by 44.8 percent since its launch. This means more and more Filipinos are accessing the Internet through their mobile phones with the support of a better and more affordable browsing experience.

To Smart, which has made mobile Internet a cornerstone of its ‘Internet for All’ objective – the Opera Mini browser will help make the worldwide Web even more accessible to a broader base of its subscribers, particularly to those that use feature phones.

“While our network and system are ready to provide data services, the challenge lies in the devices through which our subscribers may access the Internet. Opera Mini on a Smart cellphone can help introduce the mobile Internet experience to our subscribers, as it allows the Web to ‘fit’ perfectly and comfortably into any cellphone,” Smart chief wireless adviser Orlando Vea said.

For his part, Opera Software chief strategy officer Rolf Assev said the Web is changing and more people are getting online with their mobile devices. “We need a smarter browser. The new Smart-Opera Mini browser is a more refined browser for a great web experience. It is faster, smoother and smarter. We are excited to work with Smart to make the customized version available for Filipinos. I believe this will become your best pal when you are on the go with mobile phones or tablets,” he said.