PLDT sees user upsurge in mobile virtual services

MACTAN, Cebu, Philippines -  A unit of dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) sees a five-fold increase in the number of its subscribers of mobile voice and data services as it enters into mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) deals in key markets abroad.

Eric Alberto, senior vice president and customer sales and marketing group head of PLDT, told reporters on the sidelines of the Asian Carriers’ Conference that the subscriber base of its mobile voice and data services is seen hitting one million or about 10 percent of the 10 million Filipinos working abroad.

Alberto said the company is looking at expanding its MVNO services that currently covers six countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Guam with a subscriber base of about 230,000.

He pointed out that the company intends to provide the services through PLDT Global Corp. (PGC) that would enter into MVNO deals with telecom providers in key markets overseas particularly the US, Europe, and the Middle East.

According to him, the company is on the lookout for key cities that have large Filipino communities.

He said PGC is looking at sealing MVNO deals with two countries this year and another six countries next year.

Alberto said PLDT is eyeing key states in the US where there are around three million Filipinos and the Middle East with about 2.5 million Filipinos.

Likewise, he added that PGC is also looking at major countries in Europe led by the United Kingdom, Italy, among others as well as in Japan and Canada.

Meanwhile, PLDT provided over thousand delegates from 45 countries with free high-speed Internet connection through WiFi Zone-powered hotspots at the conference venue and other areas in Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa.

PLDT vice president and head for broadband Gary Dujali said the free premium WiFi service would enable the delegates to connect to the Internet while attending the event, allowing them to share their insights, photos or videos of the conference to their colleagues, friends and families in their respective countries.

Winner of the Best Telecommunications Conference award at the first Asian Conference Summit & Awards held in Singapore earlier this year, the ACC is hosted by PLDT and Smart Communications together with Digitel and Sun Cellular.

The conference provides a venue for industry leaders from wholesale fixed and mobile carriers, network and infrastructure providers, applications and service developers, among others, to discuss and share the latest technologies and breakthroughs in telecommunications.

Now on its 8th year, the ACC 2012 encompasses the theme “Transforming to the new telecom wholesale-retail ecosystem.”