PLDT mobile units add 2-M prepaid users

MANILA, Philippines -  The three mobile services units of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) added two million new prepaid subscribers (or close to 170,000 new subscribers per week) in the first three months of 2013, keeping their dominant hold of the local wireless market.

Smart Communications Inc., Talk ‘N Text and Sun Cellular now has a combined mobile prepaid base of nearly 70 million or 68 percent of the total prepaid market in the Philippines.

PLDT also reported it led the wireless category in terms of service revenues, generating P28.5 billion for the quarter – with the lion’s share coming from its prepaid services.

Smart co-founder and chief wireless advisor Orlando B. Vea said prospects in the prepaid category remains encouraging.

“We will continue slicing and dicing the market and offer services that are tailor-fit to the different segments served by Smart, Talk ‘N Text, and Sun,” Vea said.

The biggest gainer for the quarter is mass-market brand Talk ‘N Text, which grew its subscriber base by seven percent from the previous quarter and 38 percent versus the same period last year – setting the pace for the rest of the prepaid category.

The sharp rise brought the total Talk ‘N Text subscriber base to 30.6 million, increasing the brand’s market share to 30 percent, or nearly twice as that of its direct competitor.