Net firm revolutionizes prepaid concept

Introducing Internet prepaid cards in key cities nationwide could further boost Internet penetration in the Philippines.

This is what Net Surfers Club Inc. president Elmer Rojas sees as the key to hasten development of the Internet in the provinces despite an economic slowdown. Rojas, a maverick entrepreneur and a recent top graduate of the Asian Institute of Management’s Masters in Entrepreneurship program, has introduced a franchising scheme as a strategy for nationwide expansion of Internet prepaid packs and his ISP.

Net Surfers Club is eyeing a total of 45 franchise locations nationwide in the next five years. Areas where the telephone companies offer the Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology would get priority in the rollout.

The initial target areas are Davao, Cebu, Agusan, Naga, San Fernando, Pampanga, Malolos, Bulacan, Iloilo, Dagupan, Calamba and Batangas.

Franchisees in these locations will introduce regular and niche targeted prepaid Internet concepts that are set to revolutionize the way Internet access is sold and packaged. Prepaid Internet sales have steadily grown and represent about 60 percent of the volume of new Net subscriptions. With less than two percent of the country’s population connected to the Internet, there is a huge potential market for ISPs in the Philippines.

Rojas said Net Surfers Club, an ISP that started in May 1997, is expanding its infrastructure and network to address the fast-growing Internet market. Net Surfers Club also recently reorganized its management team and staff to meet the growing demand of its customers, maximize effectivity and address the challenges of the industry.

The niche prepaid packs for Internet are being developed to address the needs of the growing Internet users. Rojas said, "To help combat software piracy in both small businesses and homes, we recently introduced the All-Free CD pack, which includes one-year Internet access and free legal programs such as the Star Office 5.2 and 50 other popular software."

The All-Free CD pack is Net Surfers Club’s flagship product for its prepaid Internet market. This unique concept will spearhead the introduction of new prepaid packs that will give value for money to Internet access subscribers as well as help the country fight software piracy.

With its expansion program, Net Surfers Club has upgraded its facilities and telephone lines and added a direct satellite link of the Internet backbone via Philcomsat. This is in anticipation of the projected growth of the Internet in the next five years.

Next month, Net Surfers Club will introduce two new prepaid packs that will support its All-Free CD rollout last December. The new prepaid packs shall be supported by their own theme websites developed to satisfy their markets’ surfing needs on a long-term basis.

In addition, these products will be packaged with free legal software in support of the anti-piracy campaign of the IT industry.

With the growing number of inquiries on franchise and prepaid pack distribution, Net Surfers Club continues to maintain a 24-hour telephone hotline (951-5555/4444). Inquiries can also be coursed via e-mail ([email protected]) or through its corporate website (www.nsclub.net).