Smart emergency load *SOS now with 'all-net' text

MANILA, Philippines - Prepaid subscribers of Smart Communications Inc. can now send text messages to other networks using Smart’s emergency load *SOS service by dialing *7572.

Launched in 2010 as an “on-net” service, Smart’s Dial *SOS allows prepaid Smart and Talk ‘N Text subscribers with no load to pull or “borrow” three on-net SMS and P1 airtime by simply calling *767, or the keypad numbers corresponding to *SOS. The load is valid for 24 hours, and may be used to send text messages to other Smart and Talk ‘N Text numbers.

To expand the benefit offered by the service, Smart has turned Dial *SOS into an “all-net” service, allowing users to borrow four all-net SMS and P1 airtime, which may now be used to send text messages to all networks: Smart, Talk ‘N Text, Sun, Globe or Touch Mobile.  

“We designed the *SOS service to make it especially useful during irregular circumstances, or when Smart prepaid subscribers simply cannot reload their accounts — whether it’s a case of emergency, bad timing, or lack of funds,” said Orlando Vea, chief wireless advisor and co-founder of Smart.

“With this service, they no longer need to fear running out of load in the middle of nowhere or during emergency situations,” he added.

To avail themselves of the service, Smart subscribers with zero load simply need to key in *7572 to receive credits worth P5, equivalent to four all-net SMS and P1 airtime. P5 airtime will be deducted from the subscriber’s next load purchase.

Aside from coming in handy in times of emergency, Dial *SOS may also help those subscribed to Smart’s bucket offers for voice, SMS or data, that normally require a P1 maintaining balance.

A Smart subscriber who is registered to a bucket offer but unwittingly uses up all his remaining balance, can dial *7572 or *767 to get the P1 maintaining balance needed to resume enjoying the bucket offer.

Smart has 50.6 million mobile subscribers as of end-March 2012, about 90 percent of whom are on prepaid, served by a network of over a million e-load retailers all over the country.

The telco leader has the largest and most pervasive cellular and broadband network and infrastructure in the country with 12,756 cellular/mobile broadband base stations providing coverage to over 99 percent of the population.