Smart and DPC partner for ‘Check Load Easy-Free’

CEBU, Philippines - Prepaid subscribers of  Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) now have an easier and more rewarding way to check their load balance.

Smart recently signed an agreement with Directories Philippines Corporation (DPC) to offer ‘Check Load Easy-Free’, powered by the Yellow Pages, to all Smart Prepaid and Talk ‘N Text subscribers in the country.

With ‘Check Load Easy-Free’, Smart prepaid users can now get load balance information easily and quickly, without having to go all the way to the Smart Menu in their handset’s SIM toolkit, and without having to send via SMS any special keyword or syntax.

All they need to do is to ‘call’ *214# to trigger the system, and their load balance will be quickly sent to them via SMS, along with information on a variety of promos and freebies from participating companies – for free.

“Offering ‘Check Load Easy-Free’ is one of the ways by which we create a better and more enjoyable experience for our prepaid subscribers. Not only does it make load-checking a lot more convenient for them, it also keeps them abreast with exciting promos that other companies offer,” said Orlando B. Vea, co-founder and Chief Wireless Advisor of Smart. 

The ‘Check Load Easy-Free’ makes use of DPC’s platform, which is based on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) technology. USSD is a method of transporting text messages, which is distinct from the more popular SMS.

Under the partnership, other companies that are part of the DPC’s Yellow Pages service may also advertise their latest promos via ‘Check Load Easy-Free’ – allowing Smart prepaid subscribers to know about exciting offers every time they check their load balance.

“We are honored to partner with Smart on this new initiative, which offers great benefits for millions of Smart prepaid subscribers, while creating a fresh and compelling vehicle for promo-based advertising,” said Ricardo D. Bautista, President and Chief Executive Officer of DPC.

Smart’s parent company, PLDT, has over 69.6 million prepaid subscribers under the wireless brands Smart, Talk ‘N Text, and Sun Cellular, served by a network of over a million e-load retailers all over the country.

PLDT has the largest and most pervasive cellular network infrastructure in the country, providing wireless coverage to over 99% of the population. (FREEMAN)