Here's an update about mobile phone services in the Philippines: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20080519-137533/Advertising-based-mobile-phone-company-launched-in-RP Advertising-based mobile phone company launched in RP
Agence France-Presse First Posted 17:52:00 05/19/2008 MANILA, Philippines--A mobile phone service to be funded largely by advertising was launched in the Philippines Monday, company officials said. Called the U-mobile service it will offer services to invitation-only subscribers virtually free of charge depending on how many advertisements they read on their phones. Targetting "the youth and yuppies" aged between 15 to 34, the service expects to have between 60,000 and 100,000 subscribers by year's end, said marketing head Ardie Balderrama of Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprise. A wholly-owned subsidiary of PLDT unit SMART Communications, the Philippines' largest wireless provider, the company will operate independently of SMART but will use some of its facilities. U-mobile subscribers who read the ads on their mobile phones will receive credits on their pre-paid mobile phone bill. The company hopes to carry advertising from makers of personal care products, fastfood restaurants and even financial service companies. About 45 percent of Filipinos own mobile phones, it added. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20080520-137621/New-3G-player-rolls-out-ad-supported-service New 3G player rolls out ad-supported service By Lawrence Casiraya INQUIRER.net First Posted 04:06:00 05/20/2008 MANILA, Philippines -- A new 3G industry player owned by Smart Communications has announced what it touts as the first ad-supported 3G mobile phone service targeted at niche markets. Called "uMobile," the service was announced by Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprise, Inc. (CURE). In a statement, the company said the service will begin this June. uMobile is intended as a mobile marketing platform for advertisers heavily dependent on subscriber participation. According to CURE, a portion of the revenues generated from these campaigns will be given back to the subscribers who then can purchase or make transactions for uMobile services or avail of a brand's product offer such as freebies, discounts and other rewards. Subscribers will be initially given P100 worth of free credits for the first six months upon activation. Additional credits will be given based on their participation in mobile marketing campaigns. Additional prepaid load or credits will be made available in traditional retail channels and also online. The service will be largely by invitation and only around 10,000 subscribers will be accepted every month, said Ardie Balderrama, CURE's chief marketing officer. uMobile will specifically target users aged 15 to 35 years old, a primary target market for both telecom service providers and consumer brands. "We are focusing on this market because we want to offer corporations a very targeted and profiled audience that they can talk to and interact through mobile marketing campaigns," said Balderrama. uMobile will also be available to Smart subscribers through a "facility sharing" agreement between two telcos. CURE was among four operators granted 3G licenses in 2005 by the NTC. Last March, Smart announced it acquired for around P420 million the entire capital stock of PH Communications Holdings Corp., which owns CURE. Smart said it plans to invest P210 million more in the company. Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "mobile-society" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/mobile-society?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
