Globe Telecom Offers Converged Mobile and Landline Service

Globe Telecom (News - Alert), a Philippines-based telecom operator, has announced that it is offering mobile and landline voice services in one subscriber identification module (SIM) number. The service, according to Globe officials, is the first of its kind in the world.

 

The new service, named “DUO”, allows landline calls and unlimited DUO to DUO mobile calls at anytime of the day, officials said.

 

Globe, along with British messaging company Acision (News - Alert), had announced the launch of the service last month.

 

The service is enabled by Acision's real-time, location-based charging solutions, Acision Flexible Charger and Acision Location Gateway (News - Alert). These services are designed to improve network traffic, primarily voice, by offering free calls within a set city zone.

With this new converged service, Globe Telecom is able to offer its post-paid mobile and fixed-line subscribers free voice calls when the calls originate within a pre-defined geographical zone.

 

The benefit of the service is that it gives a flexible option to customers to take advantage of the two services amid the global economic crisis. Also, this dual-package option will boost the company’s revenue momentum this year, officials said.

 

Globe is eyeing on its existing subscribers as well as new users for this service. As of March 2009, Globe has a subscriber base of 25.7 million and more than 400,000 landline subscribers. About 95 percent of the company's mobile phone subscribers are prepaid.

 

The company expects a lot of switching from its rivals including Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (News - Alert), Bayan Telecommunications and Digital Telecommunication Phils.