TMCnet News
Globe offers mobile and landline in one serviceMANILA, May 07, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- Globe Telecom Inc. on Thursday launched a breakthrough service that puts together mobile and landline voice services in one subscriber identification module (SIM) number. Called Duo, a mobile and landline in one allows landline calls and unlimited DUO to DUO mobile calls at anytime of the day. It is the first in the world. In a briefing, Ferdinand dela Cruz, head of Globe's wireless consumer business said the new service gives flexibility to the consumers amid the global financial crisis. Dela Cruz said the company is targeting its own subscriber base and to acquire additional users in other operators. At end-March, Globe's subscriber base stood at 25.7 million and more than 400,000 landline subscribers. About 95 percent of the company's mobile phone subscribers are prepaid. "We expect that a lot of switching will come," he said, referring to the subscribers of rival telcos. Rivals Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. , Bayan Telecommunications Inc., and Digital Telecommunication Phils. Inc. also offer wireless landline services. De la Cruz said the company expects DUO will further boost its revenue momentum this year. To avail the service, dela Cruz said a subscriber should be a postpaid plan before subscribing to DUO at only P399 for 30 days. The monthly charges of the service is on top of the subscribers' postpaid plan. The Globe official also said the the company is planning to offer prepaid DUO service within the next few weeks. On Tuesday, the company reported a 17-percent increase in net income to P4 billion at end-March from P3.4 billion in the same three-month period last year. Globe said last quarter?s net income includes an after-tax gain of P398 million arising from an equipment exchange transaction with a supplier. Excluding this non-recurring item, the telco?s core net income still grew 5 percent to P3.7 billion from P3.5 billion a year ago. |