PLDT mobile Internet sales up

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), the country’s largest telecommunications provider, noted a surge in mobile Internet revenues as more subscribers bought smartphones and tablet computers.

In a statement on Friday, PLDT noted that the business grew 42 percent to almost P1 billion during the first quarter of the year.

“The continuous brisk growth in our mobile Internet revenues reflects the double-digit growth of data-capable devices in our network,” Smart Communications chief wireless advisor and Sun Cellular CEO Orlando B. Vea said in the statement.

Smart and Sun Cellular are the mobile subsidiaries of PLDT.

Vea noted that the number of smartphones in the PLDT Group network went up by 25 percent from the end-2012 figure as the cost of these mobile phones continues to fall.

The launch of smartphones at P2,000 each will likely increase the company’s mobile revenues, he said.

PLDT noted Smart’s mobile Internet revenues alone grew 36 percent, as it cited cheaper handsets and an upgraded network.

Smart also unveiled Long Term Evolution (LTE) packages that allow selected postpaid subscribers to enjoy speeds of up to 42Mbps on their LTE-enabled devices starting at P50 a day.

Smart continues to expand the country’s largest LTE network, the statement showed.  It has close to 1,000 LTE-enabled sites located in over 115 cities and municipalities across the Philippines.

This expanded LTE coverage for faster data transmission is supported by over 54,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables connecting Smart’s base stations to the core network, the company said.

“We will definitely continue providing mobile Internet services at every price point backed up by the strongest connectivity infrastructure anywhere in the country,” said Charles Lim, PLDT’s group head for individual business.