Smart introduces new data packages

Smart Communications Inc. is bundling free access to popular digital services with its new volume data offers for mobile Internet and broadband users, a company statement showed.

Through partnerships with Internet giants YouTube and Skype, Smart is giving subscribers of its new Big Bytes data packages free access to video-sharing service YouTube and group video messaging app SkypeQik on top of their volume data package allowance.

Also, by subscribing to the new Big Bytes packages, users will get additional data allowance they can use to stream millions of songs from SPINNR, Smart’s homegrown music streaming service.

“With the rapid adoption of smart devices within our network, we’re seeing increased subscriber interest in gaining access to popular digital services such as YouTube, SkypeQik, and SPINNR,” Michele Curran, first vice president for data services at Smart, said in the statement. “This is why we have designed our new data packages to meet this growing need among our user base, and to further stimulate growth of our mobile data business.”

Curran said the bundling of more sophisticated services such as YouTube, SkypeQik, and SPINNR, coupled with more affordable pricing for mobile devices, would play a key role in propagating mobile Internet use among subscribers and, in turn, spur Internet adoption in the country.

“This is especially crucial considering that the number of Internet users in the country is predicted to reach 66 million by 2016. Most of these new users will get a first taste of the Internet through their data-enabled mobile devices, and will be accessing services that appeal to their personal passions,” she said.

The new Big Bytes packages from Smart provide the most amount of volume data allowance in the market today, and include access to YouTube, SkypeQik, and SPINNR all in one affordable package.

The new data packages start at P5 for one-day 5MB access up to P799 for 30-day 4.5GB access.