Two days ago, MVP (Manuel V. Pangilinan, the Chief Bossing of the PLDT Group where Smart, Talk ‘N Text and Sun Cellular belong) posted this via Twitter:
Mga Kapatid, with my colleagues, I will make a very important announcement this Friday, Sept 26, 11 am, Makati Shang Hotel. See you then.
— Manny V. Pangilinan (@iamMVP) September 24, 2014
Some speculated that the announcement will be related to either: new product offerings, MVP’s entry to the politics, or even the Philippines hosting the next FIBA World Championships. Hours ago, the announcement has been made:
Free internet access for all our prepaid subscribers. Launched just now at Makati Shangri la! — Manny V. Pangilinan (@iamMVP) September 26, 2014
So, what’s the fuzz about this FREE Internet Access for all Prepaid (take note) subscribers of Smart, Talk ‘N Text and Sun Cellular?
Smart representatives say this means users can browse the Internet, post on their social media accounts, update their profiles, and stream music and videos, among many others, using their mobile phones.
The offer starts from Friday until November 30. While the service is free, “it is finite,” representatives of the company said. Users can enjoy 30 megabytes of free internet daily. Once subscribers reach that limit, they will be prompted to purchase load so they can continue browsing the Internet. — via http://technology.inquirer.net/38876/pangilinans-big-announcement-free-mobile-internet#ixzz3EOFnfwrM
Could this be PLDT Group’s way to veer the nation’s focus from the NTC’s on-going inquiry related to the actual speed of internet in the country? For me, this is just a plain marketing stunt. Read more about this free offering (and its limitations) via this website.
UPDATE #1:
Smart Communications’ rival Globe Telecoms posted this via twitter hours after the MVP announcement:
#FreeFBisBACK starting next week. 🙂
— Globe Telecom (@enjoyGLOBE) September 26, 2014
Prepaid subscribers from both telcos are now considered to be winners (somewhat).