PLDT makes unlimited P10 per call permanent

PLDT makes unlimited P10 per call permanent

Manila Bulletin
http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS2006010553140.html#
Thu Jan 05,2006

The country is fast moving to the phase-out of long distance calls (NDD or National Direct Dialing) and a uniform domestic call rate.

Starting on Saturday (January 7, 2006), dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) will make its unlimited P10 per call between PLDT to PLDT wireline phones and between PLDT wireline to Smart Communication Inc. cellular phones a permanent rate.

"Subscribers can have substancial savings on their bills," Gary G. Dujali, Long Distance Retail Marketing Category Head and Assistant Vice President told reporters yesterday.

Furthermore, PLDT is open to interconnecting with other telephone companies (telcos) for the unlimited P10 per call service. "We have notified them that they can participate (in this offering)," he disclosed. "Hopefully, we will get to work with the other telcos."

Initially, the P10 unlimited call rate will benefit 20 million subscribers — the 2 million wireline subscribers of PLDT and the 18 million cellular subscribers of Smart.

The service guarantees no cut-off time, no network congestion and no hidden charges, Dujali pointed out.

To avail of the unlimited rate, PLDT subscribers have to register for the service and pay a monthly fee of P50. But the subscription fee is not that significant, according to the AVP. "Our studies showed that people are willing to pay as much as P200 per month for this kind of service."

After charging per minute rates for telephone calls for 75 years, the P10 unlimited rate is a real price innovation for PLDT, he added. "We want to make subscribers use their wirelines more and bring back our old relationship with them."

The unlimited rate will now make it cheaper for wireline users to call cellular phone users. Still, PLDT does not expect that this will erode Smart’s revenues significantly. Wirelines have physical limitations, being fixed where they are, whereas cellular phones are mobile.

However, the permanent unlimited rate will make wirelines "more exciting and relevant", Dujali stressed. Already, "Many of our pre-paid wireline subscribers have shifted to the post-paid service to enjoy the unlimited rates."