Globe offers all net call promo for as low as PHP1 per minute

Globe Telecom will offer call promos for all networks for as low as PHP 1 per minute as a result of lower interconnection rates among telco companies. (Photo: Globe Telecom/Facebook)

MANILA—Globe Telecom will offer call promos for all networks for as low as PHP 1 per minute as a result of lower interconnection rates among telco companies.

There were no pure all net voice call promo existing in the market prior to the availability of the new offers.

Globe Telecom’s call charges to other networks for mobile or landline amounts to PHP 7.50/minute while Globe to Globe/TM regular call rate is at PHP 6.50/minute. Regular calls from TM to Globe/TM is at PHP5.50/minute and calls to other networks (including landline) is at PHP 6.50/minute.

“The decision to offer all-net calls for as low as P1/minute is intended to further strengthen the company’s position as the leading mobile brand in the country. Globe, currently, is the network of choice among smartphone users and the availability of such promos could further attract customers into our network. The all-net call promos are our response to customers’ clamor for lower costs of call services,” Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo said in a statement as 90 percent of its prepaid customers are availing of promos to access mobile services.

Postpaid customers with Plan 2499 and up may choose to avail of a PHP299 tack-on that will give them 300-minute calls to all networks. On the other hand, Globe Prepaid subscribers may avail of GoCall50 which gives 50 minutes of calls to all networks, good for 3 days; TM customers may add PHP 5 to any existing call and text promo for 5 minutes of calls to any network, good for one day.

The mobile company expects call traffic to further increase this year after reaching 69.1 minutes in 2016, increasing by 18 percent from 2015.

Mobile data rates in the country, currently at PHP 50 per gigabyte (GB), have declined 88 percent over the last three years as a result of tightening competition in the local telco industry.

Thus, the Philippines has one of the lowest data prices compared to top telco providers in Asia, second only to India’s Airtel. Text messaging which used to be at PHP 1/text in the late 90s is now effectively priced at around PHP 0.10/text with the proliferation of unlimited text services. Efforts to reduce prices for call, text, and data will benefit consumers as telco products and services become more accessible to the Filipino masses.

Globe Telecom and Smart Communications have agreed to cut their interconnection rates to PHP 2.50/minute starting January this year.

Previously, they charged PHP 4/minute for mobile-to-mobile and PHP 3/minute for mobile-to-landline voice calls.