Globe to sell iPhone on August 22

MANILA, Philippines - Publicly-listed Globe Telecom Inc will offer iPhone 3G to its postpaid and prepaid customers starting August 22, the company said during its investors’ briefing in Makati on Wednesday afternoon. Globe, the Philippines’ second-largest cellphone company, will offer special post-paid plans which come with free local mobile internet hours and free wi-fi browsing hours in Globe Wireless internet zones. Starting Tuesday, iPhone reservations may be made by calling the company’s hotline or by visiting its website. Its exclusive arrangement to sell iPhones in the Philippines “forms part of the company’s program to capture strategic segments," Manny Aligada, Globe’s customer engagement head told GMANews.TV. Despite the hype surrounding the popular gadget, the Ayala-led telecommunications firm will still retain its focus on all its customer segments. Recognizing that the iPhone is not for everybody, Aligada said that the company “will continue to be sensitive to the needs of the market." An update regarding the iPhone’s launch in the Philippines will be forthcoming. - Anna Barbara L. Lorenzo, GMANews.TV