Globe turns to mobile data services for more business

Globe Telecom is turning to its mobile data business to sustain momentum, following substantial growth in revenues from the sector in the third quarter of the year.   According to a Globe statement released Tuesday, as of end-September this year mobile browsing revenues rose to over P1.4 billion, up 64 percent year-on-year.   Following this increase, Globe launched a range of new mobile internet plans to open up its mobile data services to a wider market, the company said. Among these plans are the PowerSurf and SuperSurf plans, which offer different versions depending on amount of mobile browsing usage.   In the statement, Globe also said it has also allowed Blackberry users the option for a megabyte-based charging scheme, and launched the mobile web portal m.globe.   In a telephone interview with GMA News Online, a Globe source who requested anonymity said that aside from being lucrative the company is also focusing on mobile data business because “[it] is like the next frontier. The price of smartphones is going down. More people are becoming more adept at using mobile internet.”   Meanwhile, Globe CEO Ernest Cu said, “We are very pleased with how our mobile data business has grown over the last year, and this drives us further to make our mobile browsing services more accessible, affordable, and widely available to Filipinos wherever they are, through offers that are customizable, relevant and always affordable.”   To support its mobile browsing services, the company earlier announced that it will embark on a $790-million network modernization program to prepare its network for more bandwidth-heavy services and give subscribers a more stable and reliable network coverage nationwide.   According to the Globe source, “It’s really something new. Kumbaga, hindi lang ‘yung pinatse-patse. It will really improve mobile data services.” — VS/GMA News