Smart cuts call charges to P2.50/min

MANILA, Philippines - Prepaid subscribers of wireless leader Smart Communications can now enjoy the convenience of making calls as low as P2.50 per minute to all local mobile networks, any landline anywhere in the country, and even international numbers without having to change phones or SIM cards.

Smart has launched a bucket offer dubbed All Call to offer flexibility to users and capitalize on the network’s superior coverage and capacity, a company official said.

Exclusively available to Smart prepaid subscribers, the All Call bundles allow users to call any Smart, Talk ‘N Text, Sun, Globe, Touch Mobile, or any landline in the country, plus landline or mobile numbers in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

The All Call 100 bundle offers 30 call minutes, valid for five days for P100 or about P3.33 per minute for both domestic or international calls. Another variant, All Call 250, offers more value for money as it provides 100 minutes, or only P2.50 per minute for both domestic and international calls.

“These All Call bundles offer the best combination of value and quality,” according to Guido Zaballero, head of mobile marketing at Smart.

“They provide real value because they offer users the flexibility to connect and keep in touch in a more personal way with the most number of people, especially with their friends and family. And they can do this at any time of the day, whatever their loved ones’ network is and even if they are overseas, at a fixed price that suits their budget,” he added.

Smart’s superior nationwide cellular network coverage also allows the telco “to provide the highest quality voice services, while at the same time, make the packages more attractive,” Zaballero said.

He referred to the P67.1 billion worth of investments made by Smart and its parent company Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) for massive network transformation initiatives.

The upgrades mean that the network is able to handle and accommodate higher volumes of calls and text messages and data traffic, thus improving the experience for customers.

“We’re confident that our users will continue to see the benefits of being on Smart, including superior call quality, nationwide coverage, and no downtime,” Zaballero said.

To avail of an All Call package, subscribers must register to the package by sending Call100 or Call250 to 5908. To call any local mobile number, subscriber simply needs to dial *5908 plus the 11-digit mobile number, e.g., *590809181234567.

To call any domestic landline, the user must key in *5908, plus 0, the area code, and the seven-digit number, e.g., *59080021234567.

To call any number in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, or Singapore, the user must dial - *5908, plus 00, the country code and the mobile or area code, and the seven-digit number, e.g., *59080011231234567.

The subscriber must maintain P1 airtime balance to continue using an All Call package. These combos will be available until March 31, 2012.