Dark clouds continue to loom for the Philippines’ largest telecommunications service provider, as PLDT earlier this week reported that its consolidated core net income in 2015 dropped six percent to P35.2 billion from P37.4 billion the year before.
Globe Telecom brings largest Star Wars fair to PH
It seems like you can’t go anywhere these days without seeing anything about Star Wars, arguably the most beloved movie franchise on the planet, especially now that we’re at peak Star Wars: The Force Awakens season and only a few days removed from seeing Episode 7 hit local theaters. And in case you haven’t gotten your Star Wars fix yet, Globe Telecom has put together the country’s largest Star Wars fair at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
PH’s first online bazaar to go live December 18
Bazaars are now a fixture during the holiday season, but fulfilling your gift-buying duties in places where the finds are most often cheaper than goods being sold in malls, not to mention unique, can be a hassle these days. Metro Manila traffic alone is enough to dissuade even the most zealous of last-minute shoppers.
Globe Telecom rolls out 100Mbps public WiFi service in PH
While the government’s public WiFi initiative seems to be in limbo at the moment, one company has doubled down on its efforts to provide the masses with free and, perhaps more importantly, fast Internet, albeit in only one address for the time being.
Globe intros Plan 499 with 3GB of data, unlimited calls and texts
Globe Telecom has announced a new low-tier, SIM-only postpaid plan that costs just P499 a month, but comes with a decent amount of data and unlimited calls and texts to Globe and TM subscribers.
Globe outs P150 GCash Mastercard w/tap-to-pay support in LRT, MRT
Earlier today, Globe Telecom announced an improved GCash Mastercard prepaid credit card that can be used to pay for train fares. It’s among the first payment solutions in the country that supports tap-to-pay payment terminals found in MRT and LRT stations. Up until now, the issue of considerable queuing in stations had not dealt with. So, as credit cards in usa go this is a pretty impressive development, as there has been huge demand for changes to be made to this system.
PH’s top phone brand is now in the telco business… sort of
Cherry Mobile has announced a partnership with Globe Telecom that will see the Philippines’ top phone brand foray into the cutthroat telecom business with the new Cherry Prepaid mobile service.
SkyCable rolls out up to 300Mbps broadband service in Metro Manila
You may have heard that local Internet service providers PLDT and Globe Telecom are now offering ultra-fast fiber broadband service to residents in select upscale condominiums and communities in Metro Manila. What may have escaped your notice, however, is that SkyCable has also updated its broadband offerings to lure higher-paying customers who want faster Internet speeds sans the constraints of a monthly data cap.
Smart unveils iPhone 6s, 6s Plus pricing details
Globe Telecom has earlier announced its P1,799 data plan for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6s and 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus, leaving existing and would-be Smart subscribers to wonder what this year’s iPhone upgrade holds. Well, they can wonder no more: Smart has now made official its postpaid pricing for the latest iPhones, which will be available beginning November 6.
Globe announces P1,799 data plan for iPhone 6s, 6s Plus
I previously wrote about the Apple iPhone 6s and 6s Plus finally getting a release date in the Philippines, courtesy of local operators Globe Telecom and Smart Communications. To reiterate, the date to remember is November 6, 2015, which is exactly a week away.
Harsher penalties, not competition, is key to improving PH Internet speed
Slow Internet? I hear you. If you’ve lived in the Philippines long enough, you may have come to the realization that local broadband speeds could conjure images of a turtle slow-walking on a swath of peanut butter, something you wouldn’t find distractingly cute or hilarious if you were in the position of the guy waiting — for weeks — for a game he had bought from Steam to finish downloading. Having the same issues? You could look for faster internet by searching broadband deals site like usave.co.uk.
NTC: PH Internet service providers fall short of speed claims
You may have heard in the news earlier this year that the NTC [National Telecommunications Commission] is looking to crack down on the telecom industry and bring Internet service providers to task if they fail to hit the NTC-set minimum downstream of 256Kbps or don’t deliver on their advertised broadband speeds.
Here’s when you can buy the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus in PH
If you’ve been wondering when the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus would be officially available in the Philippines, wonder no more: Both Globe and Smart have made an announcement as to when we could expect to see Apple’s new smartphones in stores, with the former confirming what the latter had earlier said in a press release dated October 24.
Comparison: Globe’s 1Gbps broadband vs other countries’ offerings
Tomorrow, Globe Telecom will begin offering its fiber-broadband network at adjusted rates that won’t be prohibitively pricey for many, albeit initially only in upscale communities and condominiums. The top-tier offer promises superfast speeds at one gigabit, or 1,000 megabits, per second, by far the fastest commercially available broadband plan in the Philippines.
Is Globe seeking price cuts on fiber service? (UPDATE: Yes!)
(UPDATE: Globe has just confirmed new pricing tiers for its fiber-based broadband service: 50 Mbps for P2,499 per month; 100 Mbps for P3,499; 200 Mbps for P4,499; 500 Mbps for P7,499; and a whopping 1 Gbps for P9,499. Check how it compares with plans being offered in other countries here.)
HOOQ update adds Chromecast support to mobile app
HOOQ just got a lot better. The subscription video-on-demand service has just pushed an update to its mobile app, adding what it earlier promised, and what many users have been waiting for: Chromecast support. The update means you can now stream any of the 30,000-plus videos on the HOOQ platform to an HDMI-compliant TV or monitor fitted with a Chromecast dongle, which is sold separately. HOOQ now works with the Chromecast dongle, allowing you to stream any of the 30,000-plus videos on the platform to a TV with an HDMI input. Globe Telecom is currently bundling the first-generation Chromecast with broadband deals starting …
Police nabs man after swindling P2M worth of phones from Globe
A 47-year-old resident of Quezon City was arrested by local police on criminal charges of estafa and falsification of documents leading to the acquisition of 63 high-end smartphones from Globe stores and a projected fraud loss of P2.4 million, Globe Telecom said in a press statement. John Michael Cruz was nabbed by authorities in an entrapment operation after submitting additional requirements for cellular plans that would have netted him 3 units of iPhone 6 Plus. Cruz has used various aliases in previous applications and has declared himself the owner and marketing manager of CJMD Trading, LMDJ Garments Manufacturing, DMJJ Manufacturing …
Globe blames Smart for PH’s poor LTE speed in OpenSignal report
If you read OpenSignal’s previous State of LTE report, you know pretty well that the Philippines once again appears to be lagging behind other Asian countries and regions like India, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan both in terms of LTE speed and coverage. What may have escaped your attention, however, is that the country could’ve fared better had Smart Communications posted better results in the testing conducted by OpenSignal, something Smart’s rival, Globe Telecom, pointed out in a recent press release.
OPPO Mirror 5 now comes with free Internet for 2 months
I previously reviewed the OPPO Mirror 5, and noted it was one of the best that the bargain segment has seen in terms of design and all-around performance, which may not come as a surprise to anyone who has played around with the phone. And if you thought it couldn’t get any better, OPPO Philippines is throwing in a Globe prepaid SIM card with 100MB of free monthly data for two months, saving you about P200, to help you get the most out of your shiny new gadget. This offer lasts until November 30, and applies to purchases in OPPO …
DOST eyes nationwide WiFi, bids out APs to Globe subsidiaries
Remember the DOST’s public WiFi project, which has already kicked off, and is now offering free Internet access to people in select locations in Metro Manila? It looks like the government is already moving towards scaling things up to support a bigger audience after bidding out a P74-million contract for 14 access points that will serve as the backbone of WiFi hotspots across 967 municipalities to Innove Communications and Yondu IT Solutions. Both are subsidiaries of Globe Telecom, which, as you know, is one of the largest telecommunications providers in the Philippines. The 14 access points will be spread throughout the Philippines’ 3 …