The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Leading telecommunications firm Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) recently launched its SmartLife Global mobile app, which was created to cater to the needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
PLDT said the app offers carefully curated digital content, such as Filipino movies, music and news, that would enable OFWs to keep themselves updated about what’s happening back home.
It also features services such as easy bills payment for utilities; and load sharing for families in the Philippines.
“SmartLife Global provides Filipinos abroad with a lively digital connection to home,” PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said.
PLDT said SmartLife Global is initially available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Guam and Australia.
The company also said SmartLife Global can be downloaded for free. It added that users can enjoy a 30-day trial period, during which they have unlimited access to local news and free access to a rich library of Filipino movies, concerts, music, and premium magazines.
After 30 days, users can extend their usage for $2.99 (P143) per month for music and $4.99 (P238) per month for movies and concerts.
“The app currently has over 20,000 downloads, with more than 3,000 movies watched, more than 2,000 songs listened [to] per day, more than 600 magazines downloaded, and more than 15,000 news feeds read,” PLDT said.
“We are seeing [the] increa sed adoption of the digital lifestyle by overseas Pinoys, as most of them are already using smartphones and tablets. With SmartLife Global, we are giving them a convenient way to connect back home using their digital devices,” PLDT Executive Vice President Ernesto Alberto said.
According to PLDT, the app was initially launched in the Philippines for Android smartphone users to enable them to discover exciting perks and free digital content.
“Through the SmartLife
app, we want Filipinos to explore the best mobile entertainment and perks available out there and ultimately empower them to live a richer digital life,” PLDT Head of Consumer Business Ariel Fermin said.
Supporting further the digital lifestyle of Filipinos abroad, PLDT has established its first full data Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in Japan, where a mobile-data subscriber-identity module (SIM) bundled with a pocket WiFi in a monthly prepaid subscription was introduced.
This data bundle includes free remittance of up to ¥100,000 a month, and free calls and text messages to the Philippines and other popular international destinations. PNA