Rising smartphone adoption boosts mobile data biz to record highs.

[2 December 2014] Wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) posted an unprecedented 69.2% increase in mobile data revenues for the first nine months of 2014 versus the same period last year as more of its subscribers are using web-enabled smartphones to access the mobile internet.

Smart’s mobile Internet revenues jumped to P5.73 billion for the said period compared with just 3.39 billion last year, the telco said, as it introduced compelling smartphone offers and innovative mobile data packages that proved very attractive to consumers.

As of the third quarter of 2014, over a fourth of Smart and Sun Cellular’s combined over 69 million subscribers are already using smartphones that are optimized for accessing content-rich apps and websites on the go, which contributed to the stellar performance of its mobile Internet biz during the said period.

“Our subscribers are already seeing the benefit of unlocking the power of their smartphones by using their devices to surf the Internet,” said Charles Lim, EVP and Wireless Consumer Division Head at Smart and Sun. “And with encouraging results from our Smart Free Internet promo, we see subscribers’ mobile Internet usage further increasing by year-end, and well into 2015.”

Aside from the Smart Free Internet promo, Smart and Sun have also introduced affordable and innovative data packages in the market today, starting with the low-priced PisoNet (P1 for 10 minutes of mobile Internet) and turnkey services such as PowerApp that provide affordable access to mobile app bundles for an always-on mobile Internet experience.

Overall, Smart and Sun subscribers have contributed to a robust 112% increase in mobile data traffic within the network, equivalent to 27,000 terabytes worth of data exchanged from January to September 2014, compared with just 13,000 terabytes of data for the same period last year.

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Lim said Smart’s breakthrough mobile data performance for the quarter follows global trends, with smartphone shipments increasing globally by 25.2% in the third quarter of the year, according to research firm IDC. But more than just riding the smartphone wave, Smart has been offering services and content suited to the needs of an emerging market like the Philippines.

“We have introduced game-changing and innovative digital content offerings that allow our subscribers to truly live digital, putting the best forms of mobile entertainment right within their reach and accessible even without a credit card,” he added.

Smart has been leading the charge in making digital content easily accessible to more Filipinos using their mobile phones. With Smart, everyone can lead a fully connected lifestyle with easy access to content such as music (SPINNR and Deezer), videos (BLINK and ViewStream), books and magazines (Buqo), and e-Sports (Gamex) using their prepaid loads or charged on top of their postpaid accounts.

Smart has also recently enabled the capability for its subscribers to download apps and games and do in-app purchases through Google Play™ using their cellphone loads, which means Android™ phone users can conveniently purchase and easily enjoy digital content on their phones whenever, wherever they want.

“And with our ‘supercharged’ network across the country, our subscribers could only expect the best mobile Internet service available as they access these revolutionary content services on their mobile phones,” Lim added.