Globe Telecom President & CEO Ernest Cu today said the smartphone uptake will further boost the company’s mobile data business in the second half of 2014.
The number of smartphone users now account for 25 percent of the company’s mobile subscriber base of close to 41 million.
3G and 4G network is also supporting the growth in mobile Internet business.
Globe Telecom CEO’s confidence in mobile Internet business reflects in the number of Globe customers using mobile data that more than doubled over the last 6 months.
In the first quarter of the year, Globe Telecom said its consolidated revenues rose 9 percent to P23.2 billion – supported by growth in subscribers in both mobile and broadband business and demand for data connectivity.
Mobile browsing and other data revenues accounted for 15 percent of total mobile service revenues at P2.8 billion, a 12 percent increase from P2.5 billion a year earlier. At the end of the first quarter, Globe broadband subscribers totaled 2.19 million from 1.74 million a year earlier.
“We continue to reap the gains of our network transformation with a more pervasive 3G and 4G network that helps drive mobile browsing adoption among our customers. The key is giving our customers a good data experience at prices they can easily afford,” said Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu.
The other growth driver was the company’s Free Facebook offer, which ran for six months until April 2014.
In April, Globe Telecom started offering free music through new data plans in association with Spotify, a music streaming service.
Globe’s association with Viber, a chat application provider, is also contributing to data growth.
