Telcos told to exploit popularity of Facebook
LOCAL TELCOS should nuance their mobile Internet packages to the needs of various markets and upgrade their networks to profit from the high usage of social networking sites, Mozat Pte. Ltd. said.
“With the surge in mobile data consumption, telcos would have to offer multi-tiered pricing options -- varying usage by peak timing, speed, and applications, to cater to the different needs of their consumers,” Michael Yin, chief executive officer at Mozat, said in an e-mail correspondence with BusinessWorld.
But telcos would need to ensure that their infrastructure can handle the influx of data, especially during peak hours and special occasions, Mr. Yin said.
"As the usage of mobile internet and social networking converge, consumers' demand for data will surely increase as well,"Mr. Yin said.
Already, the country’s two telcos have laid down plans for network rehabilitation and improvement as they expect surge in demand for data as users turn to mobile Internet.
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) set aside P34 billion in capital expenditures this year and P33 billion next year for upgrading and building physical networks and enhancing services.
On the other hand, Globe Telecom, Inc. will be investing $790 million for a network modernization program and an IT (information and technology) reengineering program which will run for up to three years.
Mr. Yin said that with the popularity of social networking sites and the Philippines being a “social media-active country,” telcos should take advantage of this opportunity.
“One way of leveraging on the popularity of social networks is to go mobile,” Mr. Yin said.
“The increasing ease of access and sophistication of new mobile devices and technology are making it easier for subscribers to engage more in social networking via their mobile devices rather than their desktops,” Mr. Yin said.
Last week, US-based Internet marketing research firm comScore tagged the Philippines as the sixth market globally most engaged with social networking sites in the month of October.
The top five social networks visited by Filipinos, according to comScore, were Facebook, Twitter, Multiply, Tumblr, and Yahoo! Pulse.
Already, Mr. Yin said the low-cost Internet-capable handsets and the mobile data offerings has also been driving mobile Internet usage in the country.
“Philippines’ 90 million phone subscribers are increasingly relying on their mobile phones to access the internet,” Mr. Yin said.
“The availability of low-cost Internet accessible feature phones bundled with affordable mobile packages is driving this shift,” Mr. Yin said.
Mozat, headquartered in Singapore, has existing partnerships with various telcos in Asia and has a steady presence in the Middle East.
Mediaquest Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT’s Beneficial Trust Fund, has a minority stake in BusinessWorld. -- Kathleen A. Martin