Philippine television network ABS-CBN dials into mobile telco business

Philippine television network ABS-CBN opened its first ABS-CBNmobile store this week in ELJ building, the network’s headquarters, affirming its presence as the third mobile telco company in the country.

The Philippines is currently dominated by two telcos: PLDT with its subsidiary companies Smart Communications and Sun Cellular, and Globe Telecom. With the entry of ABS-CBNmobile, mobile owners in the country have a new option.

ABS-CBNmobile uses Globe’s infrastructure to provide services to its consumers. A network-sharing agreement between the two parties was sealed in May.

The plus factor

Apart from SMS, calls, and mobile data services, the new company will focus more on content. ABS-CBNmobile will allow users to livestream TV shows or watch missed missed episodes via iWantTV’s on-demand video app. The app is now available as a free download on Android and iOS. It’s a service that’s exclusive to the subscribers of ABS-CBNmobile.

ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III believes there is potential in such content. In April it saw 30 million page-views on iWantTV, half of those coming from mobile devices.

Last month, the new telco gave out 100,000 SIM cards to the victims of typhoon Haiyan. Another batch of 100,00 SIM cards can now be purchased in retail stores.

More rivals are coming in this space. Beer company San Miguel is set to launch a mobile telco next year.

(Photo: ABS-CBNmobile Facebook page)

(Editing by Steven Millward)