Today most consumers own a smartphone, a tablet, or even both; so landline phones are a thing of the past already. It’s also part of the reason for the explosion in usage of mobile-based chat apps in Asia. There’s Skype and newcomer Jego, which both allow users to call mobile and landline numbers. So the Philippine telco PLDT has decided that its PLDT Home landline service – the biggest in the country – needs to step things up. To adapt to the changing times, the telco now bundles a tablet with a landline subscription. It’s called the Telpad.
Basically, Telpad is a tablet unique to PLDT and is claimed to be a world’s first by the telco. It’s 7-inch tablet powered by Android that comes with a handset and a tablet dock (ເບງິ່ຮູບຂ້າງເທິງ). And it actually looks unique. Users of course can also take it outside their homes. The idea is already gaining traction in the market. PLDT reported that 30,000 subscribers who used to have traditional phone lines already converted to a Telpad plan. Patrick Tang, PLDT head of Home Voice Solutions, says its sales are doubling every year. ລາວເພີ້ມ:
This year, we expect to hit 100,000 [devices], so next year we targeting to reach 200,000.
Providing exclusive apps
Following this increasing traction, the telco has just launched a dual-core version of its Telpad. Since PLDT is also an internet service provider, it bundles the device into a plan with an unlimited internet service via a wifi modem. Through this, more exclusive content on the tablet will become available for users.
One of the apps it provides is the heyU app, which is like a local version of Skype. Through the app, users can call other heyU users and landline users for free through an internet connection. And it also has the option to call mobile phones and out-of-country calls for a fee. So with more consumers subscribing to the Telpad plan, access to landline calling may become mainstream again. That is, if consumers will actually opt for this rather than wildly popular chat apps like Line, WeChat, and Viber which can perform online voice calls between fellow users.
The Telpad also includes more entertainment-centric content like movies, music, and games. It taps Philippines-based online movie-streaming website Clickplay, global music publisher MCA Music, and EA Games, to make content available on the Telpad. This looks like the value-add it will give to subscribers to sign up for the tablet in place of the free chat apps. PLDT also gives its tablet subscribers a number of free downloads for a certain period. They can get five free songs until September, and two free EA Games until July next year.
With this revamp of its landline services, PLDT is expecting to reach PHP 1 ຕື້ ($23 ລ້ານ) in revenue this year from the Telpad devices and the new services it has created. Its major competitor, Globe Telecom, has not come up with a similar service. On the other hand, Globe carries customizable plans bundled with Samsung and Blackberry tablets.
(ແຫລ່ງຂໍ້ມູນ: Newsbytes; Malaya)
(Editing by: Steven Millward and Anh-Minh Do)