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SMART Communications Inc. on Monday announced its offer of a
flat-rate unlimited messaging service and electronic mail to its
subscribers nationwide.
The unlimited service is an Internet
protocol-based, downloadable application called Smart Buddy Uzzap,
which is the first mobile “all-in-one” messaging service in the
country as it allows users to merge several messaging services such
as short messaging service, instant messaging and email into their
mobile phone.
Uzzap also allows users to join common-interest
chatrooms, set up chat conferences, and use “extended
messaging,” or connect with other Uzzap users.
Smart said the application enables users to stay
connected anytime, anywhere—all via their handset.
Danilo Mojica, wireless consumer division head
of Smart, said Uzzap is another service that will further enrich the
mobile Internet experience of the company’s subscribers.
“Smart has taken another step towards taking
web-based applications such as instant messaging, file sharing, and
social networking and making these accessible and easy to use on
their mobile handsets,” Mojica said.
Smart’s Uzzap application works on a wide
range of handsets that are capable of running Symbian or high-end
Java applications. It may also be downloaded, installed, and used,
for free, via any personal computer with Internet connection.
Smart postpaid and prepaid subscribers can
download the application via their handset for free.
Smart has set aside P15-billion capital
expenditure this year, higher than the P14.2 billion last year to
finance its 3G (third generation) and wireless Internet broadband
network capacity expansion.
Napoleon Nazareno, Smart and PLDT president,
said this year’s capex is primarily to finance the company’s 3G,
2G and Internet broadband network capacity expansion to meet the
expected increase in subscribers’ base.
Last year, Smart’s capex was used to further
upgrade its core, access and transmission network facilities, expand
its wireless broadband facilities and develop IT platforms for new
businesses.
At end-May, Smart and Pilipino Telephone Corp.
have combined subscriber base of 32.6 million.
-- Darwin G. Amojelar
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