WITH its subscriber base now over six times its direct competitor, the digital services arm of PLDT Inc. has claimed the top spot in the fixed-broadband business in the Philippines during the first quarter of the year.
Now at 1.3 million wired-broadband customers, PLDT Home commands a market share of 70 percent, thanks to its continued offering of enticing digital services.
Broadband and data revenues now account for 53 percent of total PLDT Home revenues of P4.23 billion as of end-March. “PLDT has posted strong gains in data, broadband and digital services,” PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said. “Our experience in the fixed-line business shows how growth can be restored by progressively building up our data and broadband revenues to critical mass.”
Thanks to a “good head start,” the company was able to cement its leadership in the wired-broadband business.
“PLDT Home had a good head start, having been growing in revenues for five consecutive years now, with its unmatched digital services and compelling content,” PLDT EVP and Head of Consumer Business Ariel P. Fermin said.
He added that his company is committed to offer better services in the coming months.
“As we remain focused on serving the multimedia requirements of our customers—the Filipino families—we will also continue to provide them the strongest connections at home in this digital age,” Fermin said.
Among the growing array of Web-connected devices offered by PLDT Home to customers are the Telpad, FamCam and the TVolution Stick. The Telpad is a tablet serving as the hub of the digital services for the home. It can control home appliances through Wi-Fi and Infrared, as well as the FamCam, a home-monitoring security camera that transmits live footage to mobile devices. The TVolution Stick, launched in partnership with Intel and Microsoft, is a device that turns an ordinary TV into personal computers.
“In the first quarter of 2016 alone, revenues derived from the sale of these devices reached over P700 million and are likely to exceed P2 billion for 2016,” Fermin said.
Last year PLDT established partnerships with international content providers, like iflix, Fox International Channels and Disney Kids Channel, to provide customers with a unified experience that brings together both content and connectivity.