GLOBE Telecom on Thursday said offering unlimited and bucket promos, instead of reducing short messaging service (SMS) rates to 80 centavos, would benefit subscribers more.
In a statement, the Ayala-led telco said it would soon release new unlimited offers with lower rates and the inclusion of more packages complementing their unli voice or SMS services.

“The new unli offers will benefit the larger base of Globe customers,” the company said.
Globe said more than 90 percent of its prepaid customers are using unli services.

Earlier, the National Telecommunications Commission issued a Memorandum Circular 02-10-2011 reducing the maximum interconnection charges for SMS between two separate networks to 15 centavos a text from 35 centavos.

The circular took effect on November 30. In a letter to Globe, Smart Communications Inc. and Sun Cellular, Gamaliel Cordoba, NTC commissioner, requested the three leading telcos to reduce their SMS rates by 20 centavos.

Instead of lowering their SMS rates to 80 centavos, Globe and Smart said they would offer more bucket pricing and unlimited promos.

“With these new menu of lower and better unli packages that will be offered very soon, more people shall be able to enjoy and benefit as a result of the NTC initiative to reduce the SMS domestic access charges,” Froilan Castelo, head of Globe corporate and legal services group said.

Globe recently informed the NTC that it has complied with the circular to reduce the domestic SMS access charges from P0.35 to P0.15.

“Globe is one with the NTC and supports its pro-consumer policies. It is on this context that Globe shall come up with better, lower and affordable unli pricing for the greater good and benefit of its subscribers,” Castelo added.

Sought for comment, Cordoba said the NTC would wait for Globe’s promotional offering and would determine whether the promo complies with its circular.