PLDT and M1 strike pre-paid service deal

Philippines Long Distance Telephone Co (PLDT) says it has signed an agreement with Singaporean mobile and IDD service provider MobileOne (M1), to offer pre-paid mobile services to Filipino workers in Singapore. PLDT, which completed the deal through its PLDT Singapore unit, plans to launch the new service in the first quarter of this year, marketing it under the Smart brand used by its domestic mobile arm. The company will use M1’s network infrastructure to target an estimated 130,000-strong Filipino community, offering voice, SMS and value added services. The deal is believed to be similar to the 1528 Smart service launched in Hong Kong in 2004.