PLDT reports strong demand for broadband services

Filipino incumbent Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) says it had signed up 422,000 broadband subscribers by the end of June 2007, helping drive a 40% y-o-y increase in total revenue contributions from broadband and internet data in 1H 2007. PLDT’s Smart Communications subsidiary reported 210,000 customers to its fixed wireless access (FWA) SmartBro service at that date, thanks to the net addition of 88,000 new subscribers in the period January-June. The unit had 2,610 FWA-enabled base stations by the start of July providing access to over 500 cities and municipalities nationwide. Wireless broadband revenues topped the PHP930 million-mark (USD20.5 million) in the first half of this year, a massive 211% improvement on PHP300 million in the same period of 2006. Meanwhile, PLDT reported around 200,000 DSL subscribers by the mid-point of the year, up 67,000 from around 123,000 in December 2006. It also had 300,000 users of its dial-up service Vibe. Revenues from DSL and Vibe operations reached PHP1.9 billion in 1H 2007, up 11% year-on-year.