TrubeBytes: A New Day for PLDT and Smart

The surprisingly intriguing acquisition of San Miguel Corporations' telecommunication assets has pushed PLDT and Smart Communications to start a new beginning for the benefit of millions of Filipino mobile and home broadband subscribers who are hopeful of better service in the near future. On this edition of TrubeBytes, I will give you the most recent developments from the largest mobile and telecommunications brand in the country that could possibly give customers a new day to start with, and it kicked off with a fresh new start for the brand.

On June 13, 2016, PLDT and Smart Communications begins to embark on a three-year journey of change as it unveiled its new logos that represent the two companies' three business pillars - people, innovation, and customer service - all wrapped in a triangle that personifies change. The new logo was welcome with mixed critical reception from tech journalists and netizens, thinking that its execution has fallen short of the right intentions and should have better renditions. Just look at the new logos above and express what you think about them.

On the other hand, Smart's prepaid mainstream mobile brand Talk n' Text has reintroduced itself with a newly refreshed brand and a new set of ambassadors dubbed as the TNT Tropa (composed of April, Brent, Kelly, Ian and Renzo) that represent the classic Pinoy barkada with different quirks and personalities blending with each other efficiently and becoming a bunch of fun once they are together. Aside from this, it also introduced a catchy new song that is slated to become a testament to the brand's slogan "It's a Tropa Thing". This will further cater the new generation of Filipinos to share their aspirations, give inspiration, and help throughout the day with their own set of friends in the coming years.

A few days after the rebranding, PLDT and Smart made a historic deal with rival telecommunications brand Globe Telecom that can help make internet in the Philippines faster. This new deal, which is six years in the making and will be worth the wait once it begins to take effect, will allow the direct local exchange of traffic between the two companies' own internet exchanges that is destined to each other's own mobile and broadband consumers. The execution of this agreement will take effect for a month or two.

Lastly, here is a treat for new Filipino smartphone users. Following the continuing success of its first prepaid phone bundle, Smart is now partnered with local mobile phone brand Starmobile to offer the ladder's recently released smartphone, the Starmobile Play Click, bundled with a Smart prepaid SIM card with one year of free mobile data up to 100 MB per month and Php30 bonus load for every Php100 prepaid load. It is available on Smart's online store for only Php1,288. Oh, and take note that Smart will require consumers to purchase a Php100 load card along with the new bundle.

Well, these are just the beginning of a new day for PLDT and Smart Communications. And if there is one thing that the government should do to help improve the quality and service of Internet in the Philippines, the answer is this, "STAY OUT OF THE WAY, GOVERNOR!!"