Sun Cellular expands broadband coverage

MANILA, Philippines - Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. said it has more than doubled Sun Cellular's mobile broadband coverage.

Charles Lim, Sun Cellular executive vice president and head of wireless consumer business group, said Sun Broadband provides fast and reliable Internet connection to more Pinoys.

"With our expanded broadband coverage across the country, more Filipinos can count on Sun Broadband to deliver reliable services wherever they are in the Philippines," Lim said.

Sun Broadband's coverage was expanded to Ilocos Norte in the North and Tawi-tawi in the South. Now, Sun Broadband covers majority of the provinces in the Philippines, as it benefitted from increased infrastructure coordination with sister company Smart Communications Inc.

Most of the expanded coverage areas are in Mindanao. New provinces added to Sun Broadband's service areas include Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sarangani and North Cotabato.

Sun Broadband has expanded to areas such as Guimaras, Samar Islands, Masbate, and Siquijor in the Visayas, as well as Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Mindoro Islands, Romblon, and Sorsogon in Southern Luzon.

In Luzon, Sun Broadband's expanded coverage now includes Abra, Apayao, Aurora, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province and Nueva Vizcaya, among others.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Making Your Valentine Extra Special

MANILA, Philippines — On Tuesday, make your loved ones’ Valentine’s Day complete by making them feel extra special.

The telecom company, Sun Cellular, offers the following tips:

1. Text and beyond! Relay your love completely through your mobile phone with a combination of text messages and MMS. Take a video or voice record of a short but sweet message to make it more personal and memorable.

2. Surprise your loved one during the day with an unexpected visit at her workplace. Double the surprise with an unexpected present to complete her day – which can range from a home-cooked meal ready to be shared for lunch, a cup of coffee to perk her up, or a chocolate bar to brighten up the day.

3. Go on a date with your “other loved ones”. Remember that Valentine’s is mainly a celebration of love – so after sharing a romantic night with your honey, don’t forget to schedule a pampering session with your Mom or a game night with the rest of your family. This way, you get double (or maybe even triple) dates for Valentine’s.

4. Share the love with everyone. Bake a basket of sweet goodies and share them with your friends and office mates. Lost in the kitchen? A simple chocolate bar will do. Simple and sweet actions such as these chase the Valentines’ blues away and remind everyone that you don’t have to be a part of a couple to enjoy the day.

5. Never underestimate the gift of time. Spend the day with the people closest to your heart. Most of the time, just taking the time to be with your loved ones is the best present you can give them.

6. If you can’t be with them, call them. Say your sweet nothings even if your loved ones are on the other side of the globe. A simple “hello” on the phone will definitely melt their hearts away completely!

Sun also offers its Call and Text Combo (CTC) promo to complement your Valentine’s plans. Be it short but sweet text messages or long calls to say your sweet nothings, Sun CTC has it all. Take your pick with the different Sun CTC denominations like Sun CTC 30 that features 40 minutes of Sun calls, 120 Sun texts and 120 texts to other networks, valid for 3 days. Also available: Sun CTC 20 and Sun CTC 10. This way, just like Cupid, your sweet messages are guaranteed to hit their marks with all of your loved ones.

source: mb.com.oh

Telcos still charge P1 per text, defying government order

Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, and Sun Cellular were ordered by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to explain why they failed to lower the rate for short messaging service (SMS) to 80 centavos from P1 per text.

Glem Ecal of the NTC Public Information Office on Friday told GMA News Online that they have yet to verify if the networks already received the order, which was released on Dec. 12.

The telcos have 15 days to reply once they have received the NTC order.

[See also NTC to sue telcos for violating order to lower sms rates]

Globe maintained earlier this week that it has complied with the NTC order to reduce the SMS access charge, but a source told GMA News Online on Friday that its legal department declined to comment on the show-cause order "because it's sub judice."

Smart, Globe, and Sun informed the NTC last November that they will heed the commission's order earlier this year for the telcos to reduce the access or interconnection charge to P0.15 from P0.35.

The access charge is — among other components — part and parcel of the SMS rate, according to Globe.

NTC Deputy Commissioner Delilah Deles said last month "the new SMS access charge will take effect on their respective networks" on Nov. 30.

NTC's One-Stop Public Assistance Center said in an affidavit that they have received complaints from December 5 to 9 that the telcos were still charging P1 per text message.

After those complaints, a series of tests by the the NTC using prepaid mobile numbers from the three telcos established that the text message rates remain at P1 per SMS. — Bea Cupin/ Rose-An Dioquino/VS/HS, GMA News

source:gmanetwork.com