Landline war heats up; Globe cuts IDD rates to as low as 5¢/minute

By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes, The Philippine Star

Competition in the landline business heats up a notch higher as Globe Telecom’s wireline subsidiary Innove Communications reduced its international direct dial (IDD) rates to as low as five US cents per minute.

The move followed rival Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s (PLDT) reduction of its IDD rates for digital subscriber line (DSL) subscribers and an announcement of a plan to extend the reduced rates to Budget Card users.

Lopez-owned Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel) has likewise lowered its international call rates for DSL subscribers.

Through its residential and business brand Globelines, Innove officials said the company has introduced the lowest IDD rates for subscribers whatever access points they choose to use. The new rates apply regardless of the access point – whether through postpaid landline, prepaid call card or broadband Internet.

From Sept. 14 to Oct. 13, 2005, Globelines postpaid subscribers can call to 10 countries for only 20 cents per minute – half the normal rate – by simply dialing 107-07 + country code + area code + telephone number. Subscribers who have activated their IDD can already avail of the budget IDD rate when calling to Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and USA.

Officials said Globelines’ IDD rate gets even more affordable when calling the same countries using Globe1, Innove’s new PIN-based prepaid call card that gives consumers the flexibility and convenience to make calls from any Globelines payphone and landline.

While Globe1 can also be used in Globe Handyphone and Touch Mobile, the discounted IDD rate is applicable only when using a Globelines postpaid or prepaid landline and Globelines payphones.

Globelines subscribers enjoy an IDD rate of only 10 cents a minute when calling from any Globelines postpaid, prepaid or payphone using Globe1. Subscribers only have to dial 107-88 and key in the card number followed by #, then dial 00 + country code + area code + telephone number + #.

"We want to provide the Filipino consumers with more choices on what communications or connectivity services they could avail of at prices that they are comfortable with," Globelines head Ramon Antonio L. Pineda said.

"Ultimately, it is the consumers who benefit from competition in the market. We, in Innove, continue to come up with practical and the latest telecommunications services that we make available to all. We intend to provide subscribers with more options in the market," he added.

From Sept. 20, 2005, Globelines cuts its IDD rate further when placing calls abroad using Globelines Broadband, Innove’s postpaid broadband Internet connection for homes and small businesses. Its broadband subscribers can call to 51 countries at only five cents per minute.

The 51 countries covered by the reduced rates are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela