Third telco DITO launches mobile promo as it goes live in Metro Manila
DITO Telecommunity Corp. has now launched its mobile services in Metro Manila in a bid to challenge incumbents PLDT and Globe Telecom in the increasingly lucrative, yet competitive, wireless space.
For its initial promo, DITO is offering a P199 package that has 25GB of data with unlimited texts, unlimited calls to DITO subscribers, and free 300 minutes of calls to other mobile networks. The promo is good for a month and is now available for consumers through Shopee, Lazada, or through the company’s online shop.
DITO, which is a joint venture between Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy and China Telecom, gave a similar promo during their commercial launch last March in Visayas and Mindanao.
Since they launched two months ago, the company said they now have about half a million subscribers in 100 cities and municipalities. DITO is now targeting to have two million subscribers by year-end.
“We are doing everything on the commercial side to get our subscribers,” DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said in an online press briefing early today. “But aminado tayo na NCR is the bigger market.”
Company officials are confident that their “aggressive” rollout will propel them to fulfill the yearly commitments as stated under their congressional franchise. From 27 megabits per second speed covering 37% of the population in the first year, the company need to increase its service and coverage to 55 Mbps speed and 51% of the population by the second year, which will happen in July. By the fifth year, the company's minimum service levels needs to ramp up to 55 Mbps and 80% respectively.
DITO ditched the legacy 2G and 3G phones in building its 4G network, which has been proving as a challenge as many still use the old feature phones in various provinces. But the company is pinning its hopes that the eventual adoption of 5G will accelerate its expansion, especially as it has a partner in China, where many IP patents for 5G technology are being developed.