After posting a 3-percent decline in profit in the first half, Globe Telecom, the country’s second-largest mobile phone operator is banking on its iPhone 3G and other third-generation products to drive growth in the second half.

Globe will offer the pre-paid kits for over P41,899 for the 8-GB version while the 16-GB version will cost P48,899. Both units come with free messaging service load of P200 for five months.

Globe said in an investors’ briefing at Renaissance Makati Hotel yesterday that it expected improvements in top-line growth in the second semester.

The company said among the initiatives to drive growth and create momentum were the launch of iPhone 3G in the country, new initiatives in priority segments and major push on broadband, including WiMAX commercial launch.

Globe president and chief executive Gerardo Ablaza said the plan was to introduce iPhone on Aug. 22 as a part of the second-wave of global launch, following the initial introduction in other countries on July 11.

“It will be offered to both pre-paid and post-paid subscribers,” the company said.

The company, which bagged the deal in the Philippines from Apple, said it would introduce special post-paid plans with free local mobile Internet hours and free Wi-Fi browsing hours in Globe wireless Internet zones.

Based on 3G and EDGE testing, iPhone 3G’s speed varies by site conditions. Reservations for iPhone began this week.

The company has acquired mobile content distributor Entertainment Gateway Group to expand its services to include music, news and information, games, chat, and Web-to-mobile messaging.

Globe Telecom, owned by Ayala Corp. and Singapore Telecom, reported that its net income fell 3 percent to P6.2 billion in the first half from a year ago, owing to high inflation that affected consumer spending this year.

Source:manilastandardtoday