SMART taps Opera Mini to spread the Web in the Philippines
Barcelona, Spain – February 18, 2010
Opera Software today announced that Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART), the Philippines’ leading wireless services provider with 40 million subscribers, has selected Opera Mini to bring the Web to SMART mobile phone subscribers. Opera Mini is a popular mobile browser which offers users the full web browsing experience designed for the screen size and functionalities of a mobile phone.
Opera Mini 4 and Opera Mini 5 will be officially available for over-the-air (OTA) download from SMART websites, or will come pre-installed on SMART devices. The SMART-customized version of Opera Mini 4 and Opera Mini 5 features special mobile websites that load quickly with just a few clicks of the keypad.
The Philippines consistently ranks as one of the top users of Opera Mini in Southeast Asia, and by working with SMART, Opera can put the Web in the hands of more Filipinos than ever before. According to Opera’s most recent State of the Mobile Web report, mobile Web usage in Southeast Asia has surged over the past year, with triple digit increases in number of unique users, page views and data transferred. Opera Mini has experienced success in this region due to its unique browser offering, ensuring the fastest, most full-featured and least costly Web experience on nearly all mobile phones.
“We have witnessed the value that the Opera Mini Web browser offers to our subscribers. They don’t want to be limited in terms of what they can surf from their phones. Opera enables all of this, and still remains fast and cost effective,” said Danilo J. Mojica, head of the Wireless Consumer Division, Smart Communications. “We are proud to offer Opera Mini 4 and Opera Mini 5, so that our customers can take advantage of the very latest in mobile Web technology.”
“The Philippines is a country with enormous growth potential, in terms of spreading the Web. By working together with SMART, we are able to reach an enormous group of Filipinos who may otherwise not have Web access,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “By offering the desktop Web experience on mobile phones, we are giving SMART subscribers a chance to truly engage with the world online.”
Opera Mini 4 and Opera Mini 5 will soon be available for free to SMART subscribers.
About Smart Communications
Smart Communications, Inc. is the Philippines’ leading wireless services provider with 40 million subscribers on its GSM network as of end-December 2009. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the country’s dominant telecommunications carrier, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), SMART and its subsidiaries operate a nationwide cellular network, a wireless broadband service, a satellite phone service, and mobile commerce services. SMART has the most extensive and modern digital communications GSM network and infrastructure in the country, covering all of the country’s 1,619 cities and municipalities. SMART’s GSM network have been equipped with wireless broadband capability by subsidiary Smart Broadband, Inc. (SBI). SMART offers the widest array of cellular service brands designed to address the needs of different market segments. Another subsidiary, SBI, offers a wireless broadband service, Smart BRO, with 1 million subscribers as of end-December 2009. SMART has built a reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless data services, including mobile commerce services such as Smart Money, Smart Load and Smart Padala. SMART also offers 3G and HSPA services, and its Smart Link service provides communications to the global maritime industry.