Smart Communications Inc. was named best mobile operator for the second time in the World Communication Awards, beating Australia’s Telstra Corp. and Middle Eastern operator Ooredoo.
In naming Smart Best Mobile Operator, the WCA recognized the company’s ability to “develop its business by moving into new areas or through service innovation.”
Powered by its strengthened digital strategy which focuses on new mobile data offers and digital partnerships, Smart posted an all-time high growth for its mobile data and broadband businesses in the first nine months of 2015.
Combined revenues reached P15.6 billion, aided by a 139-percent upsurge in mobile data usage within the network. Last year, Smart won in the invitation-only category over six other finalists, including Globe Telecom and Turkcell.
The WCA is organized annually by London-based industry publication Total Telecom.
Smart has 67 million cellular subscribers under the brands Smart, Sun and TNT. It has 3.8 million broadband subscribers under the brands Smart Bro and Sun Broadband Wireless.
8990-Waltermart partnership in trouble?
Is the joint venture between mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. and retailer Waltermart on the rocks, barely seven months after they signed a partnership?
In April this year, 8990 Holdings announced that it selected the Waltermart Group of Companies to be the mall operator for its two mixed-use developments in Metro Manila.
Under the plan, Waltermart, a 50:50 joint venture between the Lim family’s Waltermart Group and SM Retail Inc., will develop the shopping malls at 8990 Holdings’s mixed-use projects in Vitas, Tondo and Ortigas Avenue Extension in Pasig.
While 8990 Holdings launched last week the 8.5-hectare Deca Homes Manila in Tondo, Manila, where it tapped Megawide Construction Corp. as the contractor, no officials of Waltermart were around to witness the event.
In fact, nobody mentioned about Waltermart building a mall in the project. When asked about the update on the partnership with Waltermart, officials of 8990 Holdings were mum on the topic.
“Ask the other party [Waltermart],” was what an official of 8990 Holdings could only mutter. Jenniffer B. Austria
Kuya J plans backdoor listing
Kuya J Restaurant, one of the fastest growing food chains in the country, is considering a plan to list with the Philippine Stock Exchange through backdoor listing.
Sources said owners of Kuya J, a homegrown eatery that started in Cebu, began sitting as directors of a listed company in preparation for possible backdoor listing of Kuya J.
The listed firm, which is being targeted for acquisition, recently obtained shareholders’ approval to significantly increase its authorized capital stock, move that could be connected to the possible backdoor listing of Kuya J.
Kuya J, which has actor Jericho Rosales as endorser and ‘crispy pata’ as its top selling product, has aggressive store expansions plans over the next two years.
The question is which listed firm is being targeted by Kuya J for backdoor listing? Clue: It is a mining company that has yet to start operations. Jenniffer B. Austria