A number of innovations from leading wireless services provider Smart Communications (Smart) and PLDT subsidiary PLDT Global (PGC) have been shortlisted for this year’s Telecom Asia Awards.
 
Now on its 22nd year, the Telecom Asia Awards is the region's longest-running industry awards program which seeks to recognize the continent’s premier telecommunications service providers and executives. It is organized annually by Telecom Asia, the largest telecom publishing group in the region.

The award-giving body recognized Smart's efforts to contribute to nation-building through its education program School-in-a-Bag (SIAB). Intended for remote schools and communities with limited electricity and internet connection, a SIAB digital learning package comes in a water-resistant backpack that generally contains a solar panel and battery, teacher's laptop and tablet, Smart pocket WiFi, projector, DVD player, TV, and student tablets. The latter are pre-installed with educational content that include Learn Smart mother tongue literacy apps developed in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and academic institutions nationwide.

Since the program’s launch in 2016, a total of 110 SIAB packages have been donated to various learning institutions, which have benefitted over thirty thousand students and over a thousand teachers in communities all over the Philippines.

Telecom Asia also acknowledged Smart’s Credit Score Service, the Philippines’ first data monetization and scoring solution that helps mobile subscribers gain easy access to financing for big ticket items such as smartphones and electronic appliances. The innovation utilizes credit scoring with telecommunications big data, as a Smart subscriber’s unique telco behavior contributes to a credit score.

Nominated under the Most Innovative Approach to Analytics category, the pioneer technology facilitates access to financial services in the Philippines - where 70% of the population remains unbanked.

Nominated under the Most Innovative Over-The-Top (OTT) Video Service category, Smart’s Free YouTube Every Day service provides Smart subscribers, as well as those from value brands TNT and Sun Cellular, with up to one hour of data for streaming in the popular video-sharing website.

To make the service easy for people to enjoy, Free YouTube Every Day was tied with data promos so that users are automatically entitled to free streaming upon buying airtime packages that they normally purchase. Smart, TNT, and Sun Cellular postpaid subscribers are automatically entitled to Free YouTube Every Day.

PGC, the international arm of leading digital services provider PLDT that provides communications, content, and commerce solutions for Overseas Filipinos, was nominated under the Most Innovative Voice Solution category for its Free Bee mobile application.

Available in over 180 countries, the advertising-based VoIP service delivers high-quality IDD calls to the Philippines for free. For longer calls and an ad-free experience, users have the option to buy Premium Voice buckets at affordable rates - as low as 1 US cent per minute – from global retailers or via in-app and online purchases.

This year's Telecom Asia Awards consist of 28 categories that are divided into three distinct groups: Innovation, Service Providers, and Leadership. The categories represent current and emerging trends in the communications sector. Shortlisted organizations represent innovators from their respective industries who have displayed excellence in the delivery of innovative services.

For more information on Smart and PLDT Global’s shortlisted innovations, visit www.smart.com.ph and www.pldtglobal.com.