Red Mobile (also red mobile), formerly ümobile and legally as Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprise, Inc. (CURE), was a wholly owned subsidiary of
Smart Communications
Smart Communications Inc., commonly referred to as Smart (and officially stylized/ self-styled as SMART), is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT Inc., a telecommunications and digital services provid ...
, the Philippines' largest
mobile telecommunications company
A mobile phone operator, wireless provider, or carrier is a mobile telecommunications company that provides wireless Internet GSM services for mobile device users. The operator gives a SIM card to the customer who inserts it into the mobile dev ...
. When it was initially launched as ümobile, it used the CURE
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third generation mobile cellular system for networks based on the GSM standard. Developed and maintained by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), UMTS is a component of the Inte ...
network. At that time, it offered its services through an invitation-based, ad-supported platform, catering to middle and upper-class subscribers between the ages of 15 and 35, devoting its services to that demographic. After re-branding a
Red Mobile both the ad-supported revenue platform and invitation system were scrapped in favor of a more traditional marketing and revenue-generating approach. In March 2010, Red Mobile started promoting its unlimited service offerings. However, subscribers started reporting on online social networks that the CURE UMTS network has since been converted to a GSM network.
[facebook.com, numerous users attesting to Red's signal being limited to the GSM network instead of the previous EDGE/UMTS networks](_blank)
/ref> It is Closed in July 2012.
History
CURE was established in 2001 by two companies: PH Communications Holdings Corporation and Francom Holdings, companies both owned by businessman Roberto Ongpin, with Eric Recto as president of the new company. Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
granted the company a 25-year franchise to provide telecommunications services in the Philippines on April 24, 2001. However, significant operations did not commence until 2005, when CURE applied for one of the five 3G licenses being offered by the National Telecommunications Commission
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC; fil, Pambansang Komisyon sa Telekomunikasyon) is an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology responsible for the supervision, adjudication and control over ...
. It was one of four companies (the other three being Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom, Inc., commonly shortened as Globe, is a major provider of telecommunications services in the Philippines. The company operates the largest mobile network in the Philippines and one of the largest fixed-line and broadband networks ...
, Sun Cellular and CURE's current parent company, Smart Communications
Smart Communications Inc., commonly referred to as Smart (and officially stylized/ self-styled as SMART), is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT Inc., a telecommunications and digital services provid ...
) to have been awarded a 3G license in 2006.
The awarding of a 3G license to CURE by the NTC is considered controversial and was the subject of a request by Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Valentin Furagganan Ponce Enrile Sr., (born Juanito Furagganan; February 14, 1924), also referred to by his initials JPE, or Manong Johnny, is a Filipino politician and lawyer known for his role in the administration of Philippine dicta ...
for the Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation regarding the NTC's judgment in issuing the licenses.[Senate Resolution No. 428: A RESOLUTION URGING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, INTO THE ISSUES CONCERNING THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY AT PRESENT BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE ALLEGED QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS OF THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WITH RESPECT TO THE ISSUANCE WHICH EVENTUALLY SOLD ITS ASSETS TO SMART TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AS WELL AS THE GRANT OF BWAWIMAX BANDWIDTH TO EXISTING AND NEW PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATION ENTITIES, WITHOUT PROMULGATING THE NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES, WITH THE END IN VIEW OF RECOMMENDING AND FAIR COMPETITION AMONG THE INDUSTRY PLAYERS AND, MORE OF 3G-FREQUENCY TO THE CONNECTIVITY UNLIMITED RESOURCES, INC. IMMEDIATE REMEDIAL MEASURES TO ENSURE NON-DISCRIMINATION IMPORTANTLY, PROTECT THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CONSUMERS](_blank)
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Senado ng Pilipinas'', also ''Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas'' or "upper chamber") is the upper house of Congress of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines with the House of Representatives as ...
, retrieved on October 5, 2008 Enrile's request cites the incapability of CURE to independently mount a 3G network, as well as violations of its franchise when Smart acquired the company in 2008.
CURE's 3G network went live in December 2006, and the CURE network was opened for public trial through an invitation system. Persons who were selected to try out the CURE network were given a 500-peso
The peso is the monetary unit of several countries in the Americas, and the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries the peso uses the Dollar sign, same sign, "$", as many currencies na ...
phone credit allowance in addition to a free SIM card
file:SIM-Karte von Telefónica O2 Europe - Standard und Micro.jpg, A typical SIM card (mini-SIM with micro-SIM cutout)
file:Sim card.png, A smart card taken from a Global System for Mobile Communications, GSM mobile phone
file:Simkarte NFC SecureE ...
. At the time, CURE did not see itself as a competitor to the three established telecommunications companies, nor did it target its current demographic: the original demographic of the company was aimed more at corporate customers and individuals who wanted to avail of the new services and capabilities of UMTS. In part due to this original mission, CURE offered unlimited mobile phone browsing during its public trial.
On March 25, 2008, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
(PLDT), the parent company of Smart, announced that the latter had acquired CURE's parent companies in a P419.5 million (US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
10 million) deal as part of Smart's planned expansion of both its 3G network and services.[PLDT unit Smart acquires telecom firm for $10 million](_blank)
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' (''PDI''), or simply the ''Inquirer'', is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines. Founded in 1985, it is often regarded as the Philippines' newspaper of record. The newspaper is the most awarded bro ...
, April 28, 2008 While the management structure was left untouched, the acquisition enabled Smart to align CURE towards becoming a niche provider in the then-young Philippine 3G market.[Ongpin group gives up 3G business: Smart acquires smaller rival](_blank)
The Manila Times
''The Manila Times'' is the oldest extant English language, English-language newspaper in the Philippines. It is published daily by The Manila Times Publishing Corp. (formerly La Vanguardia Publishing Corporation) with editorial and administrati ...
, April 29, 2008
CURE rebranded itself as ümobile on May 19, 2008 during the network's public launch at the Rockwell Center
Rockwell Center is a high-end mixed-use area in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines, named after James Rockwell, former President of Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company (Meralco). It is a project of Rockwell Land Corporation, which is owned ...
in Makati
Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.
Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
. While ümobile is distinct from the previously independent CURE, it retained the old invitation system with a free SIM card and a six-month, P100 phone credit allowance.
ümobile invitations were available from June 1 to August 31 and invitations were distributed both at their website and at ümobile-sponsored events in bars and nightclubs around Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
. However, the entire invitation system was shut down on September 1 as part of the integration of CURE's network assets with that of Smart's. This integration resulted in the retirement of the ümobile brand and the eventual transition to Red Mobile.[CURE relaunches mobile phone CURE relaunches mobile phone](_blank)
ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs
ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs, known on-air as ABS-CBN News (formerly known as ''ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs'' and later ''ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs''), is the news and current affairs production and distribution divisi ...
, November 21, 2008
Red Mobile folded its services in July 2012, when PLDT
PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company ( fil, Kompanya ng Teleponong Pangmalayuan ng Pilipinas), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service holdings company. It is one of the country's ...
turned its spectrum over to the NTC as one of the conditions the regulator set for the approval of the PLDT
PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company ( fil, Kompanya ng Teleponong Pangmalayuan ng Pilipinas), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service holdings company. It is one of the country's ...
group's acquisition of Sun Cellular. Its spectrum, 3G frequency, and permits used by CURE were bidded out.
Services
Red Mobile previously focused on providing highly affordable yet high-quality UMTS (3G) services. It challenged other carriers who provide "unlimited" services, by focusing on the negative quality of those "unlimited" services, such as poor signal, congested lines and bad connections. Red Mobile offered a 50-centavo/minute rate for same-network voice calls and video calls, plus a 50-centavo/160 characters rate for same-network messages. Red Mobile also sold the idea of a high-quality nationwide network by limiting their subscribers' access to just the UMTS
The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a third generation mobile cellular system for networks based on the GSM standard. Developed and maintained by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), UMTS is a component of the Inte ...
network, thereby avoiding access to the more congested and lower quality EDGE
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
network.
However, that strategy did not attract a lot of subscribers. While Smart was busy acquiring the wireless business of Piltel, Red Mobile users were allowed access to the GSM/EDGE
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
network to further increase the market potential of Red Mobile (since 3G handsets were not yet that prevalent in the market).
In March 2010, Red Mobile started promoting its unlimited service offerings. It retained the 50-centavo rates. However, subscribers started reporting on online social networks that the CURE UMTS network has since been converted to a GSM network. This caused the loss of video calling capabilities and other 3G-related services.
See also
*Smart Communications
Smart Communications Inc., commonly referred to as Smart (and officially stylized/ self-styled as SMART), is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT Inc., a telecommunications and digital services provid ...
References
External links
Red Mobile
ümobile
Old CURE website
(from the Internet Archive)
{{Philippine mobile phone companies
Smart Communications
Mobile phone companies of the Philippines
Companies based in Makati
Telecommunications companies established in 2001
Telecommunications companies disestablished in 2012
Companies established in 2001
Companies disestablished in 2012
2001 establishments in the Philippines
2012 disestablishments in the Philippines