ABS-CBN Mobile

ABS-CBN Mobile

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Telecommunications
Founded	November 16, 2013 (2013-11-16)
Defunct	December 1, 2018 (2018-12-01)
Fate	Operations terminated
Headquarters	Quezon City , Philippines
Area served	Philippines
Products	Prepaid and postpaid mobile services, SMS, voice calls, data connectivity, wireless landline, exclusive content from iWant TV
Owner	ABS-CBN Convergence (division of ABS-CBN Corporation)
Parent	ABS-CBN Corporation
Website	abs-cbnmobile.com.ph

ABS-CBN Mobile (branded as ABS-CBNmobile) was a telecommunications provider in the Philippines owned by ABS-CBN Convergence, a division of ABS-CBN Corporation. It functioned as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), utilizing the infrastructure of Globe Telecom through a network-sharing arrangement. This partnership enabled ABS-CBN Mobile to offer prepaid and postpaid services including SMS, voice calls, data connectivity, wireless landline (postpaid), and exclusive content from iWant TV.

Facing financial deficits and stiff rivalry from competitors such as PLDT/Smart, ABS-CBNmobile terminated its operations on December 1, 2018, following a joint announcement by Globe Telecom and ABS-CBN that the service would conclude on November 30, 2018.

History

On May 28, 2013, ABS-CBN and Globe Telecom formalized a network-sharing contract that allowed ABS-CBN to provide its own prepaid and postpaid voice, SMS, and data offerings. Under this agreement, ABS-CBN compensated Globe based on bandwidth consumption and operational support expenses. The arrangement also included Globe’s acquisition of Lopez Holding's Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel), which received approval from the National Telecommunications Commission on June 8, 2013. ABS-CBN planned an investment between ₱2 billion to ₱3 billion over a two-year period for this initiative.

Although initially slated for an early September launch, operational challenges postponed the rollout until November 16, 2013. The launch coincided with the "Tulong Na, Tabang Na, Tayo Na" benefit concert aimed at aiding Typhoon Haiyan victims. During this event, the company distributed 100,000 complimentary SIM cards to survivors in the Visayas region. Subsequently, a marketing campaign featuring prominent celebrities such as Kim Chiu, Piolo Pascual, Enrique Gil, and John Lloyd Cruz was rolled out.

The inaugural ABS-CBNmobile retail outlet opened on December 11, 2013, located at the ELJ Communications Center, attended by senior executives and celebrity endorsers. Collaborations with smartphone manufacturers CloudFone, Huawei, and 0+ USA facilitated the sale of bundled devices preloaded with ABS-CBNmobile SIM cards and applications like iWant TV. Messaging app partnerships provided free access to KakaoTalk and paid options for Viber, Line, WeChat, and WhatsApp. Distribution channels expanded to include retailers such as SM Supermalls, Walter Mart Philippines, 7-Eleven Philippines, Mini Stop Philippines, Vmobile, Telepreneur Corp., ULoad, and Load Central.

In December 2016, ABS-CBNmobile introduced its own 4G LTE service. By that year, subscriber numbers reached around 904,000; however, the company reported losses amounting to ₱600 million—an improvement from ₱700 million the prior year.

On July 16, 2018, both ABS-CBN and Globe announced their decision not to renew the network-sharing agreement due to ongoing financial challenges. While mobile services were set to be phased out, both parties committed to maintaining their content partnership. The service discontinuation was officially confirmed on October 16, with all operations ceasing by November 30 at 11:59 PM and network signals permanently shut down afterward.

To ease the transition for prepaid customers, free SIM replacements were provided along with 2GB of data and access to KBO online through selected Smart partner outlets.

External links

• Official website of ABS-CBNmobile