Smart and Sun, along with Smart subsidiary Voyager Innovations, Inc., are teaming up with Waze to help expand local awareness of the popular crowdsourced application to help local drivers get to where they’re going with less hassle. The three companies, all part of PLDT, will be the first local mobile operators to partner with the social navigation application pioneer.
The app, Waze, brings together traditional GPS navigation and the wildly popular social networking framework to enable users to quickly and efficiently identify trouble areas and faster routes when on the road. The beauty of the application is the instant feedback it offers, though for it to be truly effective, it requires a critical mass of Waze-using drivers to be on the road. The partnership is aimed at widening the Waze user base in order to better serve each one through a marketing, promotion and distribution agreement to Smart and Sun’s more than 73.4 million subscribers.
Smart and Sun will also pre-install the Waze application on smartphones bundled with its commercial postpaid and prepaid offerings, which in turn will display the locations of Smart and Sun-branded retail points to help extend both networks’ customer service.
“Waze is one of the most innovative and fast-rising mobile apps in the world and we’re proud to make this available to our subscribers. With our fast-growing smartphone subscriber base, Waze is an exciting addition to the growing number of Smart and Sun’s leading global mobile apps partners,” said Orlando B. Vea, Chief Wireless Advisor, Smart and president of Digitel.
“Waze provides real-time and community-based information to make navigating traffic easier, allowing users to better make use of their time to live more. It is especially useful in the high-traffic areas of the country’s major cities and has a growing user base in the Philippines. This partnership is mutually beneficial to all parties – with our subscribers enjoying a world-class mobile app and with Waze having access to the biggest share of the Philippine mobile services market.” said Charles A. Lim, EVP and Head, Consumer Wireless Business Group for Smart and Sun.
“Voyager is bringing Waze, a leading crowd-sourced mapping and traffic information app experience to the Philippines. By downloading the app, users can gain access to a rich navigation experience thru the mobile phone – no need for another gadget. It is just the beginning– we are bringing more of these innovative services to enrich everyday life,” said Jose Benjamin S. Fernandez, Chief Operating Officer, Voyager.