THE BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) is favored by 70 percent of Filipino BB users of Globe Telecom Inc., according to chief marketing officer Menchi Orlina.
Globe said in a company statement that it is the local market leader in BlackBerry users, being the first to bring in the recent Blackberry Bold 9700 smartphone and the variety of colored Blackberry Curve 8520 smartphones to the Philippines.
The company said it has the most number of BlackBerry subscribers in the country.
Prlina said using BBM is fast and easy. Unlike instant messaging (IM) services, people do not need to register or set up a BBM account. The application is already pre-installed in BlackBerry devices so they can get their personal BBM PIN code and start putting together their BBM friends list to send personal or group messages with a single click or even group-chat from different locations.
Other applications
She said that aside from BBM, Filipinos also favor other super apps including Facebook for BlackBerry and Twitter for BlackBerry. She said free applications available at BlackBerry App World cover a broad spectrum of interest.
BlackBerry App World, which allows users to download apps for their phones, became available to Filipinos in March this year. RIM also launched BlackBerry Device Software as well as BlackBerry Desktop Software for application downloads, which include BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook for BlackBerry, Flickr for BlackBerry, Bloomberg Mobile, Flixster, Chum Radio, Kaglom, Three Squared Demo, WorldMate Live, Travel Like a Pro and Goal.com.
In North America, where BB is the number one handset, salesmen favor using a BlackBerry handheld over their laptops while travelling to enter their sales data into their company’s customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Healthcare professionals use their Blackberry smartphones to capture and update information about children in foster care via Remote Data Capture (RDC).
US policemen use BlackBerry smartphones to run warrants, check license plates and review mug shots of individuals from secure police databases as well as track down their officers in the field.
Others use their BlackBerry smartphone as intelligent alarm networks, alerting them to intrusion in their homes and offices and enabling them to lock or unlock doors.
Data plan
BBM messages are free as part of the Globe subscribers’ data plan, Orlina said. Globe BlackBerry users can get unlimited surfing and BB service for P1,200 per month.
The BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone comes free with Globe Postpaid Plan 3500 and with unlimited data service on Globe BlackBerry Plan 3799. The prepaid kit is priced at P28,995 with one month of free Super Surfing.
The BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone comes free with Globe Postpaid Plan 1800 and with unlimited data service on Globe’s BlackBerry Plan 3799. The prepaid kit is priced at P14,995 and comes with one month free Super Surfing. (PR)