Free Mobile Internet Access, Even When Slow and Limited, is Effective at Stimulating Demand

Last September 2014, PLDT mobile customers in the Philippines on many prepaid voice plans (Smart, Talk ‘n Text, and Sun Cellular) were offered  “free internet” for two months, as part of a marketing promotion to encourage sampling of Internet services.

Customers could use 30 MB per day, and were guaranteed Internet access only at a minimum speed of 12 Kbps. The usage caps and slow speeds probably have you wondering what a person possibly could do that is useful.

Smart Communication says users can access social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, search engines like Google and Yahoo!, email platforms like Gmail and Yahoo! Mail, streaming music, and online shopping sites.

The point is that such efforts are a very effective way of encouraging people to sample what Internet apps can offer, leading many to become subscribers, once they see the value.