Mobile, SE Asia, Singapore: Philippines M1 (www.m1.com.sg)  and PLDT Singapore (www.pldt.com.ph) are entering into a strategic partnership to provide prepaid mobile services to the sizeable Filipino community in the region.

The co-operation agreement has been signed by Neil Montefiore, CEO of M1 in Singapore, and Alfredo S Panlilio, President and CEO of PLDT Global. The mobile services, targeted for launch in 1Q06, will be marketed under the SMART brand by PLDT Singapore (Smart Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of PLDT has 20.8 million subscribers on its GSM network as of end-September 2005, and is a recognisable brand name for Filipinos).

SMART will use M1's network and operational infrastructure to offer voice and SMS services to the estimated 130,000 Filipinos working in Singapore. It will also offer value-added services such as Filipino-centric content and m-commerce services that will meet the needs of the Singaporean Filipino community.

This new venture will build on the existing close ties between M1 and SMART, which are both pioneer members of the regional group of mobile operators, Asia Mobility Initiative (AMI), formed in 2003.