Wireless services provider Smart Communications has introduced premium bundles for the global Web-based music streaming service Deezer, which will complement the company’s homegrown music service, SPINNR, and rivaling Globe Telecom’s Spotify service.
Streaming is not a by-word among music lovers in the past. It was Smart who first facilitated the entry of music streaming services with its SPINNR, that many Filipinos became familiar with it. Now that the company has introduced Deezer, it expects music streaming to spread nationwide to address the varied tastes of local music fanatics.
“We are so pleased to be partnering with Smart, the Philippines’ largest mobile network. Not only are we delivering the best curated music streaming experience to Philippine users, but a seamless and uninterrupted one as well through Smart,” said Steven Frank, Business Development Manager for Deezer, Asia-Pacific.
Considered as having the largest collection of digital music in the industry, the French-owned Deezer allows postpaid subscribers to have unlimited access and listen to over 30 million music content worldwide on mobile, tablet and computer, online and offline, over ultrafast long-term evolution (LTE) connections while on the go. Users can access the songs by way of searching for artists, titles, labels and genres.
“The high smartphone penetration in Philippines means that music lovers are taking their world, and their music, on the go,” said Frank. With over 30 million music tracks in our catalog, Philippine music fans can enjoy their favorite songs and discover new music from international, Asian or OPM artists with high-speed Internet connection by Smart, no matter where they are.”
Frank also said that Deezer has the largest distribution network in the industry as it is available in over 180 countries and has 16 million active subscribers.
The music streaming service boasts of an intelligent recommendation algorithm, a capability which helps users to explore songs that suit their unique tastes and lifestyles. This feature is complemented by a curated experience delivered by over 50 Deezer music experts or editors around the world, serving push music suggestions that complete Deezer’s Man+Machine recommendation system.
“At Deezer, music discovery is part of our DNA. We want to help music fans rediscover the joy of finding new music,” said Frank. “Deezer is like a friend. The more time you spend on the service, playing and sharing your favorite tracks, the more the service understands you and your music taste, and you will start to see recommendations becoming increasingly personalized. This is truly curated music streaming experience that sets us apart.”
For postpaid subscribers only
Meanwhile, Deezer offers are initially available to Smart postpaid subscribers through Unlisurf Premium Plans starting at Php1,175 a month. This offer is bundled with the year’s latest smartphones and unlimited LTE surfing.
Subscribers can get the Sony Xperia M2 at Unlisurf Plan 1175, with unlimited mobile surfing, free calls and texts, and a Deezer Premium+ subscription already included in the package. Other phones available include the Nokia Lumia 1020 at Plan 1675; and the Sony Xperia Z2 as well as the Samsung Galaxy S5 at Plan 2175.
For early subscribers who sign up for any of the Unlisurf Premium Plans, they are given a perk in the form of a Php175 bill rebate for six months.
“With our new Unlisurf Premium Plans made better with free Deezer music streaming, subscribers now have a ‘smarter’ way to discover music,” said Kathryn Carag, Postpaid Marketing Head at Smart. “And with Smart’s ‘supercharged’ network that delivers ultrafast LTE connections, they will be able to stream music from Deezer’s 30-million tracks catalog whenever and wherever they want.”
Existing postpaid subscribers can take advantage of the various Deezer Music Packs that come with a free Deezer Premium+ subscription. These include Deezer Daily for Php25 (1-day Deezer access plus 25 SMS and 10MB of mobile data for Deezer streaming); Deezer Weekly for Php125 (7-day Deezer access plus 125 SMS, and 50MB of mobile data for Deezer streaming); and Deezer Monthly for Php250 (30-day Deezer access plus 250 SMS, and 100MB of mobile data for Deezer streaming).
Dona Inthaxoum, Label Relations Head for Asia and Oceania at Deezer, said that a user can download the Deezer app and can get a free streaming trial for 15 days.
Offers for Smart prepaid subscribers will be announced soon.
War of the music streaming services?
Almost a week after Smart introduced the Deezer service, Globe issued a press release claiming that Spotify was recently named as the top music streaming app on Apple iTunes and Google Play, with its 40 million users in 57 markets worldwide and 30 million songs on catalogue.
Globe said that since Spotify’s launch in the Philippines last April, customers were able to enjoy music streaming on mobile and tablets for free with a GoSURF data plan. To date, over 90% of Globe GoSURF customers use and listen to music on Spotify on their phones.
