Does Sun really want to increase their post paid subscribers?

Monday, June 29, 2009

Please also pass to Digitel president and CEO James Go and SUN/Digitel Marketing/Billing


Thanks, fan
This was a email I sent to SUN but of course their call center never responded!

----- Forwarded Message ----
To: suncellular@digitel.ph; suncellular@digitel.ph
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 2:00:02 PM
Subject: 999 Sun subscription plan for foreigners PRA to sign up please help


Please also pass to Digitel president and CEO James Go and SUN/Digitel Marketing/Billing

Dear Sales and Marketing and Mr James Go:


In this competitive environment and the economic downtown, it would seem companies should be out to increase their business and recently I had the opportunity to go to a Sun cell shop at SM Cebu to inquire on the 999 Group Plan which I was interested in signing up for.

As one of 100,000 foreigners living in the Philippines under the Philippine Retirement Authority (http://www.pra.gov.ph/) which encourages foreigners to live here in the Philippines to encourage them to spend their money and spur the local economy, I was distressed that SUN makes it impossible for the PRA foreigners to avail themselves of your 999 subscription program under the present rules even if we wanted to support the SUN and Digitel company programs except thru a disadvantagous large prepayment that is not even fully refunded at end of 24-30 month contract period.

I did notice that the requirements stated "The foregoing terms, conditions and rates are subject to change without prior notice. " therefore I am writing to you in the hopes you want to make your 999 subscription program useable by PRA foreigners as well. Why not since we are spending millions here in support of the economy and use Gokongwei products and services frequently including cell phones, airplanes, food, malls etc.


I wanted to add one more point that I thought was worth mentioning in making it easier for foreigners to subscribe to your 999 subscription plan. I am quite willing and able to pay the complete 24/30 month cost of the plan upfront as Sky cable and Dream Satellite allow and they give a discount of 10 percent per year since they get to use my advance payment for the services interest free capital. That would make an advance payment of 21,578.40 with 10 percent discount from the 23,976 price for the 24 month cell phone plan or 26,973 for the 10 percent discount for from the 29,970 price for the 30 month plan and this would mean the complete advance payment would be used up at the end of the contract This is a common industry practice of offering discounts for advance payments like this.

That way Sun has the use of the customers money (float) and there is no risk to Sun at all and the customer benefits as well and monthly billing costs and payment costs would be saved as well for Sun. So everyone benefits.

But for other foreigners the monthly payment plan with submission requirements tailored to PRA foreigners would be a crowd pleaser and money maker for Sun as well.

Hopefully Sun can look at these additional business models to enhance their revenue streams to interested Sun foreigner customers.

Therefore let me identify the requirements that these free spending foreigners have problems with when they want to avail of the 999 monthly Sun plan.

1. ACR I-Card - required for foreign nationals. Note under PRA membership for foreigners this is not needed and a PRA id card should suffice for Sun?
2. Competitor bill - since most foreigners have cable and internet bills from SMART, Globe, Sky or now even Sun, these should suffice for PRA foreigners? And why make the minimum monthly bills so high for submission requirements if phone bill or electric etc? If you have a long time bill payment history, it would seem to me to indicate ability to pay.
3. Proof of income - PRA foreigners by their very nature are retired people with incomes over 10,000 dollars a year as per PRA requirements. Why impose any added requirements in this are beyond the PRA current membership card? And as retired people do not get monthly salary checks and may be existing on their interest income, social security or wealth.

It would seem you would want to encourage more business rather than discourage it and as a long time user of Sun phones and products, I wish now to avail of the 999 subscription plan and give Sun even more revenues. Foreigners have the money, why not capture it as well?

I would appreciate your guidance and direction on opening your Sun business to the over 100,000 wealthly foreigners under the PRA program so they can avail of your excellent subscription and services. Please advise where I can sign up with adapted rules for PRA foreigners here in Cebu for your 999 subscription program.

With best regards,

fan with over 8 SUN cell numbers in house
and others
--------------------------------------------------

3. PRA foreigners are Exemptions from:
a. Income tax over your pension and annuities;
b. Exit and re-entry permits of the Bureau of Immigration;
c. Annual registration requirement of the Bureau of Immigration;
d. Customs Duties and Taxes with regard to the importation of household goods and
e. personal effects up to US$7,000.00;
f. Travel tax, if you stay in the Philippines is less than one year from the last entry date; and
g. I-Card


from website http://www.pra.gov.ph/main/faq?page=1


--------------------------------------------------
GROUP PLAN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
http://www.suncellular.com.ph/postpaid.php

I. COMPLETELY FILLED OUT APPLICATION FORM/S WITH LANDLINE NUMBERS
II.VALID ID - Any of the following may be submitted:

Philippine Passport*
ACR I-Card - required for foreign nationals
Philippine's Driver's License
SSS / GSIS ID with picture (ATM card type)
TIN ID with picture (ATM card type)
Company ID (only for Top 5000 Corporations)
Locally-issued Major Credit Card with picture
Membership Card with picture (Exclusive Clubs only)
Professional Regulatory Commission's (PRC) ID
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) ID
Firearms License ID
*Newly issued passports (since Sept 2007) must be submitted with another ID
with signature.

III.COMPETITOR BILL - Account must be current with no overdue balance or
paid if already due. The Subscriber must have been with the competitor
network for at least six (6) months at the time of application to Sun
Cellular.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please provide any of the following:
1 latest SOA from Globe
2 latest SOA from SMART

IF COMPETITOR BILL IS NOT AVAILABLE, THE FOLLOWING MUST BE SUBMITTED
TOGETHER WITH THE VALID ID AND COMPLETELY FILLEP-UP APPLICATION FORM WITH
LANDLINE NUMBER/S:
A.PROOF OF BILLING - Any one of the following (most recent and paid if
already due) may be submitted:
Utility Bill (Electricity, Telephone, Water, Major Cable / Internet) with at
least P2, 000 for the Electric Bill and P1, 500 for Telephone, Water and
Major Cable / Internet*.
Credit Card Statement**
Exclusive Club Membership Bill
Bank Statements (mailed)
Insurance Premium Statements of Account
Notarized Lease Contract
========================================
B. PROOF OF INCOME - Any of the following may be submitted:
Last two (2) months Credit Card Statements** (paid if already due) with CL
of at least P25, 000*** (when applying for Plan 350).
Latest Income Tax Return / BIR Form 2316 with Payslips of the last two (2)
half-month pay periods.
Basic Gross Annual Income of at least P138, 000*** (when applying for Plan
350).
Present O/R to show payment of tax due, if an
Newly-issued Certificate of Employment and Compensation with Payslips
Issued by the company's HRD reflecting the employee's income components,
tenure, position and department.
Latest Payslips of at least two (2) half-month pay periods reflecting a
basic monthly income of at least P11, 500*** (when applying for Plan 350)

*No minimum requirement if it will be used as POB only; if it is used as
POI, consider minimum amount requirement.
**For Sun Shops only, credit card may be presented in lieu of statements.
***The amount may vary depending on the plan being applied for.
Note: The foregoing terms, conditions and rates are subject to change
without prior notice.

cc: John Gokongwei, Lance Gokongwei