The Philippines got its fourth 3G and HSDPA cellular service provider on Saturday with the launch of RED Mobile.

red mobile

red mobile is a prepaid 3G network affiliated with the telco Smart Communications. It is targeting the same market as competitor Sun Cellular via cheap rates for calls, texts and mobile internet.

Introductory rates are:

P0.50 (about $0.01 or ) for each minute of voice or video call, and for every SMS or MMS among red mobile subscribers

P6.50 (about $0.13) for each minute of voice or video call, and for SMS from red mobile subscribers to those in other networks

MMS from red mobile subscribers to those in other networks is currently not possible.

red mobile used to be known as umobile, which was then touted as Asia's first ad-based mobile service.

red mobile is owned by Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprise (CURE), one of four companies that won a license to operate a 3G network in the Philippines.

Telco Smart Communications now owns CURE.

The other mobile service carriers operating in the Philippines are Piltel, also owned by Smart, Globe Telecom, Globe's TM, and Sun Cellular.

Smart, Globe and Sun Cellular also hold 3G licenses and operate 3G networks.