RIDING ON the wireless technology wave, leading mall operator SM Prime Holdings, Inc. is planning to offer wireless Internet connections in all its malls after successful pilot-tests last year. 

The company’s move is aimed at ‘serving the needs of customers,’ SM officials said.  It will not be for free, however, with the mall developer planning to sell access cards.  At the four pilot areas, however — SM City Bacoor, SM City Clark, SM City Pampanga, and The Block at SM North Edsa — the service remains free of charge ‘until further notice,’ officials said. 

SM, the country’s largest mall operator, has partnered with local telecommunications firm and service provider Philippine Global Communications, Inc. (PhilCom) for the undertaking. SM Prime Holdings Executive Vice-President Jeffrey C. Lim said the firm would not be spending for the infrastructure. 

‘We don’t spend for it but we get partners to provide that [service],’ he said.  Salvador Castillo, president and chief executive officer of PhilCom, said his firm spent close to P8 million to turn the four SM malls into hot spots. 

He said the company signed a revenue-sharing agreement with SM but declined to give other details, only that PhilCom expects to start earning after a year. 

Shoppers need to buy Internet cards to be able to access the Wi-Fi networks, Mr. Castillo said.  ‘It’s not for free because we don’t want to exchange quality over price.

We believe in the quality of service,’ he said.  Wi-Fi is a technology that lets users surf the Internet wirelessly through access points called hot spots, using notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other portable devices.   At SM City Bacoor, SM City Clark, SM City Pampanga, and The Block, Internet connections can be accessed at any part of the malls, officials said. 

SM Assistant Vice-President for Operations Glenn D. Ang said the service in these four malls would be free of charge ‘until further notice.’  SM does not have an exclusive agreement with PhilCom, though the latter has already been tapped to provide the service at the SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.  

The malls will offer the service by the first quarter of this year, and access will be limited to selected areas.  ‘Although SM is opening this project to all telecommunications companies, we are also going to go for that. We are also eyeing all the malls,’ PhilCom’s Mr. Castillo said.

‘Mall of Asia is such a big place so we will probably choose quiet, less crowded places like restaurants and coffee shops. The same goes for Megamall,’ he said.  Mr. Ang said SM plans to offer Internet access in all its malls in 12 to 18 months. 

The group currently has 31 malls and expects to end the year with 33.  SM is not the first mall to offer wireless Internet access to shoppers.  Smart Communications, Inc. earlier announced it was providing free Wi-Fi service to areas around the 35-hectare Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. 

As early as 2005, Innove’s corporate arm GlobeQuest partnered with Ayala Center to set up Wi-Fi in strategic locations in Glorietta, Greenbelt, and Alabang Town Center. Innove is a subsidiary of Ayala-led Globe Telecom, Inc.  Gokongwei-owned Robinsons Galleria also offers free Wi-Fi connections in The Taste Buds areas as well as in selected coffeshops and restaurants.