Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Beer-powered bid to build mobile network goes flat

San Miguel left with bitter taste in mouth after collapse of talks with Australian telco

An attempt by Filipino giant San Miguel Corporation to create a mobile phone business has gone flat.

San Miguel is best known as brewer of a beer* bearing its name, but also build infrastructure, generates electricity and refines oil. The latter activities reflect its desire to diversify and grow, an ambition that last year led it to the boardroom table of Australia's dominant telco Telstra. The Australian company wants to invest in Asia to find markets larger than Australia's meagre population of 23 million.

Together, the two hatched a plan to spend US$1bn on a new mobile phone network for The Philippines, a nation that currently has only two operators but near-insatiable demand for mobile communications.**

Telstra today told (PDF) the Australian Stock Exchange that talks with San Miguel went nowhere and that its plan to pour up to US$1bn into a joint venture has gone down the drain.

San Miguel's silent on the matter, for now, but could presumably seek other joint venture partners to realise its dream of a a mobile phone network bearing the name of a beer. Which, let's face it, we would all subscribe to ASAP. ®

* Rather nice, when cold, light and crisp-ish Asian-style beer that calls itself a Pilsner and is best drunk before it gets anywhere near warm.

** On a brief visit 15 years ago, your correspondent was told that The Philippines is the only nation where convenience stores sell more pre-paid phone cards, by value, than Coca-Cola products. That factoid was delivered by a Cornell-educated PhD who led a colossal local company but didn't stop TXTing, with a phone in each hand, while I tried to extract a Microsoft case study from him. I've long pondered whether this was local manners, or if I was just barely tolerated.

Similar topics

Similar topics

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like