PLDT Global, the international unit of telecommunications giant PLDT Inc., has forged a strategic partnership with Saudi-based stc Group to enhance its international voice services.

In a statement on Thursday, PLDT disclosed that the partnership includes the implementation of advanced technologies to mitigate common issues such as call drops and voice distortion, ultimately providing an improved communication experience. 

“A pivotal aspect of this strategic collaboration with stc Group lies in our dedication to guarantee superior call quality for international communication services, especially when Filipinos abroad reach out to their families in the Philippines,” PLDT Global president and CEO Albert Villa-Real said.

As it enhances its voice wholesale services, PLDT intends to capitalize on stc Group’s extensive experience spanning 25 years. stc Group, which has a reputation for fostering international business relationships, maintains cutting-edge facilities, and operates an impressive network infrastructure covering Europe, Africa and Asia.

stc’s expanding scale 

“This collaboration also demonstrates the Group’s commitment to expanding the scale and scope of stc product offerings and utilizes the Kingdom’s strategic location at the crossroads of east and west,” said Mohammed Al-Abbadi, stc Group carrier and wholesale officer.

For the first quarter of the year, PLDT booked a 9 percent increase in net income to P9.8 billion from P9.0 billion in the same period last year. Its total revenues also rose by 4 percent to P54.2 billion from P52.3 billion last year.

PLDT’s individual services revenues improved by 7 percent to P21.1 billion; the home vertical earnings were flat at P12.1 billion; and the enterprise business’ revenues grew by 3 percent to P12.1 billion. 

Due to successful cost management from January to March, the company reported a 3 percent decline in expenses, from P26.0 billion to P27.3 billion.

Telco’s core income, excluding one-time gains and losses such as those related to Maya Innovations Holdings, delivered an 8 percent growth, rising from P8.6 billion to P9.3 billion.

The company’s total capital expenditures were reduced from P19.3 billion to P15.7 billion.