The Philippines has over 105 million mobile phones in use in 2016. Since the Philippines has a population of only 94 million, this means that, on average, each person in the Philippines is using 1.3 mobile phones. It certainly seems like the Philippines and its people, much like the United States, love mobile phones!
In the United States, the Filipino population is 5 million in 2016. Many of these Filipino people in the United States have family back home that they remain in contact with all the time. Call rates from the United States to the Philippines go for as low as $0.09 a minute and some services even offer free texting.
But with the rise of smartphones, most of the cell phone users in the Philippines are using smart phones; in fact, in 2016, 27.5 million of cell phones in use in the Philippines are actually smartphones! This means that now, most Filipinos in the United States do not have to pay to contact their loves one in the Philippines. Now, they can use free apps to call, text, and even send and share photos, videos, and viral content!
Apps like Facebook and Line are already widely used in the Philippines but other apps exist that can let people get in contact easier! There are messaging apps like Line, WhatsApp, Kik and Twitter, photo apps like Snapchat and Instagram, and call apps like Voxer and Google voice that are all free of charge! All you have to do is download them to your smartphone and quickly sign up, then you can begin talking to your family!
Of course, cell phone users need to keep their phone in service to be able to access the internet and use these apps. Services like NetworkSys Co can help Filipinos in the United States recharge their loved one’s phones in the Philippines, also known as send load. This will make sure that the cell phone’s SIM card does not expire and will give their loved ones calls, texts, and internet access to be able to stay in touch with one another! There are many different cell phone networks in the Philippines like SUN Cellular and Talk N Text but you can send load to all of them from the United States.
If their loved ones in the Philippines have access to wireless internet, they can use these apps free of charge. Over 45% of the Philippines population has access to wireless internet in 2016 and over 70% of people in the United States have access to wireless internet in 2016.
Most of the smartphones around the world are Android smartphones, meaning that Filipinos in America can download and use the same apps as their loves one in the Philippines. Even if they have different types of phones, most apps are available for all types, including Android phones and iPhones.
It is easier now more than ever for Filipinos to stay in contact with each other. There are free apps, text messages, calls, and social media and most of them are free. If you need texts, calls, and internet access, you can send load to your family in the Philippines to make sure you can contact them whenever you want. After all, nothing is more important than family!