Philippine operator Globe Telecom will offer all its mobile customers free access to Facebook and Viber for a month starting 13 January after rival PLDT extended its free mobile data promotion for another month.

The country’s two leading mobile operators, which have a combined market share of almost 99 per cent, are now locked in a race to attract data customers by offering free internet access for a limited period or to specific websites or apps.

Globe said users don’t need to make a purchase or register to take up the latest offer, BusinessWorld said.

The operator is a pioneer of zero-rating access to Facebook and the internet and in early October re-introduced the free access in response to rival PLDT’s own initiative. At the time Globe offered all customers free access to Facebook and web browsing, with no daily cap until 30 November.

PLDT earlier in the week extended its two month offer of free internet to all its Smart, Sun Cellular and Talk ‘N Text (TNT) prepaid subscribers. The original offer, which has a daily data allowance of 30 MB, expired on 5 January but now runs until 5 February.

The offer excludes access to YouTube, Vimeo, VoIP apps, messaging apps and peer-to-peer file-sharing sites and apps.