MANILA - EasyCall Communications Inc, which helped make pagers the gadget of choice in the 1990s, said Friday it was expanding its internet service that targets far-flung areas.

The company told the stock exchange that it was targeting selected communities in Zambales, Negros Occidental, Cavite, Bicol, Isabela, Iloilo and Cebu.

The company said it currently provides internet using Very Small Aperture Terminal technology to communities in Samar, Quezon, Iloilo, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Leyte and Antique.

Shares of EasyCall rose nearly 50 percent to P22.70 after the announcement.

“There is a critical demand for connectivity in far-flung cities and municipalities, especially in the aftermath of disasters and emergencies, for businesses with remote offices, and for efficient access to services,” said EasyCall president Zaki Delgado.

EasyCall said it had been involved in the business process outsourcing sector in the last decade after its paging business was eclipsed by text messaging in the early 2000s.

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