Telecommunications Industry

[Linguine]

Globe Telecom eyes more promos to protect market share

GLOBE Telecom, Inc. said yesterday it was picking up in terms of revenues but more are needed to be done to get a larger market share.

Ernest L. Cu, Globe Telecom president and chief executive officer, told reporters aggressive promotions and bucket-priced offers have increased sales.

“We have to compete for the market share, protect existing [customers], and expand [the share]. Be ready for more promos from us as part of our aggressive efforts to compete for that market share,” he said.

Globe Telecom profits went down by 29.17% in the first half to P5.1 billion from P7.2 billion last year. Core net income, which excludes foreign exchange and market-to-market charges as well as nonrecurring items, stood at P5.2 billion, 24.64% lower than last year’s P6.9 billion.

Last month, Globe Telecom claimed to have grabbed a more than 50% market share in value-added services in the first six months of the year, citing “encouraging growth in mobile Internet usage and the number of mobile browsers.”

On Wednesday, the company launched a Web site in partnership with the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Community Development Foundation. Also launched was a new subscriber identification module card that will allow users particularly from GK’s housing projects to get information on the foundation’s activities. -- A. M. P. Dagcutan

source

[Linguine]

Globe pushes interconnection with other telcos

GLOBE TELECOM, Inc. wants to beef up interconnection with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), Bayan Telecommunications Inc. (Bayantel), and Digital Telecommunications Philippines, Inc. (Digitel) this year in key cities outside the National Capital Region.

Froilan Castelo, Globe Telecom's head of corporate and legal services, said in a statement the company wanted to complete more interconnection agreements by the end of this year.

"Even if competition in the local telecommunication industry is intense, we must be able to put this aside for the public good. Interconnection is a win-win for everyone," he said. Globe Telecom pointed out that interconnection meant residents and business establishments in the provinces and cities can make local calls to other telcos without extra charges.

"Without interconnection, a Globe Telecom landline subscriber has to pay long-distance rates to call a Digitel, PLDT or Bayantel landline subscriber within the same area, and vice-versa," it said.

The company plans to pursue interconnection talks with PLDT for Zamboanga City, Baguio, and Pampanga within this year, he said. "The interconnection plans are done following the successful interconnection of the two telecommunication companies in Davao City last July. Also in the lineup are Laguna, La Union and Batangas," Globe Telecom said.

Globe Telecom also said it wanted interconnection with Digitel for the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Lucena, Quezon, and Camarines Norte by end of 2010, after the link-up of their local networks in Zambales and Isabela last month.

"[When] the last five Points of Interconnection (POIs) between Globe and Digitel [are] completed, the two firms will have achieved 100% total interconnection in all areas where they operate nationwide," Globe Telecom said.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom said 90% of common areas with Bayantel have been interconnected, the most recent of which is in the province of Eastern Samar, which took effect last Sept. 6.

The National Telecommunications Commission requires interconnection of public telecommunications carriers under Republic Act No. 7925, or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of 1995 which broke PLDT's monopoly.

Mediaquest Holdings, Inc., a unit of the Beneficial Trust Fund of PLDT, has a minority stake in BusinessWorld. -- Aura Marie P. Dagcutan
|

source

[Linguine]

Enjoy mobile Internet with Sun Cellular iLoads
(The Philippine Star) Updated September 11, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - With Sun Cellular iLoads, subscribers can easily convert their current regular load credit — whether postpaid or prepaid — into their preferred Internet load value.

No need to go to a loading store and buy a separate mobile Internet card. Switch on that mobile connectivity right from one’s own cellphone.

Choose the Sun iLoad value that fits one’s need and budget. There’s the iLoad i25 good for three hours and valid for one day, and the iLoad i50 that lets users enjoy unlimited online connection for one whole day.

Getting instant connection is just a text away. To convert regular load, text i25 or i50 send to 247. A text reply confirmation will be sent immediately — and then mobile surfing is all set, anytime, anywhere.

For more information on iLoads, text iLoads to 2300. Call the Sun Hotline at (02) 395-8000 using a landline or 200 from a Sun mobile phone. Also visit www.suncellular.com.ph for more of Sun Cellular’s innovative yet value-for-money products and services.

[Linguine]

PLDT to pay NTC P336-M regulatory fees

Written by Lenie Lectura / Reporter
Monday, 13 September 2010 10:49

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) will pay the government P336 million in regulatory fees by end of September.

Alfredo Carera, PLDT regulatory and telecom industry relations head, said the amount does not include payment of the supervision and regulatory fees (SRFs) of its subsidiary Smart Communications Inc.

“We are scheduled to pay that by the end of this month,” he said.

Globe Telecom Inc. and Smart, according to officials of the two companies, will also pay the fees as required on September 30.

The SRFs are due every end of September. The fees are computed based on the phone firms, broadcast and other entities’ capitalization. They pay 50 centavos for every P100 of paid capital.

Last year the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) collected P1 billion in SRF payments. Of the amount, PLDT paid P343.66 million, or 34.366 percent.

Among the 200 companies from which NTC collected P1.008 billion last year were Globe P169.30 million; Innove Communications Inc., P99.15 million; Pilipino Telephone Corp., P71.21 million; Smart Communications Inc., P68.81 million; Bayan Telecommunications Inc., P56.82 million; Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc., P44.87 million; Express Telecom, P33.33 million; GMA Network Inc., P32.58 million; Eastern Telecom, P13 million; ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., P7.52 million; Radio Communications of the Philippines, P6.97 million; ABC Development Corp., P5 million; Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc., P5.12 million; Philcom Inc., P4.98 million; Smart Broadband Inc., P4.75 million; Telecoms Technologies Philippines Inc., P4.41 million; Bell Telecom, P3.36 million; Multi-Media Telephony Inc., P3.19 million; Broadband Everywhere Corp., P2.56 million; and CURE P2 million.

 SRF and Spectrum User’s Fees (SUF) are among the biggest sources of NTC’s revenues.

The NTC is expected to post P3.1 billion in collection this year, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...egulatory-fees

[Linguine]

NTC to allot more frequency bandwidths for broadband

Written by Lenie Lectura / Reporter
Tuesday, 21 September 2010 13:12

THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is going to reallocate more frequency bandwidths for broadband access use as the number of subscribers is seen to increase exponentially over the years.

“The commission is in the process of considering other frequency bands to be reallocated to broadband access networks,” said NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba, while adding that broadband service subscribers will continue to register three-digit growths in the next two to three years. “[Broadband] is where the future lies,” said the NTC chief.

In 2009 the number of broadband subscribers reached 3.6 million, up 102.81 percent from 1.77 million in 2008. At end-June this year, the total broadband subscribers of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. group reached 1.96 million, while Globe Telecom registered 930,000 subscribers.

In support of the development of broadband access networks, the NTC has also reallocated more than 800 megahertz of radio spectrum to broadband access networks.

“The NTC has taken bold steps in helping roll out broadband services throughout the country. I think that we are all one in saying that this is where technological growth has its highest potential at present. With the cooperation of our stakeholders, the NTC is confident that, in due time, every Filipino will ultimately benefit from broadband services,” said Cordoba.

To facilitate the development of mobile broadband networks, the telecom regulator in 2005 also reallocated frequencies for 3G (third-generation) networks and promulgated rules for the assignment of the reallocated frequency bands.

Applying the rules, four public telecommunications entities were qualified and were assigned four 3G frequency bands out of the current five.

In 2010, the commission promulgated rules for the assignment of the remaining 3G frequency band. With the assignment of the fifth 3G frequency band, further competition in the mobile broadband market is expected.

In another development, Cordoba said the NTC has adopted a policy on technology neutrality. This means that authorized telecommunications entities are allowed to choose their own technology. This policy, explained Cordoba, is consistent with a frequency refarming approach where telcos are allowed to implement any technology using their assigned frequencies.

Also, the NTC expects that the number of cellular subscribers will register a double-digit increase by end of this year. In 2009 there were 77.04 million mobile phone subscribers, up 13.14 percent from 68.09 million in 2008.

At end-June this year, the PLDT group posted 45.3 million wireless subscribers while Globe registered 24.6 million subscribers.

For fixed-line service, the NTC sees no further increase in the number of landline subscribers this year. In 2009 fixed-line users reached 3.85 million, up 2.88 percent from 3.74 million in 2008.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...-for-broadband

[Ady001]

Ang dapat dito, kailangan na ng national broadband plan!

[-SNPKLSDMBLDR-]

agree! at dapat broadband talaga at hindi mala dial-up ang speed!

[Linguine]

I agree, our so-called broadband connections remain very slow, especially in the residential areas....

[Linguine]

Industry awaits CA decision on per-pulse billing issue

Written by Lenie Lectura / Reporter
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 11:57

THE Court of Appeals (CA) is expected to issue a final resolution on the case involving the controversial per-pulse billing scheme of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), whose implementation had been stopped by the appellate court.

This, as associate justice Hakim Abdulwahid—in a September 13 resolution—gave the NTC and the mobile phone operators a nonextendible 15-day period within which to file their respective memoranda.

“The parties are warned that after the expiration, with or without the parties’ memoranda, the cases shall be deemed submitted for decision,” he said.

Smart Communications Inc., Globe Telecom Inc., Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprises and Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. were named petitioners in the case. They said that they have complied with the court’s order.

“We adopted the position of Globe,” said Digitel lawyer William Pamintuan in a text message.

Globe’s legal head Froilan Castelo said the memorandum included arguments previously raised in its earlier filings. “The CA is now going to rule on the merits of the cases.”

For Smart, lawyer Roy Ibay said he has yet to confirm if the company had indeed submitted the memorandum. “I think so, but I would have to check first.”

On May 26, the CA issued a writ of preliminary injunction favoring mobile phone firms against the implementation of the agency’s per-pulse billing scheme. The order, issued by the court’s special former 11th division, extends the original 60-day temporary restraining order (TRO) up to the finality of the case.

The case at hand involves the implementation of the NTC’s memorandum circular (MC) 05-07-2009. Under this order, calls within the same network will be charged based on time consumed instead of the prevailing per-minute method. A flag-down rate of P3 for the first 12 seconds will be charged to consumers. In the first minute of the call, each succeeding six-second pulse will be charged up to P0.56. Each pulse thereafter will be charged up to P0.75. The rates should not exceed P7.50 per minute, the highest prevailing rate among the phone firms.

Globe and Smart used prefixes as a way to comply with the NTC’s circular instead of a default billing system. They maintained that the NTC has no jurisdiction or power to fix their cellular voice rates as was done in the NTC orders.

In its seven-page resolution, the court said Globe and Smart are entitled to an injunctive relief as the cellular firms have shown that they have the right, and that they are directly threatened by the acts sought to be enjoined.

“To our mind, Globe and Smart, in the instant cases have shown, at least tentatively, the existence of a clear right and an urgent and paramount necessity for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction to prevent serious damage and to prevent the case from becoming moot and academic,” the CA’s May resolution stated.

In seeking the injunctive reliefs, Globe and Smart anchored their pleas on the following grounds: that the NTC order which required them to adopt the six-seconds per pulse unit of billing as their default billing statement has no bases in fact and in law; that the orders violate their rights to due process; and that the orders were issued without or in excess of the NTC’s jurisdiction and in violation of Republic Act 7925.

The NTC, said Globe and Smart, attempted to enforce the MC by means of a show-cause order.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...-billing-issue

[Linguine]

perfect timing...



Solon seeks investigation on substandard Internet services

Written by Fernan Marasigan / Reporter
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 12:17

A LEGISLATOR representing the youth sector  is seeking an investigation into “substandard” commercial broadband Internet services in the country amid mounting complaints of subscribers against some telecommunications companies.

In House Resolution 407, Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino of Kabataan asked the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the quality of broadband Internet services delivered by telecommunications companies.

Palatino said that while telecommunications companies charge consumers exorbitant rates for broadband Internet access, the public still has mounting complaints against limited coverage of broadband services and Internet speeds not reflective of the telcos’ marketing claims.

“Most of the promos, packages and features being advertised by broadband providers are deceptive. Thousands of Filipino Internet users complain of substandard services, slow Internet speed, limited coverage, unfair fees and hidden charges,” said Palatino.    

Besides these, Palatino said he wants to investigate reports that “when frustrated Filipino internet users opt out of such substandard services, they are often virtually penalized by telecommunications companies through the imposition of exorbitant pretermination fees.”

Compared with other countries that have imposed standards on such service, the Philippines has none despite having almost 30 million Internet users across the country using broadband, he added.

“The government has powers to regulate Internet services and should definitely look at these issues. Communications and access to information is a public good,” he said.

The militant legislator said the National Telecommunications Commission has failed to implement standards that would compel  telecommunications companies to provide consumers the quality of service that they deserve and pay for.        

In filing the resolution, Palatino said Congress should come up with appropriate laws to set “legal and just broadband service standards” in order to uplift the quality of Internet services in the country.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...ernet-services

[Linguine]

PLDT offers more affordable mobile Internet

By Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:49:00 09/22/2010

Filed Under: business, Internet, Company Information



DOMINANT CARRIER Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) launched a mobile Internet service that makes it more affordable for budget-conscious subscribers to go online using their mobile phones.
In a statement on Wednesday, PLDT said “Koneknet” would be offered by Talk N’ Text.

“Koneknet” will allow Talk N’ Text subscribers to access the Net using their handsets for five hours for only P30.

Other networks charge about P10 for every 30 minutes of mobile Internet use. Users can also opt to be charged based on per kilobyte of information transmitted.

“Koneknet enables Talk ‘N Text subscribers to use their cell phones to go and stay online, update their blogs, chat or send e-mails, browse through their favorite social networking sites at a fixed and low cost,” PLDT said in a statement.

“Our subscribers have benefited from the nationwide network coverage of Talk ‘N Text, its affordable offers, and the convenience of finding prepaid load wherever they are. Koneknet expands this host of benefits, and is a natural progression of our strategy of providing basic yet advanced services to our subscribers, at least cost,” said Perry Bayani, head of marketing at Talk ‘N Text, a unit of PLDT subsidiary Smart Communications.

The Talk N’ Text brand used to be operated by Smart subsidiary Pilipino Telephone Corp. (Piltel). Talk N’ Text’s assets were transferred to Smart earlier this year after Piltel was converted into a holding firm for the phone group’s energy assets.

“Koneknet also helps advance Smart’s ‘Internet for All’ agenda—or to bring the benefits of the Internet more quickly to more people in more places,” Bayani added.

To experience mobile Internet, Talk ‘N Text subscribers must first set the 3G/MMS/GPRS features of their cell phone, and they may do this by sending the text SET to 211.

The 30-peso charge will be deducted from the subscriber’s prepaid credit at registration. A prepaid balance of P1 must be maintained while subscribed to the Koneknet package.

Any amount of time exceeding the registered 5-hour period will be charged the existing flat rate of P10 for every 30 minutes, which is the same rate charged on Smart subscribers.

As of end-June 2010, the subscriber base of Talk ‘N Text reached 18 million, or more than 40 percent of the PLDT group’s current base.

Mobile broadband is seen as the next growth area for local telecommunications firms, with the market for traditional voice call and text messaging services nearing its saturation point.

[Kintoy]

weird, ngayon ko lang nalaman na wala pa palang 3G sa Thailand:

Thailand 'falls behind' poorer neighbours on 3G

Thailand's latest attempt to auction 3G mobile licences has been blocked after requests from a state telecoms company.

The move appears to be another sign that Thailand is falling behind its poorer neighbours such as Cambodia and Laos when it comes to 3G technology.

It is one of the few countries in south east Asia yet to introduce third generation capabilities, which allow faster upload and download speeds.

At the same time, many Asian countries are introducing 4G technology.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11395752

[Linguine]

Sun Cellular claims top spot in postpaid race

Written by Lenie Lectura / Reporter
Thursday, 23 September 2010 11:53

GOKONGWEI-led telecommunications firm Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (DMPI), operator of Sun Cellular, now claims it is the leading postpaid mobile phone service provider after gaining its first million postpaid subscriber count yesterday.

“We achieved this never-before-attained milestone only seven years from startup and with our rivals enjoying a 10-year headstart. We are getting seven out of every 10 new postpaid subscribers,” said Charles Lim, Sun Cellular business unit chief executive officer.

Sun Cellular’s total wireless subscriber is over 16 million. The company did not provide comparative figures. As of end-March this year, its subscriber base rose to over 13 million from close to 11 million at end-2009. In 2008, Sun Cellular recorded 8,154,202 total subscribers.

“Sun Cellular is now No. 1 in the postpaid business, with one million such subscribers and over 15 million prepaid subscribers,” added Lim.

A source from Sun Cellular said that the Gokongwei-controlled phone firm is “very sure” that their postpaid numbers are ahead of Smart and Globe’s.   

Phone giants Smart Communications Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. refused to comment. At end-June this year, Smart subscribers reached a total of 45.3 million. Globe, meanwhile, recorded 909,466 postpaid subscriptions out of its 24.6 million total subscribers.

On the average, the postpaid subscriber count of any cellular firm account for about 2 percent to 3 percent.

The reason for this success, said Lim, is Sun Cellular’s unmatched unlimited service and rates. Both of these are possible because Sun’s network uses the latest technology available in the industry.

“We can meet peak load demand without congestion. This is the advantage of being a latecomer in the business. We got the latest and the best infrastructure, and are offering rates that could reduce a subscriber’s cost anywhere from 40 percent to 80 percent per month,” he said.

Sun Cellular, which started commercial operations in 2003, covers the whole country with almost 7,000 cell sites.

“With every seven out of 10 new postpaid subscribers coming to us, we have found the sweet spot. We expect to gain more market share in the near future since our rivals will not be able to match our unlimited packages,” he said.

Sun Cellular is a unit of JG Summit, the holding company controlled by the Gokongwei family, whose trademark quality and pricing philosophy has catapulted affiliates Cebu Pacific and Universal Robina to leadership. Recently it introduced its Go Hotels which offers a daily rate as low as P588.  

Sun Cellular pioneered the unlimited service in the country. Its rivals followed suit but offered only as promotions. Sun unlimited is a product in itself, which means it is a permanent offering. It also launched low-priced SIM cards in the market to boost consumer acquisition effort and strengthened its line-up of bucket loads through the launch of various unlimited bucket pricing.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...-postpaid-race

[richard24]

there's one particular reason for this. Sun Cellular is the only telco that offers regular postpaid plans with no lock-in period (depending on whether you take a free phone or not). they're also the only one that offers unlimited wireless broadband plan (P 799/month) without lock-in period.

[fengrun]

Originally Posted by Kintoy

weird, ngayon ko lang nalaman na wala pa palang 3G sa Thailand:

Thailand 'falls behind' poorer neighbours on 3G

Thailand's latest attempt to auction 3G mobile licences has been blocked after requests from a state telecoms company.

The move appears to be another sign that Thailand is falling behind its poorer neighbours such as Cambodia and Laos when it comes to 3G technology.

It is one of the few countries in south east Asia yet to introduce third generation capabilities, which allow faster upload and download speeds.

At the same time, many Asian countries are introducing 4G technology.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11395752

Philippines is already 4G or Wimax

[fengrun]

Originally Posted by Linguine

Sun Cellular claims top spot in postpaid race

Written by Lenie Lectura / Reporter
Thursday, 23 September 2010 11:53

GOKONGWEI-led telecommunications firm Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc. (DMPI), operator of Sun Cellular, now claims it is the leading postpaid mobile phone service provider after gaining its first million postpaid subscriber count yesterday.

“We achieved this never-before-attained milestone only seven years from startup and with our rivals enjoying a 10-year headstart. We are getting seven out of every 10 new postpaid subscribers,” said Charles Lim, Sun Cellular business unit chief executive officer.

Sun Cellular’s total wireless subscriber is over 16 million. The company did not provide comparative figures. As of end-March this year, its subscriber base rose to over 13 million from close to 11 million at end-2009. In 2008, Sun Cellular recorded 8,154,202 total subscribers.

“Sun Cellular is now No. 1 in the postpaid business, with one million such subscribers and over 15 million prepaid subscribers,” added Lim.

A source from Sun Cellular said that the Gokongwei-controlled phone firm is “very sure” that their postpaid numbers are ahead of Smart and Globe’s.   

Phone giants Smart Communications Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. refused to comment. At end-June this year, Smart subscribers reached a total of 45.3 million. Globe, meanwhile, recorded 909,466 postpaid subscriptions out of its 24.6 million total subscribers.

On the average, the postpaid subscriber count of any cellular firm account for about 2 percent to 3 percent.

The reason for this success, said Lim, is Sun Cellular’s unmatched unlimited service and rates. Both of these are possible because Sun’s network uses the latest technology available in the industry.

“We can meet peak load demand without congestion. This is the advantage of being a latecomer in the business. We got the latest and the best infrastructure, and are offering rates that could reduce a subscriber’s cost anywhere from 40 percent to 80 percent per month,” he said.

Sun Cellular, which started commercial operations in 2003, covers the whole country with almost 7,000 cell sites.

“With every seven out of 10 new postpaid subscribers coming to us, we have found the sweet spot. We expect to gain more market share in the near future since our rivals will not be able to match our unlimited packages,” he said.

Sun Cellular is a unit of JG Summit, the holding company controlled by the Gokongwei family, whose trademark quality and pricing philosophy has catapulted affiliates Cebu Pacific and Universal Robina to leadership. Recently it introduced its Go Hotels which offers a daily rate as low as P588.  

Sun Cellular pioneered the unlimited service in the country. Its rivals followed suit but offered only as promotions. Sun unlimited is a product in itself, which means it is a permanent offering. It also launched low-priced SIM cards in the market to boost consumer acquisition effort and strengthened its line-up of bucket loads through the launch of various unlimited bucket pricing.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hom...-postpaid-race

if Sun is saying that they got the edge because they were the last in the race. Then watch out for wi-tribe. They were the last in the broadband race, which is why they got 4G.

[Linguine]

Globe to start selling iPhone 4 today

GLOBE Telecom, Inc. announced on Friday that it would start selling Apple's iPhone 4 today.

In a statement, the Ayala-led company said the iPhone 4 could be purchased through booths at the Greenbelt and Glorietta in Makati City.

It added that it would also host an exclusive launch event this Sunday at the Makati Shangri-la and New World Hotels in Metro Manila for the first customers who registered online at its Web site.

"Customers will enjoy a superior mobile experience with iPhone 4 on Globe’s high-quality network and wide array of fully customizable plans," said Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu in the statement.

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18353

[RonnieR]

Originally Posted by Kintoy

weird, ngayon ko lang nalaman na wala pa palang 3G sa Thailand:

Thailand 'falls behind' poorer neighbours on 3G

Thailand's latest attempt to auction 3G mobile licences has been blocked after requests from a state telecoms company.

The move appears to be another sign that Thailand is falling behind its poorer neighbours such as Cambodia and Laos when it comes to 3G technology.

It is one of the few countries in south east Asia yet to introduce third generation capabilities, which allow faster upload and download speeds.

At the same time, many Asian countries are introducing 4G technology.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11395752

We are ahead...we have 4G now.

[Nanflexal]

If our WISP - Wireless Internet Service Provider start it's operation and once we switch to 4 or 6 Mbps DIA, we'll provide internet in Bulan and Matnog.

Tatapan ko yan poor Service ng Smart Bro sa Province namin, maganda lang service nila sa commercial.

[Linguine]

APC, Eastern Telecoms venture in data center

American Power Conversion Corp. (APC), a business unit of Schneider Electric Philippines, Inc. has partnered with Eastern Telecommunications Philippines, Inc. to deliver an integrated energy-friendly data center solutions to clients.

In a statement yesterday, the two companies said the data center in Makati will provide clients an outsourced and integrated data storage, recovery and management service. The infrastructure provider for the data center is IBM Philippines, Inc.

Though launched only on Friday, the Makati data center has begun offering integrated "green" solutions since March.

"Building a data center is challenging, especially with the rigorous industrial and technological standards it is required to comply with. The evolution of green technologies also raised the bar for data centers," read the statement.

The company added: "The clients’ needs had prompted Eastern Telecommunications to build DataHub which is equipped with best-in-class technologies and is the most energy efficient, secure and reliable facility."

Moreover, the Schneider Electric said that the data center also features an extensive number of security and safety capabilities such as precision-controlled air cooling and fire suppression, network monitoring, surveillance cameras and biometrics systems.
It also operates with industry-compliant energy efficient policies and guidelines augmented by new and optimized equipment to help maintain, track and audit the massive power required by the facility.

"The APC solution for Eastern Telecommunications’s DataHub is capable of supporting petabytes of digital information for co-location, business continuity and disaster recovery service offerings. It is capable of running on full capacity at maximum operational efficiency as required by current market demands," the company said.

Philippe Reveilhac, country president of Schneider Electric Philippines, said in the same statement that the data center "is the showcase of the best features of a green data center that can provide the much-needed data services for local corporations."

He added: "Energy efficiency features of the data center can help out clients achieve up to 30% energy savings at the same time, these ensure continued operations and high performance."

The company also launched yesterday an integrated critical power and cooling services through a pumped refrigerant cooling system. The product is called InRow OA and Refrigerant Distribution Unit (RDU).

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18380