Globe to Real Estate Developers: Connectivity must become a priority to achieve PH 4th Industrial Revolution readiness

Globe called on real estate developers to prioritize internet connectivity in their estate development master plans as it is a key requirement for the Philippines to be ready for the 4th Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0).

Globe SVP for Network Strategy Manny Estrada said during the IR 4.0 Summit “Winning Together in the Fourth Industrial Revolution” that real estate developers must realize connectivity has become a necessity just like electricity and water.

“As we prepare our country for the IR 4.0, real estate developers can no longer say that connectivity will just follow after the property is built,” Estrada said.

The National Building Code does not require real estate and property developers to have provisions for connectivity unlike electricity and water, making it more difficult to provide telecommunication services within buildings and other property developments to the detriment of tenants.

Estrada revealed that the real estate industry is part of the digital ecosystem that is crucial for the growth of the digital economy as more and more people transact online. “For those in the Airbnb business, how many of your clients would ask how strong is your internet? Or how many of your tenants shop using Lazada, Shopee or Zalora? How many of them pay their bills online?” Estrada said.

He also explained that industries which dominate the real estate sector like the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) or even the growing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) would require not just a stable connectivity but redundancy as well. “Telco exclusivity in the real estate landscape should no longer be practiced. Redundancy is a crucial aspect in business continuity for many enterprises leasing your properties,” he added.

He emphasized the need for telcos and real estate developers to collaborate to make the Philippines ready for IR 4.0.  “We know that the real estate and property developers have a vision of how communities will be empowered by technologies. This is why we need to work together because there is no point of talking about housing and real estate in IR 4.0 if we aren’t on the same page,” he exclaimed.

“Telcos need to be involved from day one. You have architects and urban planners and we have IT and network engineers with us. We can be successful in building intelligent communities together if we are working together from day one,” he said.

“Connecting the Links: How the Real Estate, Transport and Manufacturing Industries Can Collaborate To Prepare for IR 4.0” was the key topic at the 1st IR 4.0 Summit presented by the Philippine Chambers of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO). Housing & Land Use Regulatory Board Acting Commissioner Atty. Melzar Galicia and Chamber of Real Estate & Builders Association President Noel Carino were part of the panel with Estrada. The event was also attended by 30 delegates from various real estate development companies.

Globe Telecom promotes Digital Inclusion for residents in remote island of Antique

Providing better network connectivity, innovative digital applications, and building digital skills for over 19,000 Semirara Island residents

Over 19,000 residents of Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique now have access to better mobile connectivity, digital applications, and cyber wellness training, as Globe and its partners promote digital inclusion in the remote island community.

Almost an hour flight from Manila, Semirara Island has an area of 55 square kilometers and home to the country’s richest coal reserves. Most of the workers and their families residing in the island are from nearby provinces of Mindanao. Mobile connectivity and digital applications are indispensable in their way of life.

Globe collaborated with the largest coal producer in the Philippines, Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC), and the local government unit to digitally transform the island.

“Digital inclusion is a huge undertaking because it requires cooperation from a broad set of stakeholders - private enterprises, local residents, and local government. We are happy that the stakeholders have given their support so we can bring about change that would eventually result to a more progressive island community,” said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu.

Firing up LTE

To improve voice and video communication, Globe teamed up with SMPC to upgrade all cell towers in the island with LTE technology. As a result, better network connectivity serves as a bridge between Semirara Island and the outside world. Forecasts about typhoons become readily available for the fisherfolk community. Semirara Island residents are now able to keep in touch with family members elsewhere whenever they like. The network upgrade also significantly enriches the residents' free time as movies, music streaming and mobile gaming are now available.

Onboarding to a modern payroll system

Mynt, a financial tech startup of Ant Financial, Globe, and Ayala, is providing SMPC with a modern payroll solution that allows the company to easily disburse salaries, loans, or allowances. SMPC is the single biggest employer in Semirara island and its nearby areas, providing jobs to over 3,300 individuals with over a billion pesos in annual value.

Through GCash, SMPC employees can send money to other GCash users anywhere in the Philippines - perhaps to their relatives in other parts of the country - for free, and within seconds. It also allows them to pay bills at the comfort of their homes, and without falling in line at automated teller machines.

Promoting digital literacy

Globe is also working closely with public and private high schools in the island to promote responsible online citizenship to the youth and teachers of Semirara. Globe Bridging Communities will roll out the Digital Thumbprint Program to public schools Semirara National High School and Tinogboc National High School, and a private school Divine Word School of Semirara Island, Inc. in June 2019. Developed by Globe, Optus, and Singtel, this program offers free workshops that educate students about their online behavior. Since 2016, Digital Thumbprint Program has reached over 1.9 million students across the Philippines.

These initiatives are in line with the commitment of Globe to UN Sustainable Development Goals No. 9 (build a resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation); as well as No. 4 (ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all).

Globe Telecom : Official Statement

Globe Telecom welcomes the new telco challenger which is seen to help foster a healthy competitive environment and ultimately benefit consumers. The new player has the potential of opening up new sources of revenue streams for telcos while providing consumers with more innovative products and services, the company said.

“We are glad for the smooth selection process undertaken by DICT and NTC. As previously and continuously stated, we hope the government will equally support the existing telcos like Globe, which continue to provide services to millions of Filipinos, and in the case of Globe, over 67 million total subscribers,” said Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo.

To help foster competition, Globe took a step forward to fulfill its plans to divest its tower assets. It has started the process of incorporating a separate tower holding company. This initiative will allow the third player to rapidly roll out its network and launch commercial operations. It will also give smaller players the opportunity to scale up their business without the burden of high capital expenditures.

Crackdown on Illegal Radio Stations Pushed

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) and the National Telecommunications Communication (NTC) are helping each other in fighting the expected surge of illegal broadcast stations across the country in view of the coming midterm elections.

Image source: www.westword.com

 “This is year 2018 and there’s usually a proliferation of illegal broadcast stations leading to election day in May next year,” said Erwin V. Galang, head of the technical committee and trustee of the KBP.

Majority of the administrative cases the NTC handles under its mandate are cease and desist and show cause orders against illegal broadcast stations, and according to Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios, the NTC’s previous cooperation and coordination with the KBP has led to the crackdown of fly-by-night broadcast stations, mostly in the provinces, who had

victimized unsuspecting candidates to buy airtime for their political advertisements. These illegal broadcasters usually disappear after they received payment for the political ads.

 “Historically, we can see a steep increase in the number of cases in broadcast services in relation to unlicensed broadcasts leading to the election campaign period. What we do is we immediately issue cease-and-desist and show-cause orders against these illegal operators, forcing them to shut down their stations, while others simply disappear,” Cabarios said.

In the 2017 report by the Commission on Audit (COA, majority of the cases were administrative complaints initiated by NTC for violations of erring radio stations with almost 2,054 cases in the broadcast services division.

 According to Auditor Ma. Jocelyn Factora, COA’s 2017 resident auditor in the NTC, majority of the pending administrative cases represented cases filed by NTC against illegal broadcast stations, and not cases from telco consumers. “The pending telco-related cases from consumers are very minimal.”  

As of 31 December 2017, there are only 148 telco consumer cases pending before the NTC’s Legal Office which are now subject of review and resolution.

Source: Manilla Bulletin

NTC Memorandum Circular on Interconnection Charges for Short Messages Services and Voice Service

On the instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte to make goods and services affordable and accessible to consumers, particularly the marginalized, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez has immediately put forward the proposal to reduce the telco interconnection rates to the New Major Player Oversight Committee.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) then issued Department Order No. 002 directing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to study and formulate the guidelines that will bring down the cost of interconnection

. 

In the draft Memorandum Circular (MC) drafted by the NTC following a study, interconnection charges were reduced to P 0.50 per minute from P 2.50 per minute for voice service and P 0.05 per text from P 0.15 per text for SMS.

A public hearing was conducted to enable telecommunication companies to comment and submit their position paperspertaining to the MC.

On July 19, 2018, the final MC was issued by the NTC.

The reduced interconnection rates are expected to benefit consumers across socio-economic classes, making voice call and SMS services between networks more affordable. This will also allow telcos to attract more subscribers and offer a wide variety of unlimited plans and services.

Significantly, the MC will benefit landline subscribers and users of basic 2G mobile phones nationwide, majority of whom belong to the marginalized sectors of society.

 

A Good Choice with Sun Name Ur Number Sim!

I never thought that what I posted in here last February 1: Make the good choice with Sun Name Ur Number SIM is a sort of a realization! It's actually a non-paid post, I did share it through Nuffnang's newsletter. 

 Anyway, after ten days of posting that article I got the chance to be with the Cagayan de Oro Bloggers for a SunCell Bloggers Party/Get-together at Seafood Island, Ayala Centrio Mall.

Fortunate enough to meet Sir James Lim the Sun Cellular Senior Manager for Digital Marketing and Miss Carissa Flores as the Media Marketing for Sun Cellular. Yeah, it was a night full of food, fun and surprises! We got the chance to answer their five Q & As about their promos and nonetheless I went home having no plug-in kit but instead a bag full of freebies. 

What's the catch about this good news from Sun Cellular? It's their new Name ur Number Sim wherein one can customize and can choose the mobile number you really wanted. But hey guys, not all of those numbers you want to have will be successfully activated because someone might have used it already...so better have one as early as now. But as for me, I just activated my numbers few days ago as 0942-817-LOVE~ indeed, a significant numbers for me! 

Of course, that night would not be complete if we will not pose for our Class Picture before each one of us has to depart the place for bonding extreme....here we go....

Class picture!

Thank you Sun Cellular and I hope this is just the start of becoming a part of your upcoming events and promos. For more information about other products, promos and deals of Sun Cellular Prepaid, visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/suncellprepaid and follow @suncelldeals @suntweets on Twitter.