911 emergency hotline launched in Subic Freeport

In line with the agency's SMART Subic Project, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) inaugurated the Go Live SBMA 911 at this premier Freeport on Thursday morning.

According to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Jonathan D. Tan, the Go Live SBMA 911 is part of the Philippine Emergency Hotline 911 and is in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the IC Bestlink Telecoms Corporation.

Tan led the inauguration of the Go Live SBMA 911 along with DILG Patrol 911 Executive Director Diosdado T. Valeroso and IC Bestlink Telecoms Corporation officer Danny Dela Cruz at the Regulatory Building of the agency.

“I am excited for the activation and full operation of the Philippine Emergency Hotline 911 here in Subic Bay Freeport, in partnership with the DILG. This will make our emergency response assistance more efficient and systematic,” he said.

“Likewise, with the training received by SBMA employees from the DILG, I am confident that they are more competent, capable, and prepared to handle and respond to emergency situations anytime,” he added.

The DILG Community Development Team conducted the said training to employees from various SBMA departments involved in emergency response such as the Telecommunications Department, Law Enforcement Department, Fire Department, and the Public Health and Safety Department.

The Go Live SBMA 911 is a prelude to the implementation of the SMART Subic Project currently being conceptualized by the agency. “We want a safe and secure community in the Freeport, and we can achieve this by turning our community into a Smart City,” Tan said.

The official also cited that the agency will continue to protect investors and businesses, employees, workers, residents and other stakeholders of the Subic Bay Freeport. (MPD-SBMA)

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Converge to create smart city in Subic

CONVERGE ICT Solutions Incorporated is planning to establish a smart city inside the Subic Bay Freeport.

This is after a recent meeting between Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chair and administrator Wilma Eisma and Converge ICT Solutions Incorporated Chief Executive Officer Dennis Uy inside the freeport.

The telecommunications firm is eyeing the creation of the smart city with plans to establish cable landing stations and data center infrastructure that will modernize the freeport.

Converge presently provides fiber optic internet access to its subcribers in Metro Manila and the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas and Pangasinan.

In 2009, the Congress of the Philippines enacted Republic Act 9707 to grant Converge ICT Solutions Incorporated the franchise to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain telecommunication system throughout the country.

Converge ICT Solutions, the broadband services provider behind the country’s first pure end-to-end fiber internet network, has been cited as the fastest growing provider by the International Finance Award.

The London-based magazine stated that Converge is recognized for being true to its mission to upgrade the overall digital experience of the country. (Reynaldo G. Navales, Sunstar Pampanga)

PHOTO:

PAMPANGA. Converge ICT Solutions chief executive officer Dennis Uy discusses with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chair and Administrator Wilma Eisma the plan to establish a smart city inside the Freeport. (Contributed photo)


https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1847216

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Subic Bay to become a gateway for 5G services

This Freeport is poised to be a gateway for future 5G services after next-generation broadband satellite operator Kacific tapped ABS' ground infrastructure at the Subic Space Center as it prepares for the launch of its Kacific1 satellite later in the year.

ABS’ teleport in Subic Bay will host, operate and provide first level support for its gateway hub.

Kacific1 will be a pioneering High Throughput Satellite (HTS) to be located over Asia-Pacific using Ka-band spot beams for extremely cost-efficient broadband delivery. Its 56 powerful high throughput beams will cover select areas over the Pacific Islands and South East Asia, with six beams covering The Philippines archipelago and a further 21 beams covering Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Malaysia.

“Kacific chose to locate its ground infrastructure in the Philippines because it is a priority market for us,” says Kacific CEO, Christian Patouraux. “Our beams will reach 100 percent of the nation’s population across its many islands, making affordable connectivity available to all those who are currently unserved or underserved. ABS is an ideal partner as they have a proven track record and, like us, have also made a commitment to the Philippines.”

ABS has its primary space operations center for its entire fleet of six satellites in Subic Bay. Its teleport facilities operate with extremely high availability, with triple redundant power supply and fiber connectivity to Tier-1 IP international peering points.

In keeping with Ka-band operating norms for tropical regions, ABS has arranged a diversity site to be located nearby at the Clark Freeport Zone. The teleports will operate on an active diversity basis using state-of-the-art connectivity via a dedicated fiber route to directly optically connect the two gateway hubs. This ensures that commercial traffic would have a reliable transmission from one of the sites if, for example, rain degradation was impairing the functionality of the other.

ABS’ Philippines teleport is equipped with the latest technologies and platforms. It serves as one of the major satellite hubs over the Asia-Pacific region, hosting more than 50 antennas.

As satellites provide a complementary role to 5G connectivity, the Subic facility is poised to be a gateway for future 5G services, especially to remote areas. The facility is managed by professional personnel and experienced engineers providing round-the-clock services, 24 x 7 customer support and a dedicated customer program management team.

Click here for more information about the Subic Space Center.

https://spacewatch.global/2019/08/kacific-taps-abs-ground-infrastructure-for-its-gateway-services-to-the-philippines-and-the-greater-pacific-region/

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SBMA urges locators: ‘Connect, or go extinct!’

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has urged business locators here to invest more in technology to remain competitive, or simply be left behind.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said companies operating in the Subic Freeport have to strengthen their capacity to interconnect computing systems and application platforms because it is the key to meeting the growing demands in the local and international markets.

“We should always be on the cutting edge,” Eisma said. “Investors in Subic, especially, should try to keep up with the changing demands of their clients and the global market through faster transaction and real-time monitoring.”

“If they don’t think about connectivity, they’d go the way of the dinosaurs—they’ll be just as extinct as far as competition goes,” she added.

The SBMA official made this exhortation at the side lines of the first Information and Communications Technology Forum held recently at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), where the country’s telecommunications giants PLDT, Smart Communications, Converge ICT Solution, and Globe Telecom/Innové showed off their latest products and services.

Among the new offerings by PLDT and Smart Communications were applications on cloud computing and hosting, co-location, and managed security and network services.


On the other hand, Globe exhibited its “Shopify” platform and vehicle tracker, while Converge ICT displayed its pure fiber internet system.

Eisma said the need for speed and computing power, as well as for improved locator operations and customer experience, were the reasons why the SBMA, through its Business and Investment Department for Information and Communications Technology, organized the forum.

“Things have changed by leaps and bounds in the last 20 years,” Eisma said, recalling that when she first joined the SBMA as volunteer in 1992 they were all using pagers and the bulky black mobile phones.

“Back then we thought that was really cool, but who would have known 20 years ago that we will now be chatting on Facebook, or video-conferencing on the phone?” she added.

Eisma said that in these days when virtual interface is already possible, the application of technology has become so essential to doing business anywhere in the world.

“Clearly, connectivity is the only way to go—and this is true in the various growth capitals of the world, as well as in Subic. We should be forward-looking because that’s how we will survive the competition,” Eisma concluded. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:

[1] SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma underscores the necessity of technology in doing business at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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SBMA bats for free wi-fi in Subic Freeport tourist areas

With the Philippines in No. 13 among countries with the highest number of Internet users and sixth in the most number of people on Facebook, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is working on a plan to have more public wi-fi areas here where visitors can stay “connected” for free.

According to SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia, the Subic agency is discussing with local Internet provider PLDT-Subictel the possibility of putting up free wi-fi connection for the whole Central Business District (CBD) in the Subic Bay Freeport, an area most frequented by tourists and visitors.

Garcia said that a meeting with PLDT-Subictel president Renato Castaneda has already yielded positive results: the provision of free wi-fi at Remy Field, a favorite spot for residents and practicing athletes because of its track oval and other sports facilities.

“Now I’m trying to convince them to turn the whole CBD into a free wi-fi area, just like what they are doing to airports, seaports, and other places where a lot of people go,” Garcia said.

The SBMA chairman added that he has also identified alternative spots in the Subic Freeport for possible free wi-fi connection. These are the Boardwalk Park, Malawaan Fishing Area, the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, and the Harbor Point mall.

“Aside from Remy Field, those are the major points where visitors would benefit the most from a public wi-fi system,” Garcia added.

Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that the SBMA board of directors is now studying a proposal to operate the Internet-based Uber taxi franchise in the Subic Freeport.

The transport system, which is franchised by the American multinational online transportation network company Uber Technologies Inc., operates through a mobile application that allows customers with smartphones to book trips online.

“Uber is very much interested to put up its business here, maybe because we have a different regulatory framework here. So, we’re working out the details like the requirement for professional drivers and third party liability insurance,” Garcia said.

“We have spoken with the Uber general manager, and they are very interested because they want to make Subic an example of their operations,” he added.

Garcia said that he sees much benefit from Uber operation in Subic: “Number one is it will provide additional jobs; and number two, it will force local taxis in the Freeport to lower their fares, which are really excessive.”

Garcia said the high cost of transportation inside the Freeport works against efforts by the SBMA to promote local tourism. (HEE/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTO:
SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia (right) and PLDT-Subictel president Renato Castañeda discuss the provision of free public wi-fi in the Subic Bay Freeport. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic Freeport firms, schools form ICT council

Companies, schools and government agencies involved in information and communications technology (ICT) at the Subic Bay Freeport have formed a multi-sectoral organization to maximize industry prospects and boost the potentials of this free port as a world-class ICT hub.

In a meeting organized by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone ICT Advisory Council was formed with Atty. Severo Pastor Jr., manager of the SBMA Labor Department, elected as president.

Among the attendees to the organizational meeting were senior officers and delegates from various schools and ICT-related companies in Olongapo City and the provinces of Zambales and Bataan, network providers, representatives from the media and the academe, and government agencies like the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“The Subic Bay Freeport Zone ICT Advisory Council has renewed enthusiasm in establishing a stronger network with more direct linkages to build a better partnership towards a more focused ICT industry,” Pastor said.

He admitted that a number of investors engaged in business process outsourcing (BPO) that found it hard to recruit qualified staff in the Subic Bay area eventually closed shop.

However, BPO investors should not be discouraged by this and instead train their own workers to reach the desired level of excellence, he added.

“At the Hanjin shipyard, local workers used to work only with acetylene or stick welding machines. However, after providing training in various types of arc welding, Hanjin has become successful with plenty of locally hired welders,” Pastor pointed out.

Meanwhile, in a message read by SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator Joy Alvarado, SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia said that in a short period of time, the Philippines has become one of the top outsourcing destinations in the world.

“We in Subic should take a chunk of that opportunity,” Garcia added.

SBMA Director Benjamin Antonio III, who was chosen as adviser for the ICT Council, noted that Subic is very much ready to become an ICT hub but that only business locators are lacking.

“Magkaroon lang ng kahit isa pang (BPO) player sa Subic, makikita nila ang kakaibang opportunity ng BPO sa Subic Freeport,” Antonio said.

He also pointed out the facilities that are already in place in Subic to provide the needs of the BPO locators, including those of PLDT SubicTel, fiber optic cable system for reliable linkages, dependable security system, related infrastructure, power supply and access linkages to other economic zones and Metro Manila.

“We are in a unique position to attract locators. That is why we need to be more aggressive and focus on creating job opportunities, focus on creating a more resilient SBFZ, and promote a positive image of Subic Bay,” Antonio also said.

In the same forum, Director Benhur Baniqued of the TESDA Zambales provincial office recommended aligning and adjusting the educational curriculum of the country towards defining the requirements of the BPOs.

Baniqued said that the government should encourage educational institutions to improve and support the ICT industry, while urging the experts to share their knowledge and equipment that are lacking in most of the schools in the locality. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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Slowest in ASEAN: Faster internet speed pressed

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto is urging government to also mandate internet service providers (ISPs) and telecom companies to increase the minimum speed of their internet service to 10 Mbps (megabits per second) from the current internet speed of 3.4 Mbps.

Recto said with 3.4 Mbps, the country has the slowest internet speed in South East Asia followed by Indonesia with 4.1 Mbps, Malaysia at 5.5 Mbps, with Singapore as being the fastest in the ASEAN region with a lightning internet speed of 61.0 Mbps.

The global internet speed to download information and pictures from the worldwide web is 18.4 Mpbs.

“Unfortunately, the Philippines ranks at the tail-end of world broadband speed rankings and is also tagged as one of the most expensive,” Recto said.

The Senate leader added: “The national march towards a broader internet or Wi-Fi access should be in cadence with a decent internet speed. Aanhin mo ang Wi-Fi kung puro ka naman antay?”

Recto said Filipino internet users are also paying more than their ASEAN counterparts with a monthly average of $24.92 or roughly P1,120 compared to the fraction spent by other nationalities.

He said his Senate Bill (SB) 2238 dubbed “Bilis Konek Act of 2014” would empower the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to require a minimum internet speed for all ISPs and telcos offering internet service of 10 Mbps for mobile broadband/internet access.

The speed should be faster at 20 Mbps when it comes to fixed and fixed wireless broadband/internet access or those installed at home. The transition to a faster internet speed would be two years after the enactment of the law.

“This bill recognizes the importance of high-speed internet connections in increasing productivity and the growing demands for connectivity,” he said, noting that faster internet has correlation to economic growth according to a foreign report.

Recto stressed mandating a minimum internet speed makes sense since the country aside from being the "Texting Capital of the World" was also named by the Global Web Index as having the Fastest Growing Internet Population with a 531% growth in the last five years.

“If the Human Rights Council of the United Nations General Assembly declares internet access as a basic human right, internet users should also have the right to faster internet -- call it internet on steroids,” he said.

Recto has also filed SB 2232, which seeks the roll out of free Wi-Fi access to all public places in the National Capital Region (NCR) as a companion measure to his "Bilis Konek Act."

Recto said an NCR-wide free internet access would provide equal opportunity to all, especially the marginalized members of society and promote efficiency and productivity in businesses.

“Providing free internet access to public buildings and facilities in the national capital will also ensure that our growing labor force will be updated with employment opportunities,” Recto said in filing SB 2232.

He said a free internet access to the public would “mean providing access to the underserved in our society, including getting low-income people online.”

A free Wi-Fi service, according to him, would also give access to vital information available online such as school information for students; traffic reports and alternative routes for motorists; latest weather bulletins, basic goods prices such as oil and gas; and, updates on government services.

Recto said his proposed bill, if enacted into law, would mandate free internet use to the following public areas in the entire NCR:

· All national and local government offices
· Public health services and hospitals
· Public elementary and high schools, and state colleges and universities
· Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Terminals I, II, III and IV)
· Public libraries
· Tollways and expressways
· Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and other national roads
· Public transport terminals
· Port of Manila; and
· Rail transit stations (LRT Line 1, MRT Line 2, MRT Line 3, and PNR south rail).


He assured that once seamlessly in place in Metro Manila, other major cities in the country should be also accorded with free Wi-Fi service.

The Recto bill mandates the Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as the lead agency. (RBB/SNL)

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Subictel opposes Wi-Tribe application

The plan of San Miguel Corp.-led telecommunication company, wi-Tribe, to invest P354 million to operate at the Subic Freeport was opposed by a local firm offering the same service.

Wi-Tribe in its application filed with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said that it plans to invest P354 million to offer telecom services in Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ).

But Subic Telecommunications Corp. (Subictel) has filed a petition before the NTC to oppose the request of wi-Tribe to operate in areas within the Subic Freeport.

In a filing with the NTC, Subictel said that “wi-Tribe entry into the Subic Freeport Zone would not serve public convenience in that: Subictel has the necessary facilities, capital and technical capability to serve the needs of SBFZ.”

“Subictel has invested so much capital on its facilities and equipment and has build up sufficient capacity to meet the requirements of current and future customers in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone,” it added.

The Subic-based firm added that it has outside plant facilities of over 95 percent of its service areas, except for uninhabited and forested mountain areas.

Subictel also said that the capital expenditure which wi-Tribe intends to invest should be channeled to areas where there is a dire need for telecommunications services, rather than crowded area with a very limited market adequately served by Subictel.

Subictel further said that as a prior operator in the area, the company it is entitled to protect its huge investments. It is also constantly innovating and updating its technology, consistent with the requirements of current and future customers in the area.

“The SBFZ is already adequately served by Subictel in terms of coverage, technology and level of service,” it added. (Rosalie C. Periabras, Manila Times)

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PLDT, unit sign Subic telecom deals

TELECOM giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and subsidiary SubicTel firmed up agreements with 12 Subic merchants to provide the latter with wireless fidelity (WiFi) service.

The Subic establishments that signed the WiFi zone partnership agreement are Aristocrat Restaurant, All Hands Beach Resort, Bayfront Hotel, Eastern Gasoline Station, Meat Plus Restaurant, Networx Jetsports, Royal Duty Free Shop, Subic Bay Yacht Club, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, Zoobic Safari, Pier One Bar and Grill, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

PLDT said with these agreements the number of establishments currently powered by its WiFi zones in the Subic Bay Freeport area have increased to 125.

“Subic is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the country and we are happy to provide WiFi service which enables tourists and residents to connect to the Internet that gives them access to various travel and news sites, as well as social networks like Facebook and Twitter where they share photos and videos of their travels with friends and family,” said PLDT Home wired data head Gary Dujali.

PLDT Home data acquisition senior manager Ma. Myla Margarita C. Villanueva said the WiFi zone powered by PLDT is a value-added service that offers a dedicated line with speed of up to 100 megabytes per second to partner-establishments.

Villanueva explained that one deciding factor for a customer to go to a restaurant, hotel,or any establishment, is to check whether it’s a WiFi zone area. “When you’re at home, you have the PLDT myDSL connection, when you go out, you also want to be connected and the WiFi zone makes this possible.”

PLDT representatives provide a WiFi identification (ID) number to customers which can be obtained by registering on the PLDT WiFi zone website.

Customers can use the ID number anywhere in the 3,500 WiFi hotspots nationwide.WiFi zones are equipped with robust, fixed-line infrastructure by PLDT so owners of establishments no longer need to invest on the infrastructure.

SubicTel president Dennis G. Magbatoc said “We are the only telco that is investing on this offering. We ourselves are putting up the WiFi zone infrastructure not just in Metro Manila but also in key cities like Subic and Clark. We are continuously enhancing this service to ensure that a stable, premium WiFi connection is delivered to our subscribers.”(Lenie Lectura, Business Mirror)

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PLDT data center to drive Subic BPO development

MANILA - Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.’s newly launched VITRO Data Center in Subic has been cited as a boost the development of the area’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

“We see BPOs sprouting all over the Philippines but it still remains very underdeveloped here. We aim to increase our BPO seats here as we pursue a major program for this industry,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Bobby Garcia said during the launch of PLDT’s VITRO Data Center at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

“We hope we can make use of the facilities that PLDT has installed in the area. The data structure and the network that we have in place now is a reason why we can make Subic a central place for BPO. We are very happy to have PLDT as our partner”, he added.

The Subic VITRO Data Center provides companies the full information management and telecommunication services essential in business such as co-location, server hosting, disaster recovery/ business continuity, data security, network management, and other IT services. These services minimize costs of running and managing their own data centers which are essential for BPO companies.

“Subic’s continuously developing economic zone is home to a growing business community, one that will reap the many benefits of having our data center services within easy reach,” PLDT EVP and head of enterprise and international and carrier business Eric Alberto said.

“We are committed not just to building this facility but to replicate the achievements of our flagship site in Pasig – to ensure that we deliver the same consistent levels of quality service in all our data centers,” he added.

The opening of the Subic VITRO Data Center is also aligned with the SBMA objective of setting up a business operations resiliency zone in Subic. Garcia aims to declare Subic as a resiliency zone for companies in Metro Manila, especially for big multinationals, which are looking into setting up their disaster recovery centers.

“The VITRO Data Center in Subic assures stability, security, and reliability for the ICT demands of our clients, coupled by PLDT’s unparalleled domestic fiber network in the country as well as the robust wireless connectivity of Smart,” Alberto said.

The first VITRO Data Center in Pasig has already received numerous citations and multiple ISO certifications from various organizations. It acts as a global gateway for all major BPOs, local telcos, leading international telcos, and major Internet service providers (ISP). It houses the country’s only high-speed local IP peering platform that facilitates seamless delivery of bandwidth-intensive contents to carriers and ISPs. (Mary Ann Ll. Reyes, Philippine Star)

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Subic Bay is now a Wi-Fi zone

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) has added Subic Bay Freeport to its list of Wi-Fi Zones, enabling subscribers to connect to the Internet when they visit popular destinations.

The phone giant, in a statement, said it will provide free Wi-Fi service until May 5 at the free port zone areas such as the Zoobic Safari, Subic Yacht Club Hotel, Pier One, Royal Subic, Times Square Cinema and the Meat Plus/Freeport Exchange.

“We are glad to bring the Wi-Fi zone to Subic Bay visitors so that they will be able to share in real time photos or videos of their vacation this summer to their families and friends here and abroad,” said PLDT Home Wired Data Head Gary Dujali.

Other areas covered by the Wi-Fi zone are Subic’s Remy Field, Eastern Gasoline Station, Petron Gasoline Station, PLDT Subictel, and the area along the Subic Bayfront boardwalk.

“The Wi-Fi zone complements myDSL service at home, allowing customers to stay connected even outside their home,” Dujali said.

After May 5, myDSL subscribers may continue to experience the same strong connection outside the home, in Subic and other Wi-Fi zones in key cities nationwide by just adding P150 to their monthly subscription. Meanwhile, Subictel and other PLDT landline subscribers will just add P300 to their monthly subscription to get the unique Wi-Fi pin which allows access to Wi-Fi zones nationwide.

During the Holy Week break, PLDT also provided free Wi-Fi zone access to travelers in gasoline stations along North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEx). The telecommunications company’s Wi-Fi zones also powered establishments and landmarks in nearby towns and cities like Tagaytay and Laguna.

The Internet access is a valuable tool for travelers as they chronicle their trip and post live photos and updates as they happen via Twitter, Facebook, or other social networking sites. It also connects them to news and travel sites that give them the latest traffic information.

Currently, PLDT has over 3,500 Wi-Fi zones in key cities nationwide, including Metro Manila, Cebu, Baguio, and Davao, and more coming soon.(Lenie Lectura, Business Mirror)

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Subic Bay Freeport goes WiFi

This premier free port is now a WiFi Zone after the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) initiated a pilot project for a wireless local area network here.

Starting April 5, visitors and tourists can now enjoy wireless Internet access powered by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)-SubicTel.

Engr. Vergil Joseph Lansangan, manager of the SBMA Business and Investments Department for Information and Communications Technology (BID-ICT), said the pilot WiFi Zone Project was intended to welcome visitors for the Holy Week with selected commercial and tourism areas as WiFi access points.

“Free WiFi access will run until May 5, as we anticipate more visitors this summer,” Lansangan said.

He added that the SBMA and PLDT-SubicTel intend to turn the entire Subic Bay Freeport into a WiFi Zone.

For the first phase of the project implementation, however, WiFi access will be available within 100 meters from the following: Lighthouse Marina, Pier One, Bayfront Hotel, NetWorx, Subic Freeport Exchange, MeatPlus, PLDT main office, Remy Field, Subic Bay Yacht Club, Royal Subic, Eastern and Petron gas stations, All Hands Beach Resort, and Zoobic Safari.

WiFi access pins will be available at designated booths in Pier One, NetWorx, and All Hands Beach.

Lansangan said that more establishments have expressed their intention to participate in the WiFi Zone Project and subscribe as access points so that more visitors and tourists can enjoy wireless Internet access anywhere in the free port.

Meanwhile, PLDT-SubicTel will be charging a minimal amount of P150 per month for an unlimited WiFi access to myDSL subscribers.

“Soon the Subic Bay Freeport will be completely a WiFi Zone,” Lansangan said. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

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SubicTel opposes wi-tribe petition

A WHOLLY owned subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) wants the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to deny the application of San Miguel Corp.’s telecom unit to offer broadband services in the areas within the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

In a filing with the NTC, Subic Telecom said that the feasibility study done by wi-tribe Telecoms Inc. does not establish its legal capacity to the propose broadband services in its target market.

“The study does not show that wi-tribe is financially capable to operate the proposed wireless broadband service and that is economically viable and feasible for it to operate within the Subic Special Economic Zone,” Subictel said.

It added that the technical study and report of wi-tribe is essentially based on conjuncture and wish lists.

“The figures are not based on actual existing data. Wi-Tribe, a new player in the telecommunication industry simply does not have the figures to support its claims,” Subictel said.

“Nowhere is it established that the Subic Economic Zone may absorb a new market entrant. It certainly does not establish compliance with any jurisdiction requirements,” the PLDT affiliate added.

At present, Subictel is providing digital subscriber line (DSL) and other broadband services in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City and Subic town areas.

Documents filed with the NTC showed that Wi-Tribe plans to spend P354 million for the proposed wireless broadband service in the Subic Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) for over a period of five years.

Wi-Tribe estimated an annual broadband subscribers of 15,484 for year five of operation.

The perceived market size of the SSEZ Internet market is 47,506 based on 2007,2009 and 2010 historical figure.

The SSEZ includes Olongapo City, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Municipalities of Subic, Zambales, Hemosa and Morong in Bataan.

The pricing options to be offered to the SSEZ potential customers are Plan 598 for 512 kbps; Plan 998 for 1mbps and Plan 1998 for 2mbps.

Wi-Tribe said the schedule for roll out will start this year depending on the issuance of all permits required from the local and national governing agencies.

For initial roll out, Wi-Tribe said the current frequency assigned to the company on the 2.5Ghz and 700 MHz nationwide will be used.

In SSEZ, Wi-Tribe will be deploying 75 sites using 2.5 Ghz frequency at 5 Mhz, or 10Mhz channel. bandwidth. (Darwin G. Amojelar, The Manila Times)

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PLDT to interconnect Clark, Subic telecoms

The country’s biggest telecommunication firm has recently approved the interconnection of its two service areas in the Clark and Subic Bay free-port zones.

Lito Mercado, general manager of Clarktel, a subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), said the approval of the interconnection of telecommunication between the two free-port zones is in conformity with the mandate of Subic and Clark as the country’s two best investment destinations that provide world-class infrastructure and utilities.

Although investors and locators from the two zones are expected to save on their long-distance telephone calls, Mercado said the Clark and Subic telecom firms will be losing about P2.5 million to P3 million per annum once the interconnection project is implemented.

The interconnection is expected to take effect by the middle of next month based on information provided to Mercado by Subic and Clark Telecom president Dennis Magbatoc.

However, despite the toll-free calls, Mercado said Clark and Subic will still have to use their respective area codes—045 for Clark (Pampanga) and 047 for Subic (Zambales).

“But definitely, calls for both free ports will be free of charge,” he said.

Mercado said Magbatoc was instrumental in the realization of the interconnection project through the initiative of the Subic Clark Alliance for Development Council, the influential Metro Clark Advisory Council, the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

“Doing business in Clark will be made easier with the toll-free calls between Clark and Subic, considering its impact on the day-to-day operations of the investors in both free-port zones,” he said.

He pointed out that the integration earlier of the telephone infrastructure in Pampanga has given Clark a competitive edge and with the same integration of the service lines between Subic and Clark, the competitiveness of both investment destinations is expected to improve further.

Although PLDT will shoulder the interconnection fees, including the losses in long-distance calls, investors in Clark expressed elation over the integration and interconnection of Clark and Subic because it will open more “windows of opportunities” not only for the two free-port zones, but for Central Luzon as well.

With the integration of Clarktel with all telecom providers in Pampanga in 2004, CDC was able to save about P100,000 a month (or P1.2 million annually) on long-distance calls since the interconnection was implemented.

The amount saved on local long-distance calls through the interconnection project will instead be used to finance other CDC projects as part of the social corporate responsibility of the state-owned firm. (Jacob Cunanan, Business Mirror)

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PLDT, SBMA ready Subic’s emergence as ICT hub

Officials of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Corp. (PLDT) and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) have formally sealed a partnership to put this free port at the frontline of the country’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

Subic Bay’s take on knowledge-based industries was recently boosted by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the SBMA, PLDT, and its subsidiary PLDT Subic Telecom (Subictel) at the PLDT main office in Makati City.

The MOU, which would pave the way for tripartite collaborative projects, was signed by SBMA administrator Armand Arreza and PLDT Subictel chairman & PLDT senior vice-president Ernesto Alberto, PLDT first vice-president Nerissa Ramos, and PLDT Subictel president Dennis Magbatoc.

Arreza said the MOU calls for the promotion of Subic Bay Freeport’s IT capabilities through the SBMA-PLDT-Subictel caravan project, which will boast of PLDT’s recent ICT investments here worth more than P40-million.

Under the said project, the P20-million Innovation Laboratory (Innolab) unveiled by Subictel in October 2009, will be an essential part of this free port’s investor tour program. It will serve as a one-stop showcase of Subic Bay’s ICT capability in terms of infrastructure, and also highlight the available and “futuristic” IT solutions of PLDT for various industries.

On SBMA’s part, Arreza announced that the agency would establish an ICT park on a 17-hectare property here to put to use PLDT’s “ready-to-use” telecoms solutions and ICT infrastructure. These would include the Next Generation Network (NGN) fiber optics cable connecting this free port to Manila and the entire Luzon grid.

“Capacity comes first before opportunity,” Arreza said during the MOU-signing ceremony. “They (PLDT), too, saw our vision for the Subic-Clark economic corridor, and they acted in accordance with that vision.”

Arreza also revealed that international names in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry have been prospecting for business opportunities in Subic.

“It’s only a matter of time before the Subic Bay Freeport becomes synonymous with BPO and IT-related services, like back-office outsourcing, software and games development, engineering design, and digital animation, among others,” said Arreza.

PLDT’s Alberto, meanwhile, reaffirmed his company’s belief in the potentials of Subic Bay as an ICT hub, adding that since its establishment here, PLDT has invested “quite tremendously in the Subic-Clark corridor especially in the past few years.”

He said Subic and Clark have been “fibered” with the NGN technology, which increased network coverage and enabled new and innovative services to emerge in the market.

Through the Subictel Innolab, the fifth of its kind in the country, the public is also able to access “revolutionary business solutions and the latest ICT trends,” Alberto added.

“The Subic-Clark corridor will be the more prominent, if not the most prominent economic corridor this country will ever see in the next five to ten years,” Alberto also said. This explains the group’s investment in the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and their “aggressive” bidding for the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), he added.

He said the PLDT group also sees the entry of Texas Instruments and Samsung in the Subic-Clark corridor as encouraging developments in the ICT sector.

Alberto added that PLDT officials “would like to partner with Mr. Arreza and the SBMA team for globally-competitive industries in the areas of cutting-edge healthcare, retail and trade, tourism, logistics and in the maritime industry.”

“Subic, in my view, is the place to be in the Philippines,” Alberto declared. “And by building my second home in Subic two years ago, I have put my money where my mouth is,” he quipped. (SBMA Corporate Communications)


PHOTO:
PLDT and SBMA officials seal an agreement to promote the Subic Bay Freeport as in ICT hub.

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Satellite firm goes to Subic

Asia Broadcasting Systems, a major satellite operator in Asia, is transferring the control of $800 million worth of equipment to its Subic facility this year.

ABS chief executive Tom Choi said in a statement that the company would beef up its workforce by over 50 percent in two years and train staff for the transfer of the control operations to the Subic center from the southern part of Hong Kong.

“In short, an $800 million worth of satellite equipment will be controlled in our operating center in Subic,” Choi said.

The Subic center, he said, would control five of the company’s satellites—ABS 1, ABS 1-A, ABS 2, ABS 5 and ABS 6.

The satellites serve the firm’s markets in Asia-Pacific, Russia, Africa and the Atlantic. ABS recently acquired Mabuhay Satellite Corp. of the Philippines, which operated the Agila-2 satellite, now renamed ABS-5.

Choi said ABS would invest over $5 million for training and additional infrastructure in its ground facility in Subic, adding that the firm would hire a minimum of 20 new employees this year.

“The investment will include new control equipment, new software, big antennas and satellite control equipment that will all be located in our Subic control center,” he said.

Choi added the company would spend an additional $300 million for another satellite to replace Agila 2 in preparation for its retirement in five years.

“Our investments in the Philippines will be long term,” he said.

ABS, whose control operations are in Hong Kong, said its main clients in the Philippines are telecommunication and broadcasting firms, including Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Bayan Telecommunications Inc., GMA Network Inc. and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.

ABS in November signed an agreement for the purchase of Mabuhay Satellite’s business.

“ABS will maintain all of Mabuhay’s operations in the Philippines and the staff will be integrated with the ABS team,” Choi said.

He said revenues from the Philippines would account for 15 percent to 20 percent of the total after the merger. (Jeremiah F. de Guzman, Manila Standard Today)

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