HJ 12 Interactive

This edition covers VITRO Data Centers and the ways they will change business applications and data management, but as always, we’ve also got interesting stories across the PLDT ALPHA experience. Our Live Wire on page 10 features the visionary Seethapathy Chander of the ADB and his views on regional development centering on viable alternative energy. PLDT & SMART Chief Information Advisor Lawrence Goh is our PLDT Insider this quarter on page 14. We also feature CISCO in Partner Peek on page 18.

Session Initiated Protocol or SIP is a promising new solution for our enterprise voice clients and is unveiled on page 42. And enterprise data clients get a more powerful online fax solution with FOIP (Fax Over Internet Protocol) on page 52.

Our Cover Story (page 8) also marks a major milestone in the evolution of PLDT’s network last June 27, 2012. I was in Cebu that day with both ALPHA Enterprise and ePLDT teams, as together we launched the VITRO Cebu Data Center.

Cebu is the 3rd VITRO we’ve opened in addition to VITRO Pasig and VITRO Subic, and probably marks the real beginning of what

we’ve envisioned: a ready and able network of data centers that will serve businesses like no one else can.

There is only one word I can use to describe this new VITRO triumvirate, and it is one I will borrow from Mr. Alberto himself: formidable. How else can you describe VITRO’s triple nexus in Pasig, Subic, and now in Cebu, all of them burgeoning commercial centers just about to capitalize on data center efficiencies?

Simply no one else can now serve businesses the way PLDT can in terms of world-class data center services and applications. And no one else can man 3 national purpose-built data centers with the same caliber of expert PLDT personnel, representing the largest pool of certified IT professionals. And, as I’ve mentioned, this is only the beginning of growing advantages for ALPHA customers as we add more VITRO data centers in promising locations.

This is perhaps what the PLDT team is proudest of. Instead of making unsubstantiated claims, we put in the time, the money, and the real expertise. From “nationwidest”, our network has become most capable, most relevant and truly, most formidable.

LETTER from the

EditorJovy Hernandez

Editor

Mikey SmythManaging Editor

Gerrard FabieEditorial Adviser

Markus JentesCreative Director

Andrew BatiduanArt Director

Rissa GollosoEmily ReyesIrene Dungo

Cheska VillanuevaVan Davidon

Check TrayfalgarRam AnciroRose Abes

Editorial Coordinators

Maciej “Mac” LubaczewskiMichal Perez de Tagle

Mei AbayaEditorial Contributors

Vickie Perez de Tagle Executive Producer

Jovy hernandezEditor

From Nationwidestto “Formidable”

5octobEr 2012

Mitch and Yze,

Just wanted to share the success of last weekend Sales event. Thanks for the support, as definitely the sale will not be possible without a stable GPRS link, and happy to note that we didn’t encounter any problem during the entire weekend.

Thank you and please do extend our gratitude to your team.

[email protected]

Guys,

OUTSTANDING work. Thank you very much and I am extremely pleased with how the team responded and supported us as customer.

Well done guys and thank you!

Siva SubramaniamCountry Manager - The Philippines & Head of Sales - Asia Pacific

Dear PLDT Team,

We’d like to extend our sincerest appreciation for your effort especially so that we have to do this in a very short time.

Best Regards,Jared V. Tabino - Zimbra Infrastructure Support Group Manager (Shared Services) at St. Luke’s Medical Center

Dear Jay,

I can’t thank you enough for the amazing time that my daughter Tina and I had last night. The way you delight your customers is unparalleled. Please thank the rest of the PLDT team who made our night magical.

All the best,Marife B. ZamoraSVP & Managing Director, AsiaPac & EMEAConvergys Corporation

Dear Efjay:

In behalf of our company and our executives, we would like to thank you and your technical team for the installation of the 3G repeater/signal booster at our corporate offices last Monday/23 July.

Cellphone signal have significantly improved, to say the least. We now experience full bar signal even at the farthest end of our office. We commend the quick and almost seamless installation of your team thereby avoiding disruption to our operations.

We sincerely appreciate all your efforts in providing us, your subscribers, the best service.

Kind regards,

Ann M. BlasquezExecutive OfficeCavallino Inc. - Racks Restaurant

CLIENTCalls

We Want to

Please send us your ThoughTs,

commenTs & reacTions

call: 88-alPha (88-25742)

or visit

Hear from

you!

Oct 2012

volume

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18www.pldt.com.ph

Letter from the EditorJovy Hernandez discusses all of PLDT ALPHA’s newest most exciting initiatives, notably geographically diverse VITRO Data Centers.

Client CallsLetters from actual PLDT clients, sharing their own unique PLDT experiences.

Main WindowPLDT VITRO Data Centers become a diverse and resilient triumvirate— how IT’s all coming together for PLDT customers.

live wirePLDT and ADB pool resources in their quest to sustainably and realistically develop the Asian region.

PLDT InsiderPLDT and SMART’s new CIA, Lawrence Goh, on the new business landscape, one increasingly defined by data centers.

Partner PeekCisco’s Stephen Misa examines innovation and how it changes the way people work, live, play, and learn.

Were You ThereCruising or speeding along on yachts and race-cars at the ALPHA Track Day and the ALPHA Regatta. Were you there?

SolvedPLDT introduces SIP, a “future-perfect” Session Initiation Protocol solution.

Caught on Page PLDT ALPHA Enterprise seals the deal with CATS Motors, Delnet, and UPMC, visits with the Japanese Ambassador, and plays golf with SEIPI.

Coming GoingWhat’s rising, what’s dying, and what’s dead among the technologies of today.

Sleeper HitGet your fax straight with PLDT FoIP.

The ALPHA BitsBits of knowledge any ALPHA should know.

The Last SayEric R. Alberto on PLDT’s faith in the Philippines as a rising economic power.

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PLDT has invested billions of dollars in building and maintaining their world-class network. Today, the PLDT network includes thou-sands of miles of fiber-optic cable laid di-rectly into the seabed, international cable sta-tions, and loop-configured, multi-redundant network configurations. To handle all the data streaming through these pipes, disaster-proofed facilities to house and store literally hundreds of millions of terabytes of never ending data were required. Thus, PLDT’s VI-TRO Data Centers were born.

VITRO addresses the evolving needs of integrating communication, information technology, storage and the continuing needs of ever-evolving enterprises. Companies these days do not exist merely in physical space. They also exist in cyberspace; in fact, some may argue that their virtual presence is more relevant in transactions than a physical one.

VITRO data centers began with the flag-ship center in Pasig, which opened in 2000. Recently, it was joined by sister centers in Cebu and Subic as part of a world-class data network.

But the VITRO network is more than just buildings. VITRO combines the national scope of PLDT’s diverse range of communi-cation services and VITRO’s data capability to create a secure and stable environment that protects, houses and manages data and data streams. All this removes worries about the added cost of building, staffing, and maintaining one’s own data center.

One may think that the different data centers exist separate from one another, like loners in cyberspace. In fact, they create a closely interwoven network, each system working independently but ready to support each other at the drop of a hat.

Mr. Eric R. Alberto, EVP and Head of Enterprise and International & Carrier Busi-ness of PLDT & SMART, points out that, “Anyone can just build a building but it is different if you are in VITRO’s network.”

He compared data centers to banks dur-ing the launch of PLDT’s VITRO Cebu. “Just as you entrust your money and valuable assets to a bank, you entrust your ICT assets to VITRO.”

Each data center has the capability to independently handle all of VITRO’s pro-cesses, like web or email hosting. But because of the network, each individual center can use the other as a backup or as an alternate source in the highly unlikely event that any of them go offline.

Needless to say, network quality is cru-cial.

Data centers function both as storage fa-cilities to back up data and as a means to cre-ate high-function capacity all over the nation and overseas. The VITRO data centers offer services that include hosting, co-location, business continuity/disaster recovery as well as value-added data center options. When business relies more and more on streams of continuous data, VITRO becomes an invalu-able asset to any enterprise requirements.

VITRO co-location services will store the data critical not only for the organiza-tion’s operations, but also for its overall suc-cess. VITRO can handle huge amounts of data without having to build additional struc-

tures due to the scalability of its systems, so enterprises do not have to worry about eat-ing up bandwidth or making further provi-sions as needs increase.

The earthquake-resistant structure, UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems and generators ensure that organizations always have access to their data, with 99.95% up-time guaranteed in the industry-leading SLA. 24/7 assistance also means that expert sup-port is available whenever the need arises. This is important simply because IT and the continuity of IT services absolutely depend on daily monitoring routines to make sure data flows are unimpeded. Everyone knows losing servers and data, especially in a coun-try often hit by devastating typhoons, can be a deal breaker.

Organizations can also choose to make use of VITRO’s hosting services for reliable and secure connections to host sites, email or company servers. This is especially important as the Philippines has over 24 million Inter-net subscribers.

Most importantly, storing data in VITRO means one can recover it in the event of extreme disasters. Protecting assets and data in case of fire, storms or sudden in-house system failures ensures that busi-ness continues even when the unthinkable happens.

All three VITRO data centers give qual-ity service, no matter which service one chooses to use. PLDT VITRO has the flex-ibility to expand with business and the tech-nology to create a framework not just for success, but for enduring excellence.

PldT ViTro daTa cenTers become a diVerse and resilienT TriumViraTe.

Capitalizing On The

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9octobEr 20128 octobEr 2012

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PldT and adb Pool resources in Their quesT To deVeloP

The asian region.

IN May of 2012, thousands of delegates flew to Manila for the Asian Development Bank’s 45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors.

The delegates were high-level business leaders and policymakers, hailing from far-flung locations all over the world, ranging from both North and South America to Europe to – of course – Asia. It was up to ADB and the Philippine Department of Finance (DOF) to ensure their stay in the Philippines left favorable impressions on these worldly, well-traveled delegates.

Poverty In asia

Pacificand the


demanded faster and larger bandwidth, strong Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and end-to-end QoS (Quality of Service). These are the core strengths of PLDT’s value.

With the help of its international partner, Cable & Wireless, PLDT won the project, outfitting 15 MPLS sites. This was no small feat, you understand – ADB has operations in countries ranging from the United States and Germany to Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Along with its partners PLDT’s coverage meant that it could ably meet our extensive requirements, providing connectivity to even the most remote sites.”

more Power with mPls

Mr. Chander, who is Director General of ADB’s Regional and Sustainable Development Department, then explained the reason for ADB’s upgrade to MPLS protocol. “Global companies prefer MPLS nowadays. For one thing, MPLS boasts very robust QoS protocols, allowing us to allocate specific percentages of our single connection to various applications – giving us the power to ensure that the applications that are most critical to our operations are the ones that are prioritized.

MPLS is also a meshed network,

which employs several cable networks for resiliency and features any-to-any connectivity, so that we’re better protected against sudden outages.

We’ve even added 2 more MPLS sites in India just this year where our software development is taking place because we’ve been pleased with the performance of PLDT’s MPLS. While there are 15 other sites still on VSAT, the plan is to migrate them onto the MPLS networks in the short to medium term.”

roaming Free: adb’s mobile communications

PLDT ALPHA Enterprise’s services do not stop at MPLS. ADB relies heavily on PLDT ALPHA Enterprise’s mobile communications solutions, which is backed by SMART’s mobile network and extensive list of international carrier partners. “Many of our employees travel extensively,” Mr. Chander points out, “And to that end PLDT ALPHA Enterprise has worked out a package for us based on our specific usage patterns. We make considerable use of roaming data services, and here, we again chose PLDT ALPHA Enterprise because of their wide-ranging list of partner telcos from all over the world. This is a critical issue for an international organization

such as ADB. Can you imagine if we were to sort out our data usage and billings for each of the countries we travel? It will be a nightmare trying to assess costs and usage per provider, per country. We also rely heavily on PLDT ALPHA Enterprise for our fixed-line voice services.”

a brighter Future

Between the succesful ADB General Meeting and PLDT’s exemplary performance so far, Mr. Chander faces the future with optimism. “PLDT ALPHA Enterprise’s convergence with ePLDT means that they now have the ability to offer managed ICT space – end-to-end solutions complete from telco services to ICT peripherals. The PLDT Group has also expressed interest in using its network for addressing social development challenges. We hope to leverage our partnership in delivering e-Health and e-Education programs to remote communities in the Philippines and overseas.”

5 days of business-class service

With the help of PLDT’s telecom infrastructure, they were able to do precisely that. The previous attendance record for the ADB’s world-touring high-level conference was 4,000 delegates. The Manila event held last May 1-5 easily surpassed that mark with 5,000 delegates. “Everyone was visibly impressed, it was so smoothly run with little or no hassles,” said Arsenio Pascual, Chief of the International Economy Division of the Philippine Department of Finance. “In fact, one 20-year ADB conference veteran even said that it was the best conference he had ever attended.”

Such platitudes are not easy to come by, given the high standards of these global delegates. Listening to Mr. Pascual tell it, arranging a world-class conference of increasing complexity and scale (which was the primary DOF responsibility) consisted of making sure 5,000 delegates experience Business Class levels of service and competence throughout 5 straight days.

Along with that tremendous scale and complexity are the physical infrastructure concerns to support it all. “I would say PLDT ALPHA Enterprise was the most reliable ICT provider for this most recent successful conference,” he says.

PLDT ALPHA Enterprise was able to provision an extensive PABX system for ADB in less than 60 days - completing the job faster than most other providers. This came with complete cabling over hundreds of square meters of conference space, from the “Forum” where Q&As were held, to all outlying areas which included 3 large buildings seamlessly interconnected, with links “jumping over” yet another building.

“PLDT ALPHA Enterprise also had to conform with strict government procurement guidelines even as they had to have everything set up in time,” Mr. Pascual recounts. Tight timetables were ably met every step of the way. “Honestly I was surprised they were able to do it all.” PLDT went the extra mile; the conference even had its own hotline (773-3333) connecting each and every delegate and area.

“Every detail and nuance of the conference had to demonstrate a sustained competence. All content was relevant and timely, delivered by world-class eminent speakers,” noted DOF Undersecretary Rosalia V. de Leon. “We were never left alone here. Of course the partnership with PLDT ALPHA Enterprise continues to grow, things can only get better.”

Fighting Poverty With connectivity

It’s no surprise that PLDT ALPHA Enterprise was tapped to support the recent ADB General Meeting. PLDT has been ADB’s valued partner for years, providing high-level telecom solutions in the Philippines, where ADB is headquartered, and throughout the world.

ADB’s mandate is to help developing nations rid themselves of poverty. Connectivity and delivery of information to communities in those countries are still big challenges. While some countries have advanced in certain standards for telecommunications connectivity, others lag behind. This is where partnerships play a key role. ADB’s wide area network project connects the organization to its 30 field offices in the region, and they rely on PLDT MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) connectivity.

ADB Principal Director Seethapathy Chander tells the story: “Two years ago, we approached the major global carriers, including PLDT, with an RFI (Request for Information) for our new Global Wide Area Network strategy including the MPLS Vertical. While the then-existing wide area infrastructure had met the IT communication needs for some time, emerging business requirements


PLDTInsider a Future In

VITrOPldT’s new cia, lawrence goh,

discusses the new business landscape,

one defined by data centers.

In March of 2012, Lawrence Goh joined

the PLDT Group as Chief Information Advisor for PLDT, SMART, Sun Cellular, and Digitel. He also leads SMART’s Information Asset Protection and Assurance (IAPA) team.


q: in your oPinion, Why is iT so imPorTanT ThaT PldT inVesT in iTs ViTro daTa cenTers?

Recent history has shown that economic climates have been very turbulent lately. Lows and highs are coming faster, and companies must seek better, more cost-effective ways of doing business to weather those dips and rises. So, they should look for services that data centers can provide to reduce costs while getting professional services to ensure resilience for the business.

We have been in the data center business for quite a while, and so we are in a good space, being the foremost data center provider in the Philippines. As the economy comes back up, we will be in a good place to help other companies achieve growth.

q: hoW imPorTanT Will daTa cenTers Vis-a-Vis PldT’s enTerPrise sTraTegy? Will daTa cenTers haVe any beneFiT For The consumer markeT?

We are starting to launch our cloud services, and they are not exactly new - we have already been offering a lot of cloud service in the market. But what we are seeing in our expansion, and we can see with these interconnected data centers is that they’re providing a new value proposition for the customer. Clients don’t have to own or operate physical sites anymore; they can simply avail of our highly flexible IT services. That’s how we see ourselves-- as enablers of enterprise growth.

It is within our roadmap to open up to consumers, eventually. This is already happening; our data center services are enabling companies to open up new consumer segments. Consumers will see a proliferation of services coming to the market as a result of our enabling companies with advanced IT infrastructure.

q: WhaT makes daTa cenTers so much more aPPealing Than PriVaTely run serVer rooms or PriVaTe iT inFrasTrucTure?

Typically, a company starts with basic hardware – maybe just a server in a small room. And as the business grows and its

IT demand rises, that small room becomes insufficient. The company now needs more advanced hardware - better cooling, resilience, etc. It becomes a function in the company just to maintain the server room. Our data center is appealing to companies because we can offer 24-hour security, resilient power, reliable cooling, and professional people to look after the machines. If you compare that with people running their own IT - it’s like staying in a serviced apartment, like I do. I have got all the amenities of home with a private butler, and privacy – but I do not have to devote any resources into running and maintaining a house.

q: are There any sPecial adVanTages or synergies beTWeen dcs and PldT’s neTWork?

If you look at our data centers, our network provides them with a lot of landing points, so many in fact that other providers are coming to our data centers. If you are an international corporation, the number of choices we provide are unbeatable.

Because we have got a good cluster of data centers - very geographically diverse – we can provide very good Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity functions. So, if a natural disaster hits one center, our unaffected centers are still online with our big pipes, ready to take over. Other smaller data centers that are not as geographically diverse cannot offer you the same assurance.

q: WhaT do you see in The FuTure For PldT and ViTro daTa cenTers?

I think there are a lot of growth opportunities for us. For example, the racks in Subic, our new data center, are being filled up quite rapidly. And as companies grow, PLDT will be the first one to get in and provide infrastructure for those companies. I foresee us extending the services we have because of the unique capabilities we have. I think we’ll eventually develop industry-specific applications. So companies in any particular industry can avail of these applications at lower cost, with the assurance of PLDT’s superior infrastructure.

Tech Wizardchief technology Advisor Lawrence Goh comes to PLDt with a wealth of experience in communications technology.

consumers Will see a ProliFeraTion oF

serVices coming To The markeT as a resulT oF our

enabling comPanies WiTh adVanced iT inFrasTrucTure.

Mr. Goh comes to the PLDT Group with an impressive list of skills, gained from extensive industry experience. Prior to joining the PLDT Group, Mr. Goh spent 18 years with Accenture, the world’s largest consulting firm by revenue, and a member of the Fortune Global 500 list. During his years with Accenture, Mr. Goh led the company’s Technology Architecture practice for Southeast Asia, Korea, and Australia. He also headed Accenture’s Technology Consulting practice for ASEAN, working with clients in the areas of Strategy and Transformation, Infrastructure Consulting, and Security.

Together they formulated business, information and technology strategies, and implemented large complex business-critical systems. His client list covered the gamut of major industries such as mining and resources, financial institutions, manufacturing, energy, logistics, and public sector. He spent the past decade working with regional telecommunications clients such as Optus, China Telecom, and SingTel. He was instrumental in SingTel’s transformation and solutions architecture for its core customer care and billing system.

These experiences made him a perfect fit for PLDT, the Philippines’ top telecom firm.

But when Mr. Goh met with HOT JOE for an interview, he revealed there was also a settled family man behind the hard-hitting telecom executive.

q: Please Tell us a liTTle more abouT yourselF.

I have two daughters, still in Singapore. I am basically a very proud father of my kids. If you’re talking about hobbies - I like to sleep! Sleep is a rare commodity. I also like to read.

q: WhaT Valuable lessons From your exPerience WiTh accenTure do you use in your role as PldT’s chieF inFormaTion adVisor?

I can best summarize these lessons in three words: People, organization, and leadership.

“People” refers to how you motivate people, how you stretch them, how you get them to perform at their best.

“Organization,” is how you approach different people in a new role, how you establish a new team, and how you organize them to do work efficiently. In Accenture, I am used to putting together new teams, as people are shuffled around in order to best address the ever-changing needs and requirements of clients.

“Leadership” is how you provide vision and guidance for people, in terms of career growth. I want to make people understand a core value of mine: stewardship.

q: iF a layPerson should ask For your deFiniTion oF daTa cenTers, WhaT Would you Tell Them?

A data center is a place where your servers are professionally managed in a secure manner, where the professionals are looking after the interests of your company. With a data center’s facilities, the resiliencies and productivity of a business are ensured. A

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In 1975, Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner, a husband and wife team working at Stanford University, found themselves

frustrated because current network protocols did not allow them to email each other from their offices in two different buildings.

So they figured out a way to do it themselves, inventing an object that made the Internet what it is today. Their efforts yielded the multi-protocol router and eventually, Cisco Systems in 1984.

Cisco was propelled to the forefront of a technological revolution defined by companies like Microsoft and IBM. As giants clashed, Cisco quietly innovated, changed the game, and shaped the way networks evolved over two decades.

Without most of us knowing it, Cisco products are integral to daily life. “Your home wireless router is most likely Linksys,” Cisco General Country Manager Stephen “Tep” Misa said. “That’s a Cisco product.” This was among several revelations he made as Hot Joe sat down with the award-winning executive one drizzling afternoon, discussing Cisco, passion, innovation and future technology.

HJ: What do you love most about your job?

SM: First and foremost, I work with great people here in Cisco. We have not only great innovation and great technologies, we also have a great leadership bench. We have very passionate professional teams here in Cisco-- very passionate competitors who are equally committed with our partners in serving our customers.

This is a very partner-centric organization. When I say “partners”, I refer to our resellers and our distributors. All our businesses are done always 100% through them.

Again, it’s a great place to work —and that’s affirmed by Fortune’s list of the Best Places to Work. Cisco’s always ranked at the top. Maybe part of the reason is that there’s always something new to do every day, always something new to learn. We’re more than a one-product, one innovation company.

We’ve been around for 27 years, established in 1975, and enjoying a great ride ever since in becoming a US$ 43B company with about 65,000 employees.

HJ: What do you think is the most important thing about your

partnership with PLDT? What do you think is the most

important aspect of it now?

SM: The partnership with PLDT goes far towards realizing our vision of what we call borderless networks, the same ones that will further enable collaboration solutions including telepresence, video conferencing, and the like.

At the same time we provide technologies and innovations for Cloud, data center, and virtualization for large or small companies alike, providing them with the end-to-end architecture necessary for business transformation. We’re not just talking IT transformation, but a larger business transformation. So we have to look at the entire piece end-to-end as well.

Unlike other companies who are just point players or point solution providers, we must consider the entire IP infrastructure. The view has to go beyond the network. For example, we already have award-winning servers that are much cheaper than our competition’s but yet faster and more efficient. They’re built that way because again, we’re looking at the entire end-to-end customer experience.

If you want to make improvements in a car, you don’t stop at the engine. You also want to improve the way it looks, feels, the way it smells, the way it handles. Overall, you want to improve the way it drives. Many of the other technology companies stop at the engine.

HJ: That’s an interesting analogy.

SM: My point is their solutions are generally one-off specializations while we overhaul the entire “driving experience” of their IT architecture. We have to look at the bigger picture, to make significant innovation improvements.

This is the reason we have necessarily evolved from a networking company. We have become a cloud player and a server player, among other roles. This is the only way we see the possibility of driving better customer experiences for big businesses, small or medium businesses, and ultimately consumers.

And so we look to improve your larger Internet experience right now-- the way you

BiggerPicture on the Future:Cisco’s Stephen misa on Innovation

The


access it, use Facebook, Twitter, or presence solutions. It permeates everything else: the way you shop, the way you research, the way you work, live, play and learn. Almost everything we do is drastically different from 10 years ago. It was definitely much much different from 20 years ago when I graduated from college.

A lot of things happened in the background over decades, making all of those improvements possible. I must say with pride that there are only a few companies who have the ability to influence and create those end-to-end improvements, and Cisco is one of them.

HJ: Considering how you look at entire infrastructure pictures, how would you assess the current state of network infrastructure in the Philippines? Where do you pinpoint Cisco’s future opportunities?

SM: Well, it’s no different from PLDT EVP and Head of Enterprise & International and Carrier Business Eric Alberto’s Sales and Marketing team and how they continously assess their own customer base for future opportunities. There is the ever-present imperative to serve customers better. For many years PLDT was just a pipe provider until they started evolving. From a telephony provider PLDT then became a leased line provider and so on up the same evolutionary road Cisco took.

PLDT transformed and probably said the same things we said to ourselves, “Hey, we better innovate, we better change, we better look at what, for example, a BPO, or a bank or a public sector agency needs.” Once more, there is a need to look at customer requirements and generate end-to-end solutions.

And so because of that shared realization, I think, PLDT transformed. Now it does not just offer pipes but also managed services, and it makes sense.

In the end the proposition to customers

is compelling: “Let me manage your networks for you and all you have to worry about is an easy monthly fee for the next two years or three years.” Customers don’t have to worry about issues like technology obsolesce anymore. PLDT and Cisco will just update the solutions package and maintain it. Customers also don’t need to hire skilled or talented network managers. On top of everything else, we will make sure everything runs the latest security software and so on and so forth, for a small fee every month.

The PLDT Group has been our number one customer for the past twelve years. It is a testament to the trust of Mr. Pangilinan and the rest of the organization. They are at the forefront of providing better products and services to the Filipino people. Not only for the rich, but also for those who are aspiring to become rich and prosperous. Our company mantra is ‘Changing the way we work, live, play and learn.’ It’s so well aligned with what PLDT is doing-- a natural affinity for us to join forces and provide these great innovations available to the market at the lowest possible cost. PLDT has access to millions and millions of businesses and consumers, while Cisco provides world-class industry leading technology.

The ParTnershiP WiTh PldT

goes Far ToWards realizing

our Vision oF WhaT We call

borderless neTWorks, The same

ones ThaT Will FurTher enable

collaboraTion soluTions

including TelePresence, Video

conFerencing, and The like.Confident in our futurecisco country General Manager Stephen Misa has faith in the future of the Philippines as a modern wired society.


WERE YOU THEREWERE YOU THERE

WereThereYOU

No gloom and doom for Dr. Bernie Villegas. At the recent Asia CEO Forum, sponsored by PLDT

ALPHA Enterprise and held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel’s Rigodon Ballroom, the former presidential adviser presented “The Philippine Economy: Reaching the Tipping Point” which described a country not just weathering the global downturn but on the verge of dramatic, if not explosive, growth.

Dr. Villegas cited several factors that will herald progress, such as the availability of funds to invest, a decreased reliance on imports, monetary supply, and past contributions from former administrations as overall economic stimulants.

He cited twenty-five years of ongoing

reform such as the privatization of key sectors, infrastructure reform, as well as the current administration’s emphasis on Public-Private Partnerships in infrastructure. The government’s continuing efforts against corruption, red tape, and disaster preparedness also bode well for the business horizon.

The ever optimistic Dr. Villegas pointed out that the Philippines is moving away from “inward, ultra-nationalist and protectionist” economic models and moving towards one that is more open and dynamic. The future is brighter in the Philippines. Dr. Villegas urges us to act and invest decisively, to take advantage of a business boom yet to be fully felt.

Dr. Bernie Villegas’ economic forecast at the Asia CEO Forum

The World As We Shall Know It

1. Shown in photo are Dr. bernie Villegas (5th from right) with Manny V. Pangilinan, chairman of the board of the PLDt Group of companies; Eric r. Alberto, Executive Vice President & Head of Enterprise, International and carrier businesses for PLDt & SMArt (6th from right); and Jovy Hernandez, PLDt Vice President and Head of PLDt ALPHA Enterprise and SMArt Enterprise (3rd from right). Also in photo are (from left) Noel Lorenzana, Head of Wireless consumer Division, SMArt; cesar Enriquez, First Vice President, PLDt; Mon Fernandez, President and CEO, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.; Klaas oreel, chief Executive Advisor, Philippine business for

Social Progress; Al Panlilio, Senior VP, Head – customer retail Services, corporate Marketing and communication, Meralco; Maulik Parekh, President and cEo, SPi Global; and richard Mills, chairman of chalre Associates.

2. the success of the Asia cEo Forum draws smiles from Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan and Dr. bernie Villegas

3. Mr. Hernandez with the lucky winner of an iPhone 4S, raffled off during the ASIA CEO Forum.



Natural disasters take a heavy toll on economies. They shrink GDPs and

suspend production chains. Thailand and even the economic power that is Japan are proof of that. The Philippines loses an average of 2 percent of the GDP due to damage from extreme events, according to Mary Ann Lucille L. Sering, the DENR Undersecretary for Administration, Finance and Legal. The country weathers an average of 19 typhoons a year, with 2 or 3 strong enough to knock out entire cities.

In light of this, PLDT ALPHA

Enterprise, organized an ALPHA BITES event specifically to address the issue of proper disaster recovery and business continuity planning at the Makati Shangri-La.

PLDT AVP and Head of New Business Development and Managed ICT Group Precy Katigbak hosted the event, and PLDT VP and Head of PLDT ALPHA Enterprise Jovy Hernandez welcomed delegates to the forum, which provided insights and solutions on how companies can safeguard their interests at all times. ALPHA BITES provides an intimate forum for top business executives in the Philippines to share and expand their knowledge.

Three speakers spearheaded the discussion: Mr. Rick Lowe, of R. Lowe Consulting, a former US Marine with years of experience in BCP/DRP Strategies; Mr. Chee Wai Yeong of Symantec, Director and Lead for the Storage & Availability Management Group (SAMG) business practice in Symantec Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ); and Mr. Miguel Gonzalez, Product Manager at PLDT ALPHA Enterprise.

The three experts led a discussion of the

dangers facing business in the modern age. There was a special focus on Manila’s unique potential disaster profile and a discussion of tactics to mitigate the danger, especially for disasters similar to Ondoy that strain resources and damage the economy.

All agreed that the creation and maintenance of business continuity/disaster recovery plans are critical, especially when it comes to data preservation. Common mistakes include storing back-up data too close to its primary source, which can lead to total data loss.

This reason, Mr. Gonzalez said, prompted PLDT to expand its VITRO Data Center network. VITRO gives corporations a highly secure, stress-tested location to back their data up. Companies all over the Philippines now have the ability to choose from world-class VITRO Data Centers located in Pasig, Subic, and Cebu. This is just one way companies can prepare themselves for disaster. To drive home the point, Mr. Gonzales quoted Howard Ruff, “It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.”

1. PLDt VP and Head of PLDt ALPHA Enterprise and SMArt Enterprise Sales and Marketing Head Jovy Hernandez welcomed the forum delegates.

2. rick Lowe with PLDt VP and Head of corporate business Solutions Vic tria, and PLDt business Solutions category Head for IP & Data center Gary Ignacio

3. PLDt ALPHA Enterprise AVP and corporate relationship Management Head Precy Katigbak hosted the learning session.

4. ePLDt President and cEo beth G. Lui also attended the event.

5. Speakers Lowe, Gonzalez, and Yeong get ready to answer questions from the audience.

Build Your Ark When the Sun ShinesBiblical floods and earthquakes demonstrate the need for business to plan ahead.



International ICT Awards Philippines 2012

S parkling and dapper in evening gowns and suits, over five hundred delegates

from the Philippines’ top ICT companies filled the lobby in front of the Marriot Hotel’s Grand Ballroom on March 29, 2012.

PLDT ALPHA Enterprise co-presented the International ICT Awards Philippines 2012, recognizing the successes and exemplars in the community since 2007. Honors are given to top BPO companies and outstanding individuals.

There was a definite glamorous Oscars-like flavor to the ICT Awards, complete with a red carpet in the Grand Ballroom. Delegates were ushered into the ballroom with its unusual glass-dotted ceiling, greeted by the smooth tones of a live band.

Mr. Alejandro Melchor’s opening

speech included some very interesting figures. The Philippines is #1 for Voice BPO and Business Support and #2 for Healthcare Outsourcing globally. He shared that the industry has so far enjoyed 24% revenue growth (from 9B pesos in profit the previous fiscal year to 11B pesos) and that the industry was now aggressively pushing to develop the Philippines into a position as “world leader in multiple high-growth categories.”

The ICT Awards founder Richard Mills began the awarding ceremony after dinner, stating that “Six years ago they pooh-pooh’d the Philippines’ chances in the BPO industry. How would a developing nation compete against the likes of India, they asked. Well, look at us today!”

On this optimistic note, Mr. Mills then invited the various presenters to announce the winners in each category, with Mr. Jovy Hernandez of PLDT ALPHA Enterprise handing the night’s final award of “BPO Company of the Year” to Accenture.

The night ended with much rejoicing, cheering, and even raffle prizes. PLDT ALPHA Enterprise donated a brand-new iPad 2 for the raffle, which was won by Ms. Melba Madriaga from John Clements Consultants, Inc.

Celebrating and investing in the remarkable rise of the Philippines as a global leader in the industry

Best New BPO Locator of the Year: Tata Consultancy Services (Philippines) Inc.

Shared Services Excellence of the Year Award: HSBC Electronic Data Processing Philippines

Non-voice Excellence of the Year: IBM

Most Innovative Company: Maersk Global Services Centre (Philippines) Ltd.

Fastest Growing BPO Company of the Year: Ingram Micro, Inc.

Quality Program of the Year: Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific (Hong Kong) Ltd. Phils. ROHQ

BPO Employer of the Year: Convergys Philippines Services Corporation

BPO Company of the Year: Accenture in the Philippines

ICT Individual Contributors: Lilia de Lima, Monchito Ibrahim and Virgilio Pena

Winners

1. From L-r: Lito tayag – country Managing Director, Accenture in the Philippines; cassandra Sotto – Director, business Process Delivery for Philippines, IbM; Alex Wozniak – General Manager, Ingram Micro Shared Services center; Kristina beckenford – Managing Director, Global Delivery Lead Liner operations & Head of business relations Management, Maersk Global Services center (Philippines), Ltd.; Monchito Ibrahim; Virgilio Peña; Noel Mendoza – Director, Global Deliver Center, Hewlett Packard Asia Pacific (Hong Kong) Ltd.; Vikram Singh – country Manager, tata consultancy Services (Philippines) Inc.; carlo Jose – President & Head of GSc Philippines, HSbc Electronic Data Processing Philippines; and Victoria Muego, country Manager for customer Management operations, convergys Philippines Services corp.

2. Sean Georget – Executive Director, cancham; richard Mills – chairman, Ict Awards; cyril rocke – Director, European chamber of commerce of the Philippines/chairman and cEo, Dataone Asia; robbie bassig – Isla Lipana & co./Pricewaterhousecoopers; Alejandro “bud” Melchor III – Information & Communications Technology Office, Department of Science & technology; Don Felbaum – chairman of the Ict committee, American chamber of commerce of the Philippines/Managing Director, oPtEL, Inc.; and Gigi Virata – Senior Executive Director, business Processing Association of the Philippines (bPAP)

3. Jared Morrison, Jovy Hernandez, Lito tayag, Jay Lagdameo, Mitch Locsin, Danny cuevas, and Sean Georget

4. Melba c. Madriage – John clements consultants, Inc. with Jovy Hernandez and richard Mills

5. orlando Nobello, Jay Lagdameo, Mitch Locsin, Jovy Hernandez, and Marife Zamora

6. Jovy Hernandez, Neil Elias, Haydee Asuncion, Mitch Locsin, and Jay Lagdameo

7. Jovy Hernandez and Lito tayag

8. Danny cuevas, Don Felbaum, Michael Mccullough, Mon Ibrahim, and Jovy Hernandez



PLDT ALPHA Enterprise hosts its second annual ALPHA Track Day.

ALPHA in the Driver’s Seat

A s a fiery sun rose in the summer sky, the curving length of the Clark

International Speedway hummed with activity. With a need for speed in their hearts, ALPHA clients arrived to the smell of warming asphalt and high-octane fuel, and the sight of rows of gleaming sports cars.

Eric R. Alberto, Executive Vice President of PLDT and Head of Enterprise and International and Carrier Business, welcomed them all to the ALPHA Track Day. Go-cart qualifiers would help divide the participants into teams to compete in a grueling endurance race, testing every driving skill. Racers also had the option of taking luxury sports cars on test drives, with a professional driver to expertly put the machine through its proper paces.

One corner of the tent sported PLDT’s newest offering. PLDT SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), a first in the Philippines, allows corporations to consolidate their voice and data connections into a single, easily maintained line through the power of VoIP technology.

All throughout the day, drivers nipped in and out of the main tent for gourmet meals catered by Chef Billy King and sipped refreshments from the open bar between races. The event ended with a celebratory dinner featuring live music as well as a raffle drawing with prizes such as 42-inch flat-screen televisions. The grand raffle prize, won by lucky John Manaloto of Alorica Pacific Rim, was a 2012 Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix package.

More winners were announced during dinner. The team award for the day went to Team Mini, with Team KC as first runner-up and A Team as second runner-up. The overall individual champion was Richard Cohen of Team Mini, judged as the best driver of the day from among a field of talented and highly competitive drivers.

A fast and furious day ended with laughter, prizes, music and food: what more could a racer want? Why, the chance to log even faster times at the next ALPHA Track Day, of course.

1. the moment before the green light – engines roar as the race begins

2. Eric r. Alberto and bong borja taking Ducati bikes out for a spin

3. Mr. Alberto straddles the Ducati 749S

4. Jovy Hernandez blazing through the track on his go-kart

28 29octobEr 2012 octobEr 2012


5. Sunglasses on to protect against the glare of the sun, a racer surveys the track.

6. ALPHA racers getting revved up for their turns at the wheel as Jeff Freihuber explains the race formats.

7. A racer has his helmet checked for best fit.

8. Gleaming in the sunlight, these exotic Ferraris attracted a lot of attention throughout the day.

9. Kevin Limjoco, Mitch Locsin, Jay Lagdameo, and Edward tiu in front of the main tent.

10. Quiel Delgado, Precy Katigbak, and Agnes Gervacio, enjoying the dinner spread.

11. raymond Lacdao, rommel regino, Jojo Uligan, Hans Montenegro, Jay Gomez, Danny cuevas, and Precy Katigbak standing at the starting line.

12. tires screaming and engines roaring, racers jockey for positions during the crucial final leg of this heat.

13. ALPHA signs everywhere as the track Day crowd gathers at the starting line.

14. two competitors stand together as they plot their lines for the races.

15. Host James Deakin of c! Magazine provided a running commentary on the races all day long.

16. A racer checks his gear before he takes the wheel.

17. Jovy Hernandez, Norman carcellar, robbie Hermoso, Willy tee ten, and richard cohen holding their trophies triumphantly aloft.

18. Jovy Hernandez and Eric Alberto with winners Jay Gomez, Ed Doctolero, and Dennis Valdez.

19. Luigi Lopa, rene Huergas, and Azrak Michel



E arly one calm morning, executives from both PLDT ALPHA Enterprise

and ePLDT gathered at a building whose unassuming exterior belied enormous ICT capabilities. This is the new VITRO Subic Data Center, sister to the VITRO Data Center in Manila, built to provide data center services and geographically-diverse disaster recovery options. After the site blessing, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour followed.

The day continued at the Subic Bay Yacht Club, where ALPHA guests were treated to a buffet lunch and a sunset cruise on three special ALPHA yachts.

Mr. Eric R. Alberto formally opened the event. “We actively work to remain in the forefront of the telco industry. It is in this spirit that we launch VITRO Data Center in Subic, offering the same high level of data center infrastructure and ICT expertise as its sister in Manila.”

The guests were then treated to a sunset cruise, sailing by Subic’s gorgeous coves and inlets, as finger foods and wine was served.

After a spectacular red-gold sunset on the water, all three ALPHA yachts gathered close together, maneuvering within earshot in a display of impressive seamanship. A raffle was held, with the announcer making sure that he could be heard on board all three ships. Applause erupted on each ship when a winner was picked from their crew.

On cue, a fireworks display exploded into the twilight, sprays of sparks and orbs of fire blooming against the darkening sky. Mr. Jovy Hernandez then gave a seaborne missive, thanking people for their presence. “We brought you VITRO Data Center. We’ve opened up a sea of new possibilities,” he proclaimed, balancing on the foredeck. “Now we will light up the clouds for you!”

PLDT ALPHA Enterprise’s VITRO Subic Data Center begins its journey

The Sun Sets, VITRO Subic Rises

1. Albert Villadolid and Eric Alberto

2. PLDt VP and Head of PLDt ALPHA Enterprise Jovy Hernandez

3. ePLDt President and cEo beth Lui

4. Emmie Avena, Eriene Lao, Sandy roque, Joel Laureola, and Mar Jovero

5. Jovy Hernandez, Eric Alberto, SbMA chairman bobby Garcia, and cesar Enriquez just before boarding their ships for the sunset cruise.



6. Gary Ignacio, PLDt business Solutions category Head for IP and Data center

7. Standing: Ino Mandapat, Anton Lim, and Precy Katigbak Seated: Alvin Palma, Hideshi Yamashita, christopher Dy, and Nikk Encarnacion

8. Alfie Guidote and Antolin Habañe

9. toto Magsuci, teresa cruz, and Larry Delos Santos

10. Ernest Deniega and Jo concepcion

11. Mari Vargas and cesar M. Enriquez

12. Jovy Hernandez and ronan Ignacio

13. Dave Simon, Sonny Danoog, and rolen Paulino

14. Gilbert Jacinto, Joseph De Guzman, rolando Del rosario, and Lawrence Lusung

15. Alwin Palma, Hideshi Yamashita, and Ino Mandapat

16. Vic Vizcocho, Joey Limjap, Pearl Santos, and benjamin Antonio III

17. Ernie Santiago, boy castañeda, and Dennis Ibarra



O n May 15, 2012 more than 150 businessmen from all over the world

met over a breakfast buffet at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, eager to hear New Zealand native John Bessey, Microsoft’s managing director for the Philippines. Presented through the prestigious Asia CEO Forum, Mr. Bessey’s talk about the cloud’s rising importance in IT was part of ALPHA BARKS, the popular summit series among top executives in the country presented by PLDT ALPHA Enterprise.

Bessey explained a growing trend in the world of IT: the intermingling of consumer and corporate tech environments. For the first time in history, the technology available to consumers was significantly more powerful than in the corporate world. With ever-increasing access, people’s lives are changing – online and updated more than ever.

What is driving the immense usability and versatility of these devices, Bessey

pointed out, was the cloud. The cloud is definitely here to stay. Doubters still risk being left behind by early-adopting competitors that are reaping greater cloud efficiencies and cost benefits.

It’s easier than ever to transition to the cloud with offerings like PLDT ALPHA’s AppFarm, which provides enterprise users with Microsoft Productivity Applications like Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync on easy subscription fees – with an OPEX-based usage system and expert-managed, secure cloud technology backing it all.

After a Q&A session where Mr. Bessey fielded inquiries from the audience, PLDT ALPHA Enterprise’s Vic Tria was invited to the stage to facilitate the raffle draw. With deeper understanding of the cloud and its implications for the corporate sector, guests of the ASIA CEO Forum left with more reasons than ever before to put their trust in the cloud.

Microsoft’s John Bessey explains the cloud to top businessmen in the Philippines.

Catching Up With The Cloud

The

cloud is

deFiniTely

here To

sTay.

1. L-r: PLDt’s orvin reyes, Gary Ignacio, Vic tria, John bessey of Microsoft, PLDt’s Precy Katigbak, Marivi Abueg of Microsoft, richard Mills of chalre Associates, and renzo belardo of Microsoft

2. Vic tria of PLDt, and the winner of the brand-new Htc Mozart phone, David rafael of SM Land.

3. L-r: Precy Katigbak of PLDt, Hans Montenegro of Northgate Arinso, Darcy Lalonde of NGA APMEA, and Jay Lagdameo of PLDt.



R ecognizing the central importance of leisure and culture to a well-balanced

lifestyle, PLDT ALPHA Enterprise has entered into an exciting partnership with the Mall of Asia Arena. Besides an enhanced entertainment experience available at the arena, PLDT ALPHA clients and their loved ones can look forward to enjoying top shows and spectacles at any of the three PLDT ALPHA Corporate Suites.

The Mall of Asia Arena has already played host to a number of events staged in unprecedented scale, including concerts by Icons of OPM, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Dayne, several UAAP games, the world-famous Cirque du Soleil, the OMG Awards, and the PLDT All-Star Basketball Challenge featuring NBA greats facing off against Philippine basketball legends. Even more events and spectacles are slated for the future—and all eagerly awaited.

The Mall of Asia Arena is now powered by PLDT— Life is all about balance

The Ultimate Arena1. chot reyes, Dr. raffy bejar, Ito ramirez,

and Manny V. Pangilinan

2. Standing: chaye cabal-revilla, Mayor Strike revilla, and bert Lina; Seated: Geoffrey Go and Atty. Art tugade

3. Levy and tess Laus, Jerry Jara and daughter, and boy castañeda

4. Emy Arcilla, Jay Lagdameo, Vic tria, Dick Perez, Jovy Hernandez, and Mitch Locsin with the NbA All Star Players.

5. rosemarie and romy cambeliza with Precy Katigbak

6. Anton Lim, Jay Lagdameo, Alex revilla, robert trota, Arthur and boy castañeda

7. Mayor tony calixto, Pet ortega, Det, Rafi and Jovy Hernandez, and Hans Sy

8. Mitch Locsin, Jojo and Jocelyn Uligan, bea and raymond Lacdao, and Jay Lagdameo


Business Can Now Stay Open All Day, All Night

Call: 88-ALPHA | www.pldtalpha.com

Look East, young nation. The Asia Submarine-Cable Express (ASE) rises with the sun, the first Philippine-terminating cable to be future proofed with 40 Gbps technology, upgradeable to 100Gbps. It enables and supports the continued rise of the Philippines as a top business location. PLDT’s role in nation-building is affirmed, as a leading investor in telecommunications infrastructure and national development.

ASE is PLDT’s newest active cable system, the country’s only one facing the Pacific. Now, with PLDT, you can turn East or West for unrivaled business continuity. Because business needs to stay open all day, all night.

Rises in A

Eastthe

The Next Standard of VoiceThe time of operators shuffling calls

from one switchboard to another is long gone. Automated switchboards, longer and more resilient cable lines-- these are just a few of the innovations that make voice calls what they are today. Now, voice calling is ready for the next standard.

Globalization has made the world feel like a smaller place. Increasingly, business is done over distributed networks, conducted over multiple locations. A COO in Manila can easily contact her operations manager in Batanes or Cebu without having to rely on satellite uplinks. All she has to do is log into a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service and press call. But this requires faster streaming, clearer connections, and networks that are reliable to a fault no matter where people call.

PLDT, recognizing this need, began to develop a true VoIP solution for the enterprise. PLDT brings the next generation protocol for VoIP calls to the Philippines, the first in the country, with PLDT ALPHA Enterprise SIP Trunks.

Faster, Streamlined NetworkEssentially, SIP Trunks is a system

incorporating SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) into existing protocols like IP PABX (Private Automated Branch Exchange). Simply put, it allows people to make VoIP calls on a faster, more streamlined network, piggybacking on existing VoIP systems. This makes calling over the Internet faster, easier and more secure.

This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, as technology continues to evolve. And every day, businesses search for new

ways to use technology to their advantage. With this in mind, PLDT ALPHA Enterprise partnered with industry leaders Cisco, Alcatel, Avaya, Microsoft and Shoretel to create SIP Trunks solutions, incorporating the best products from these global giants into an all-in-one telephony package. This guarantees supreme audio quality, connective reliability, and an easy way to customize a package to suit an organization’s unique needs.

Keeping ahead of the GameIP telephony is expected to grow

exponentially by 12% over the next six years. This means that keeping one step ahead of the game is not just necessary, but essential.

PLDT ALPHA’s SIP Trunks will serve corporations and their existing

PldT inTroduces siP Trunks

Future Proof, Future

Perfectphone systems, integrating traditional voice calls with IP-PABX using PLDT’s existing robust, wide-ranging data network and infrastructure. This protocol has everything from file sharing to multimedia streaming to multi-location conference calls, all on one system.

SIP can interact with existing IP PABX or the private internal Internet systems many organizations use today. This means SIP can support built-in IP PABX functions like IVR, video, text-to-speech and voice conference calls. It also means that existing IP systems can easily interact and support SIP without having to replace an entire database or reintegrate networks.

Improved Cost EfficienciesSIP Trunks can be easily combined

with existing systems like VOX (Managed IP-PABX), FoIP (Fax over IP), UNO (Unified Communications), On-Call (Contact Center Solution), and SMART Mobile. This smooth integration allows organizations to combine whatever they have on hand with this premier new VoIP system.

PLDT SIP Trunks generates more streamlined infrastructure so that separate lines for voice and data will no longer be necessary, thus eliminating cost and reducing latency by merging data and voice traffic on to a single private IP network. For companies and investors,

this can mean significant savings when it comes to infrastructure investments and future upkeep.

The PLDT SIP Trunk also offers increased scalability, so companies can choose to add or remove voice trunk sessions as they see fit. This mitigates the threat of using too much or too little bandwidth as the company grows—the SIP Trunk grows with the business need.

PLDT’s robust and resilient network allows for wider enterprise reach, creating a virtual domestic presence with better connections no matter where a company is located in the Philippines.


Caught onPageJaPan ambassador VisiTs PldT innoVaTion laboraTory

PLDT executives led by PLDT and SMART President and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno (1st row, 5th from left) recently welcomed His Excellency Toshinao Urabe, the Japan Ambassador to the Philippines (1st row, center) to PLDT’s Innovation Laboratory (Innolab) in Manila. Ambassador Urabe was taken on a tour of the facility which featured various setups of customer solutions in action, and was also presented with PLDT’s network, corporate products, skills development activities and future plans.

PldT alPha enTerPrise Joins seiPi chairman’s golF cuP

PLDT Vice President and Corporate Relationship Management Head Boy Castañeda (rightmost) represented PLDT ALPHA Enterprise during the recent SEIPI Chairman’s Golf Cup of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI). Mr. Castañeda joined other top executives which included (from left) Eaton Ong, President of ILO Land Inc.; Dennis Ibarra, President and Director of Enfinity Philippines Technology Services Inc. (EPTSI); and Alberto Lina, Chairman of Airfreight 2100, Inc. who attended the golf tournament held at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

The SEIPI Chairman’s Golf Cup gathers together the members of SEIPI, the leading and largest organization of foreign and Filipino electronics companies in the Philippines, for a charitable cause. Funds generated from the tournament will be donated to Habitat for Humanity’s programs for the homeless.

PldT alPha enTerPrise, caTs moTors reneW serVice agreemenT

PLDT ALPHA Enterprise continues to provide top-class solutions to CATS Motors, Inc. with the recent renewal of its service agreement. CATS Motors, Inc. will now enjoy bandwidth upgrades on PLDT services such as iGate, IP VPN and DSL, as well as new SMART mobile lines.

CATS Motors, Inc. is the country’s general distributor of Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

sPecialized communicaTions sysTems To imProVe mining, mariTime indusTries

Aiming to improve the transmission of communications specially during critical situations, PLDT has signed an agreement with DelNet International Corporation to jointly develop specialized communications solutions for the oil, gas, mining and maritime industries. These systems will be designed with the particular needs of these industries in mind, able to deal with scenarios such as security, weather disturbances, power outages, isolated locations and other circumstances to ensure continuous connectivity between company headquarters and remote offsite setups.

The partnership of PLDT and DelNet will certainly leverage on both companies’ strengths to deliver niche solutions for these industries for which traditional communications systems are not viable. With DelNet’s valuable expertise in remote/hazardous implementations and PLDT’s powerful, nationwide coverage, companies and their employees are constantly connected and are able to exchange relevant information to quickly act on any scenario.

At the contract signing were (seated from left) Jay Lagdameo, PLDt Vice President and Head of corporate relationship Management; Jovy Hernandez, PLDt Vice President and Head of corporate business Group; Eric Alberto, PLDt Executive Vice President and Head of Enterprise, International & carrier business; Felix Ang, cAtS Motors President; Wilfredo Pe, Jr., cAtS Motors Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer; Emy Arcilla, cAtS Motors Public relations Director; (standing from left) Luigi Lopa, PLDt Vice President; Mary catherine Santos-Arellano, PLDt relationship Manager; Nhing cruz, cAtS Motors Senior It Manager; Ino Mandapat, PLDt corporate relationship business Head; and Jimsey Fernando, PLDt capability Management Specialist.

Joining Ambassador Urabe and Mr. Nazareno are, first row from left: PLDt Vice President and Head of PLDt ALPHA Enterprise and SMArt Enterprise Sales and Marketing Jovy Hernandez, Ntt chief operating Advisor and board of Director Setsuya Kimura, PLDt Executive Vice President and Head of Enterprise, International & carrier business Eric Alberto, Embassy of Japan Minister Akio Isomata, Embassy of Japan Second Secretary Masayuki Harigai and PLDt bto Network team Senior Vice President George N. Lim with PLDt executives.

Also present in the contract signing were (from left) Jelly Perez, PLDt relationship Manager; Atty. Nirmala Vanguardia, UPMc Finance and Administrative Director; and ramiro I. Punzalan, UPMc It Manager.

Photo shows (from left) PLDt VP & PLDt ALPHA Enterprise Head Jovy Hernandez, PLDt EVP and Head of Enterprise, International & carrier business Eric Alberto, DelNet International President & cEo Klaas oreel, DelNet International cFo and coo Peter Salvidar during the formal contract signing held at the PLDT head office in Makati City.

PldT alPha enTerPrise, uPmc seal serVice agreemenT

The partnership of PLDT ALPHA Enterprise and the University Physicians Medical Center (UPMC), represented by PLDT Vice President and Corporate Relationship Management Head Mitch Locsin, and UPMC Medical and Ancillary Director Dr. Jose V. Tecson, III (2nd and 3rd from left, respectively), was sealed recently in a formal contract signing held at the PLDT office. Under the agreement, PLDT ALPHA Enterprise will provide the UPMC with PLDT’s iGate and Managed Router services, as well assist the organization in exploring technology advancement for improvement of customer relations and service delivery.

The UPMC, a private outpatient diagnostic and surgical facility within the UP-PGH Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB), aims to provide an efficient clinic environment for doctors and hassle-free patient-centered services. A one-stop shop health facility, UPMC offers the following services: Ambulatory Surgical Center, Cardiovascular, Industrial and Occupational Health, IV Therapy, Laboratory, Nuclear Medicine, Pharmacy, Physical Rehabilitation Gym and Radiology. The UPMC is operated and managed by the Daniel Mercado Medical Center (DMMC), a Level 4 Tertiary Hospital in Tanauan City, Batangas.


In this section, Hot Joe puts on its tech Forecaster hat and takes a look at the future.

GOING&Coming

Tablet computers have taken the tech world by storm. Everyone wants one of these lightweight, ultra-portable, user-friendly devices – and that includes your kids. But the delicate electronics and glass of tablets don’t take well to childish manhandling, and parents may balk at having to constantly replace broken iPads. Instead, many are opting to give their children their own, kid-friendly tablet computers. Tablets such as LeapFrog’s LeapPad, Fuhu’s Nabi, and VTech’s InnoTab are specially designed with durable, soft-edged bodies that can stand up to a child’s

playfulness without harming small hands, and feature a host of educational applications, picture-books, movie-viewing capabilities, and games. However, childcare and development experts do warn against giving a child access to tablet computers until they are at least two years old. Even then, they recommend carefully supervising the amount of “screentime” children have, lest overexposure to constant beeps and flashes over-stimulate them, degrade their eyesight, destroy their attention span, and limit their ability to interact with real people and the real world.

In 2006, Eben Upton and his colleagues at the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory became concerned about the drop in programming skills among modern children. They attributed this to the lack of cheap, simple computers that people could experiment with, such as the Amiga, BBC Micro, Spectrum ZX and Commodore 64. In response, they developed the Raspberry Pi – an inexpensive, credit-card sized single-board computer - hoping that the low cost of the computer would encourage people to tinker with it. The Raspberry Pi is a capable little PC, which can be used for many of the things that any desktop machine does - like spreadsheets, word-processing, playing high-definition videos, or games. Set-up is simple – you plug a mouse and keyboard into USB ports, and a monitor either through an HDMI or old-style RCA video-out port, and

you’re in business. Enthusiasts have constructed elaborate cases out of Lego for the Raspberry Pi, or used them to teach graphical programming to kids. One hardy little RPi (as their fans have nicknamed them) was even attached to a helium balloon and rigged with a webcam to livestream images from 39,994 meters in the air – high enough to see the curve of the earth. There’s been such demand for the tiny computers that until recently, the Raspberry Pi charitable foundation had to restrict the purchases to one per customer – but they’ve ramped up production and are likely to lift that restriction soon.

Google pulled off one of the most memorable product demos in history when Sergey Brin introduced Google’s Project Glass at Google I/O 2012 by having skydivers deliver prototypes to the room – all while livestreaming the entire event through Google Glass. It was a daring, audacious stunt to promote a daring, audacious concept – Google’s attempt to take wearable computers into the mainstream. According to the New York Times, Project Glass, which can be described as a head-mounted computer, will run on the Android operating system

and have motion sensors, a touchpanel, digital cameras, GPS and either 3G or 4G data connections. Google’s concept videos promise that one day, Google Glass will allow a person to take pictures and video, check their email, make telephone calls and calendar entries, have a constant feed of social media updates and information, and get instant access to real-time navigational aids and maps – all while walking around with nothing more than glasses on.

Tablet Computers - for kids

Google Glass

Raspberry Pithe technologies that are about to make a big splash in your worldCOMING

background PhoTos by markus JenTes


Although Steve Jobs was famously against the use of styluses, often saying: “God gave us 10 styluses – let’s not invent another,” their extra precision and tactile advantages have caused a resurgence in their popularity. The history of the stylus stretches back to the very beginning of human history, when Mesopotamians used reed styluses to carve their cuneiform writing into clay tablets. More recently, simple plastic styluses were used as input devices for things like the Nintendo DS and the Palm Pilot series of PDAs. Nowadays, styluses for tablet computers are typically capacitive, topped with conductive rubber or foam. They are designed to make the same kind of electrical connection that occurs when you

touch a capacitive touchscreen with your finger – which is why you can’t simply use a Popsicle stick on your iPad. Styluses range in shape, weight, and make, and some come with extra functions like an additional ballpoint pen tip, or pressure-sensitivity. They are perfect for fine motor skills like drawing and photo editing, and while Steve Jobs had wondered aloud who would want a stylus, a growing number of enthusiasts seem to be proclaiming that they do. In fact, Apple itself may be joining the crowd: earlier this year, they filed an application with the US Patent & Trademark Office for an optical stylus patent.

Fujitsu recently revealed the latest addition to its popular RakuRaku cellular phones – the first touchscreen smartphone in the line-up. Like the other phones in the RakuRaku (Japanese for “easy” or “comfortable”) line, the new smartphone is specifically designed to be accessible to elderly users. It retains several features from earlier RakuRaku models, including three quick-dial buttons prominently displayed in front, oversized and easy-to-use physical buttons, and a user interface with simplified operations and extra-large text. Fujitsu also worked closely with Google to make sure the phone’s Android operating system was easy to use. For example, the phone ignores touch input that it deems ‘accidental’, because seniors often express difficulty with using a touchscreen. The screen is designed to ‘give’ a little when pressed, mimicking the tactile feedback of a physical button. The phone accepts voice input and can operate while submerged completely underwater. The new RakuRaku smartphone will be launched in August 2012 in Japan, and Fujitsu has said they are considering an international launch as well.

Microsoft recently announced the launch date for their latest OS, Windows 8 – October 26, 2012, almost three years to the day after the launch of Windows 7. The new OS will ship with features such as multiple locking options, a wholly-revamped start screen that leverages on Window’s “live tiles” concept, and enhanced integration with Microsoft’s

search engine, Bing, to deliver live content. Windows 8 is designed to work with either touchscreen or mouse user interfaces, in a nod to the rising popularity of tablet computers. In the words of Tami Reller, Chief Marketing Officer of Windows, “Windows 8 is designed to deliver a no-compromise experience – the potential of a tablet with the power of a PC.”

Styluses

RakuRaku Smartphone

Windows 8

background PhoTos by markus JenTes


With rising concern about the health risks of obesity, governments around the world are taking steps to raise awareness and limit risky behavior. And a major thrust of these programs is typically the drive to curb consumption of sugary drinks such as sodas. Mayor Bloomberg of New York City is taking this a step further by banning the sale of all large-sized sugary drinks, from colas to energy drinks to pre-sweetened iced teas. (The ban would not apply to diet sodas, fruit juice, or alcoholic beverages, nor would it apply to groceries and convenience stores.) “Obesity is a nationwide problem, and all over the United States, public health officials are wringing their hands saying, ‘Oh, this is terrible,’ ” Mr. Bloomberg said in an interview. “New York City is not about wringing your hands; it’s about doing something. I think that’s what the public wants the mayor to do.” Despite a public backlash backed by deep-pocketed soda industry groups, New York City’s Board of Health passed the ban in early September 2012.

Although travel agents have been around since the 19th century, and possibly even earlier, the industry as we know it could disappear entirely within a few years. Forbes reports that the travel agency industry shrunk by 14% over the past five years, with 12,500 jobs made redundant in that time period. Economists have theorized that easy access to sites like Expedia and Orbitz, as well as airlines and hotels being able to sell directly over the Internet, is erasing the demand for these intermediary workers. However, though there are fewer jobs in the traditional field of travel planning, the very sites that are putting them out of business are hiring more and more. And, certain niche tourism industries such as pleasure cruises still rely heavily on travel agents for bookings and package organization.

The popular file-sharing website, Megaupload, and its spin-off sites like Megavideo, Megapix, and Megabox, were shut down in January 2012. The shut-down was almost Hollywood-esque in its dramatic unfolding - company founder Kim Dotcom (born Kim Schmitz in Germany) and his friends and business partners were arrested in a raid on his New Zealand mansion, which included helicopters and New Zealand’s elite counter-terrorist force, the Special Tactics Group. Meanwhile the US Department of Justice was busy seizing all of Megaupload’s domain names and data. The case against Megaupload is complicated and international - cooperation between the US, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Canada, and the Philippines was required. Many questions have been raised as to the legality of various actions taken during the case, including the dramatic raid on Kim Dotcom’s home (which a New Zealand judge later ruled as invalid) and the US Department of Justice’s seizure of Megaupload’s 25 petabytes of data. Still, even if the case is eventually ruled in Megaupload’s favor, it has already been dealt a devastating blow.

Large cola drinks

Travel Agents

Megaupload

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HITSleeper

F axes are a deceptively powerful technology. They’ve been around longer than most people think,

and they continue to be relevant today. Faxes (from the Latin fac simile, “to make alike”) have been around since 1846, when a Scottish inventor named Alexander Bain worked on developing chemical mechanical fax type devices. Faxed signatures as proof of ownership or veracity have been accepted as far back as 1888, and they have enjoyed widespread use on board ships and aircraft as ways to receive charts and maps since the 1920s.

Nowadays, some people might think faxes are outdated technology, supplanted by more instant communications like emails and cellphones. But those in an enterprise environment know better; they are in a position to appreciate the unique values and capabilities of faxes. Unlike emails, faxes are not subject to interception or tampering. Faxed signatures, unlike electronic signatures, are legally binding, and faxes comply with regulatory requirements for documentation and security.

With PLDT FoIP (Fax over Internet Protocol), corporations can have the best of both worlds – the security of faxes with the convenience and speed of email. PLDT’s FoIP solution is designed for enterprise-grade documentation and communication requirements. It offers clients a simple, user-friendly way to

manage your fax communications with multiple digitalized, automated options. A fax server sits on your network, with special software that manages inbound and outbound faxes for all users and applications on the network. Users access the fax server using client software at their own computer. Organizations can leverage their existing fax infrastructure into an integrated communications network, turning it into a centralized, paperless network resource.

With the expertise of PLDT and its partner RightFax, the #1 Enterprise Fax Server vendor in the world with over 20 years of experience in the field, clients can enjoy a host of savings and increased efficiencies.

Saving a rainforest every weekThe service has been proven to

reduce paper delivery costs by as much as 90%, and lessen wear-and-tear on standalone fax machines. Consolidated resources require less maintenance – all of these factors lead to a reduced carbon footprint.

RightFax Fax Servers are capable of a broad range of integrations with today’s leading global vendors, boasting certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, SAP, Oracle, Lotus and more. PLDT FoIP works with existing multi-function printers, copiers, and IT infrastructures, enjoying seamless interoperability with

PLDT FoIP’s custom-built integrations. It’s possible to send documents from virtually any application with several delivery options: e-mail, encrypted PDF, or to an MFP device.

Faxes are still valuable due in large part to its security and stability as a communications medium. PLDT FoIP is a highly secure platform for the private and legal exchange of documents and information. Tamper-resistant document delivery, centralized hubs, extensive tracking, auditing, and reporting functionalities, and encrypted and certified delivery options all add up to a powerful tool for achieving the complete documentation necessary for high-level regulatory compliance.

PLDT FoIP brings faxing into the modern age with advanced routing features that deliver faxes to and from network users, groups, folders, MFPs, and business applications without delays. Faster, easier communications translate into a more productive workforce. PLDT FoIP also offers a wide range of Business Continuity Planning options including virtualization support, automatic SQL Server failover, traditional Microsoft clustering, and PLDT’s highly scalable Shared Services Module.

With all the power and functionality of FoIP, it’s plain to see: faxing is still very much alive and kicking.

FaXINGPldT FoiP marries old-school Fax securiTy To modern-day

sPeed and eFFiciency.

In the 21st Century


A server purchased in 2011 has, on average,

computing capacity than a similarly configured server installed in 2001.

There are about

data centers in the world, covering a combined total area of 285, 831, 541 square feet – about 5, 995 football fields, or 93% of Makati’s total area.

There is a data center called the

located deep inside the Ozark mountain range in the United States. The whole facility is built directly into the side of a dolomite mountain.

The Barcelona Supercomputer Center (Centro Nacional de Supercomputación) is located inside a chapel. It has often been called the world’s

has built sleeping pods into a data center that will help drive the Olympics. They are very determined that the data center maintain optimum up-time during the sure-to-be hectic Summer Games.

According to the new Uptime Institute’s 2012 Data Center Industry Survey, nearly one third (30 percent) of respondents said their companies will run out of capacity in at least one of their sites this calendar year. Among Asian respondents, 86 percent said they’d built a site “recently” but 35 percent said they are running into capacity constraints in their existing sites.

Google’s Georgia data center cools itself with recycled water. “When the residents of the county take showers and flush their toilets, they’re helping to cool our data center,” Joe Kava, the man who runs Google’s data center operations and construction team, said.

What’s the difference between server farms and data centers? A server farm is equipment, usually located within data centers. A server farm or server cluster is a collection of computer servers, built to accomplish server needs which are beyond the capability of one machine. They are usually mounted in 19-inch racks in data centers or server rooms.

Facebook spent

on servers, storage, network gear and data centers in 2011, and expects to spend another $500 million in 2012.

In 2009, Google filed a patent for what it calls a

where the data centers would be located onboard ships. The media immediately dubbed it "Google’s Data Center Navy". The water-cooled and wave-powered data centers are ideally meant for deployment to emergency-stricken areas where communication and data systems are critically important, but existing infrastructure is not sufficient.

Early computer systems were expensive and complex, and required a special secure environment in which to operate. These early computer rooms are the precursor to modern-day data centers.

45 times more

$606 million

Mountain Complex

London’s Interxion

most beautiful data center.509, 147

"water based data center,"

54 octobEr 2012

To PuT iT inTo PersPecTiVe

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Sextillion

Quintillion

Quadrillion

Trillion

Billion

Million

Thousand

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Zeta

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Mega

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1, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000

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a standard magnetic

stripe card can store

one kilobit of data.

a typical english book

volume in plain text

format (500 pages, 2000

characters per page)

can be stored in

1 MB of data.

seven minutes of hdTV

video is approximately

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google processes about

of data per day.

24 petabytes

according to an idc

paper sponsored by

emc corporation,

of data were created in

2006, “3 million times the

amount of information

contained in all the books

ever written.”

161 exabytes 1 zettabyte is equal to

terabytes.

1 billion

as of 2012, no storage

system or network has

achieved even one

thousandth of a

of information.

yottabyte

one terabyte of audio

recorded at cd quality

will contain around

of audio.

2,000 hours

1, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000

1, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000

1, 000, 000, 000, 000

1, 000, 000, 000

1, 000, 000

Prefix multipliers are used to denote the quantity of something. in the telecom industry, they are most often used to denote how many bits or bytes can be stored or sent. here’s a handy little guide to commonly-used prefix multipliers:


as we launched VITRO Cebu, the 3rd PLDT data center dedicated to

enterprise, I thank the local community and municipal government for fostering the right conditions and atmosphere to build such a facility in their fine city.

If you are a long-term optimist, you would believe those optimum conditions will be increasingly prevalent throughout the country. I had cited Cebu’s consistent and ef-fective good governance, competitive skilled labor pools, and the availability of global-class “always-on” infrastructure, among oth-ers. As long as these conditions are similarly available in other promising locales, they will positively influence our decision to make considerable investments there.

In fact PLDT is an optimist and we do believe, with tempered realism, that we are well on our way to becoming, as I had put it in Cebu, “the next enduring Asian power-house economy.” Why else do we continue to lead the way in our unmatched capital investments in ICT?

Whenever we invest in a city, province, or region, it is a reaffirmation of our com-

pany’s total commitment to do our fair share in nation building. This commitment extends to our many advocacies, which all have a common overriding mission in uplifting this country and its people.

One such advocacy partnership worth citing is Go-Negosyo, founded by our friend Joey Concepcion. It is an advocacy in entre-preneurship to push the country forward. Its slogan “Pilipinas, now is our time” rallies be-hind a fresh mandate of confidence and re-newed interest for business and investments in the Philippines as well as our collective ability to harness such revitalized confidence to secure our place in the global league of progressive and developed economies.

What we are seeing now are the expo-nential benefits with each new PLDT invest-ment, complementing and strengthening the entire network. As PLDT optimism con-tinues, and investments render our network even more robust, redundant and reliable, it does feel like business can indeed be “always-on”. If this is not yet an absolute fact, then it is a standard we will always doggedly pursue.

LastSay

always open for

Business

Eric AlbertoEVP and Head of Enterprise and International & carrier businessPLDt / SMArt

58 octobEr 2012

HJ 12 Interactive

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