Can Sony's Dongle Take Down Google's Chromecast?

In August, Sony announced a tentative deal with Viacom to stream its content, which could give it a major advantage in the Internet TV market. Now, Sony is readying to launch its own Google Chromecast-like dongle.
Entertainment-industry magazine Variety broke the news about Sony's plans to debut a Bravia Smart Stick this week. They describe it as a plug-in adapter for Sony's current-generation HD televisions, based on Google TV software Relevant Products/Services for running interactive TV apps.

There's a vast gulf between pricing strategies. Google is making its Chromecast available for just $35, while Sony's Bravia Smart Stick is reportedly priced at $150. But Variety says Sony will offer more content apps, including access to Amazon Relevant Products/Services Video, Wal-Mart's Vudu, Redbox Instant by Verizon, AOL On, and its own Crackle and Video Unlimited. Chromecast works with Netflix, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Google Play Music. Google has also promised more apps like Pandora are coming soon.

Comparing Dongles

We caught up with Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research, to get his take on the new Sony dongle. Like the Chromecast, he told us, the Smart Stick should help bring an array of broadband video to the television, in this case, Sony's TVs.

"Like the Roku stick, the Sony stick is based on a standard called MHL (Mobile Hi-Definition Link)," Rubin said. "This means it doesn't need an extra cable to draw power Relevant Products/Services. However, it works with a limited set of TVs. In this case, it may work only Sony TVs."

As Rubin sees it, the Bravia Smart Stick should offer a greater variety of services and apps than the Chromecast, but the Chromecast has resonated by attacking a few popular services at an aggressive price.

"It's not so much what it does, which can be achieved with a variety of products, but how it does it," he said. "The Sony stick is more of a size reduction of what Sony has already done with its Google TV devices, but shows the potential of getting a broadband TV option into a small package."

The Viacom Factor

Google has been focusing on Chromecast's lower price as well as its competitive differentiator: Unlike other streaming solutions, you can still multitask. In other words, you can still send emails or surf the web while you watch the content streaming to your TV. It's not clear if the Bravia Smart Stick will offer this option.

If Sony's deal with Viacom goes through, it would be a major score against Google. Viacom is behind many popular cable channels, from MTV and Nickelodeon to Comedy Central, BET and more. These and other channels would appear on an Internet TV service Sony is reportedly developing.

No matter who wins, the Internet TV battle could have a profound impact on cable TV providers. According to research from The Diffusion Group, about 7 percent of pay TV subscribers are likely to cancel their subscription services in the next six months. Of those who had connected their TVs to the Internet, nearly 9 percent said they were highly likely to cut the cord. That compares with 3.5 percent of those who had not connected their televisions to the Internet.

Broadband's Role Moves up in Post-2015 Sustainable Development

The Broadband Commission for Digital Development, a joint initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO, has issued a new report looking at several aspects of broadband and its positive effects on people, environment and society. The task force which delivered the report was led by Hans Vestberg, President and CEO of Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC).

The report, entitled: "Transformative Solutions for 2015 and Beyond: the report of the Broadband Commission Task force on Sustainable Development" analyzes national broadband plans for 138 countries and identifies best government practices, urges governments to act now and to include broadband in their national development agenda. It also makes a number of supporting recommendations.

The report is to be recognized by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Hans Vestberg says: "As the post-2015 sustainable development agenda process evolved, we felt an urgent need to see action. We see so many opportunities for broadband to transform all aspects of society. Technology evolves faster than policy, and we wanted to make a concerted effort to do everything we could to raise awareness of the potential."

Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary General of the ITU, says: "Through this work the Broadband Commission would like to encourage the international community to recognize the need for transformative solutions in the post-2015 development agenda; and this report makes the case. The report presents for the first time new research showing how countries around the world use their national broadband plans as key policy instruments to leverage the full potential of broadband as an enabling infrastructure to accelerate sustainable development; yet there are also many missed opportunities, not least within poverty reduction and food security."

Among the ten recommendations are "make broadband affordable for all," and "deploy national development policies and plans to actively drive cross-sector integration of economic and social outcomes deliverable and scalable through ICT and broadband."

Best practices are highlighted from five countries - Japan, Mexico, the Philippines Rwanda, and Sweden -- that have successfully integrated a wide range of development goals into their national broadband plans. The task force credits a spirit of collaborating across all sectors of governments and including the private sector to realize shared aims.

UN report shows poor PH broadband adoption

Despite being the “call center capital of the world” and a social networking hotspot, the Philippines fared rather poorly in the broadband report issued by the United Nations on Saturday, Sept. 21.



In the 2013 edition of the State of Broadband Report by the UN’s Broadband Commission for Digital Development, the Philippines ranked 110th in fixed broadband penetration worldwide.

For mobile broadband adoption, the Philippines placed even a notch lower at 111st, just ahead of African nations Senegal, Malawi, and Rwanda.

In the area of “percentage of households with Internet among developing countries”, the Philippines performed better at 56th place.

But, in terms of “percentage of individuals using the Internet,” the country was at dismal 100th position. Among developing countries, however, the country claimed the 54th spot.

The report nonetheless noted the country’s national digital strategy that was launched in 2011.


Fixed broadband penetration, worldwide, per 100 inhabitants, 2012

Mobile broadband penetration, worldwide, per 100 inhabitants, 2012

Percentage of households with Internet, developing countries, 2012

Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, worldwide, 2012

Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, developing countries, 2012
Overall, the report revealed that mobile broadband subscriptions, which allow users to access the Web via smartphones, tablets and WiFi-connected laptops, are growing at a rate of 30 percent per year.

By the end of 2013 there will be more than three times as many mobile broadband connections as there are conventional fixed broadband subscriptions, it said.

South Korea continues to have the world’s highest household broadband penetration at over 97 percent. Switzerland leads the world in fixed broadband subscriptions per capita, at over 40 percent.

By comparison, the US ranks 24th in terms of household broadband penetration, and 20th in the world for fixed broadband subscriptions per capita, just behind Finland and ahead of Japan.

In terms of Internet use, there are now more than 70 countries where over 50 percent of the population is online. The top ten countries for Internet use are all located in Europe, with the exception of New Zealand (8th) and Qatar (10th).

“While more and more people are coming online, over 90 percent of people in the world’s 49 Least Developed Countries remain totally unconnected. Internet – and particularly broadband Internet – has become a key tool for social and economic development, and needs to be prioritized, even in the world’s poorest nations,” said ITU secretary-general Hamadoun I. Touré.

Sony Smart Stick announced, Google TV in a Chromecast form factor for the Bravia line

Google's own Chromecast will not be the death of Google TV as many have previously hinted. Instead, the platform has gotten its own small MHL plug-in device in the form of the Sony Smart Stick, a device that has finally been announced following last weekend's short preview taken down by Sony.

The stick effectively adds Google TV functionality to Sony's line of Bravia televisions, and that's it. You won't be able to hook it up to every MHL or HDMI-touting television on the market - just Sony's 2013 line of televisions. It doesn't create an overlay on top of the existing Bravia software, either, but instead integrates "seamlessly with Sony’s own BRAVIA apps and navigation to deliver an amazing connected TV viewing experience.”

The Smart Stick offers YouTube, app access through Google Play, including Amazon Video and Vudu in the US, Google search for results from cable/satellite providers, and it links to a home network wirelessly, as you've come to expect with Google TV.

As for hardware specifics, the Smart Stick packs 8GB of on-board storage, an MHL port for connection, an optional HDMI port, and a USB port for power. Like the Chromecast, you aren't able to just go the MHL route - you'll also need to connect with USB to keep the Smart Stick running. The remote is larger than the Smart Stick itself, which even features a microphone to search content, apps, and the web.

It doesn't really do the same kind of thing as Chromecast, being more of an Apple TV or Roku box competitor and considerably more expensive, but its form factor could appeal to many who would prefer to hide their kit away. The Smart Stick is available now at Sony Stores and retailers in the US for $149.

Nazareno nominated as CEO of the year

SMART Communications, Inc. president and chief executive officer Napoleon Nazareno has been nominated as CEO of the Year at the World Communication Awards (WCA) 2013, an annual awards program that recognizes excellence among telco players around the world.

Nazareno, a Cebuano, was shortlisted for the award following a poll of readers of Total Telecom, the London-based industry publication that organizes the WCA. Eleven other CEOs were nominated for the recognition, including AT&T’s Randall Stephenson and Vodafone’s Vittorio Colao.

The winner will be determined by a public vote and will be announced at a ceremony in London on Dec. 3.

Nazareno, who is also the president and CEO of PLDT, led the P67.1-billion network transformation program that enabled Smart to handle increasingly large volumes of voice, text messaging and mobile broadband services. “Smart finished super-charging
its network ahead of schedule, in mid-2012,” the company said.

With Nazareno at the helm, Smart launched in August 2012 the first commercially available Long Term Evolution (LTE) service in the Philippines, which is also one of the first in Asia. Under his leadership, the PLDT group, of which Smart is a member, has laid down more than 54,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable which link up the entire country.

Nazareno’s achievements have been recognized by several award-giving bodies, including the Telecom Asia Awards which named him Telecom CEO of the Year in 2012.

Tattoo twice triumphant at the 2013 Stevie Awards

TATTOO made a significant mark in the global business scene as it captured notable distinctions at the 2013 International Business Awards (IBAs), which honors achievements and positive contributions of organizations and individuals worldwide.

Known as the “Stevies - the business world's own Oscar Awards,” the broadband brand of Globe Telecom won prestigious citations for “Marketing Campaign of the Year by a Telecommunications Company” as well as for “Best Public Relations Live Event,” making them among the world’s best achievements in the field of business last year.

Tattoo shone among the brightest in the IBAs with a Gold Stevie for its “Marked for Greatness” campaign set in motion in the first quarter of 2012, which dared the Filipino youth to take a stand and rise above mediocrity, choose authenticity and individuality, and pursue greatness toward becoming agents of positive change. This enabled the Globe broadband brand to differentiate itself from the frivolous imagery of its competitors, reaching out to its market by tapping Filipino personalities as ambassadors who are achievers in their own right and personify the local youth’s stories of struggles, resolve and success.

Using effective channels of communication to deliver its message and sustain target audience interest hinged on the broadband service’s functional attributes such as speed and reliability, personalization and accessibility through various best-value offers, the success of the campaign manifested in Tattoo’s brisk business in terms of subscriber acquisition and revenues, as well as high brand equity index and increase in key brand attributes.

Likewise, Tattoo minted a Silver Stevie for a live event under the Best Public Relations category for the 2012 staging of the Tatt Awards, the first and only social media awards program in the Philippines that recognizes youth standouts on the Web who embody the Tattoo imprint of individuality and greatness, inspiring them to access the Internet to influence their peers. With the theme, “Digital Rockstars, Raddest of ‘em all,” the show unveiled the brand’s new ambassadors who best used social media to spark change through social causes and online voice influence.

In terms of result generation, the 2012 Tatt Awards posted significant rise in key performance indicators versus that of the preceding year’s event: increase in unique page visitors, average duration on the site, unique nominations, total votes and mentions on social networking sites.

Tattoo’s “Marked for Greatness” campaign and the “2012 Tatt Awards” competed alongside more than 3,000 submissions from 50 countries worldwide that went through two months of rigorous preliminary judging and another two weeks of final reckoning. Both entries received high average scores to merit the Gold and Silver recognition.

According to the award-giving body, there were only five winners from Manila, with Globe being the only Philippine telecommunications company in the list.

“Its outstanding performance in the International Business Awards is a manifestation that Tattoo ranks among the best brands in the world. With our game-changing offers and innovative campaigns earning the nod of some of the world-renowned business professionals, Tattoo endeavors to assume a global perspective in terms of its business purview from here on,” said Globe head of Consumer Broadband Business Gilbert Simpao.

The two awards for Tattoo comprise half of the total haul for Globe in this year’s IBAs, which include another Gold Stevie for GCASH American Express Virtual Pay launch campaign for easy and secure online shopping under the New Product or Service Introduction of the Year, as well as a Bronze Stevie for the Globe My Fair Share Program for Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Company executives will officially receive the recognitions in a formal gala banquet on October 14 at the W Hotel in Barcelona, Spain.

Tattoo brings LTE technology to households

Globe Telecom expands its Long Term Evolution (LTE) footprint as Tattoo Home Broadband, its home broadband brand, brings the latest internet technology to households, allowing subscribers to surf the internet at ultrafast speeds within the comfort of their homes, effectively bringing the telco’s LTE coverage of close to 1,000 sites nationwide, matching the LTE coverage of competition.

With home broadband LTE, households will now have access to high-speed internet ideal for watching high-definition videos, downloading and uploading large files, seamless video and music streaming, and voice-over-internet-protocol or VOIP calling with clear quality. This LTE service is backed by the largest 4G network in the country deployed by Globe.

Head of Tattoo Home Broadband Jurist Gamban said, “Tattoo Home Broadband once again leads the industry as the first to offer the most advanced wireless broadband technology that is LTE for the home broadband market. With this latest offering, we are able to reach more households around the country who initially did not have access to high-speed broadband. Now with the power of our largest 4G network, we can bring great value broadband services powered by the latest technologies to more people.”

Using the fastest broadband technologies, Filipino families now have access to blazing internet speeds that are easy on the pocket. Unlimited broadband bundles with free calls to Globe and TM may be availed of starting at Plan 1099 at 1 Mbps, Plan 1299 at 2 Mbps, Plan 1599 at 3 Mbps, Plan 2299 at 5 Mbps, Plan 3999 at 10 Mbps and Plan 4999 at 15 Mbps. Meanwhile, internet-only plans that connect at 3 and 5 Mbps are available at Plan 999 and 1999 respectively, both with unlimited web access.

This development comes at the heels of Tattoo’s enhanced Home Broadband bundles early this year. All bundles come with high-speed Internet, free landline, and free unlimited landline to mobile (Globe and TM) calls. Touted as the “biggest deal in home broadband,” the unlimited calls feature is also available on the Tattoo Home Broadband LTE Plans.

For information, call 730-1010 or visit  tattoo.globe.com.ph.

How Mr. C & family stay connected via Fibr

Maestro Ryan Cayabyab is the embodiment of what it means to succeed at doing something you love. His work is prolific—ranging from ballets to pop, and being performed everywhere from theater to television and film. He is, without a doubt, one of the most respected, and perhaps also the best-loved, figures in the Philippine music industry.

These days, Mr. C owns and operates his own music school, The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab, aside from juggling many other engagements in performing, arranging or creating music.

In fact, the rest of the Cayabyab family is involved in this endeavor. His wife, Emmy (Mrs. C), manages the school, while their two children, Krina and Toma, are involved in some of the school’s projects.

With so much going on day in and day out, how exactly does the Cayabyab family stay connected? “Sometimes when my wife has to write official notes related to the school, she sends us all emails, even when we are just beside each other,” shares Mr. C. “Connecting with the kids is easy—mobile is usually best, but I am also able to communicate with them through Twitter.”

Like most households, the Cayabyabs need a strong internet provider to meet their connectivity needs.“We use the internet mostly for communication, but sometimes also for entertainment—we do send and receive videos, share a lot of photos and music. The kids use the internet with abandon.” says Mr. C. For this, the Cayabyab family turned to the best: PLDT HOME’s Fibr, the most advanced and most powerful broadband service in the country.

Fibr is named after the fiber-optic lines used by PLDT to connect each home to the internet. Unlike ordinary cable internet providers where several households need to share the same connection, Fibr devotes a specific line for each subscriber, making it the fastest and most stable internet connection ever.

Entertainment ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1


Aside from offering speeds that can go up to 100Mbps, Fibr also allows subscribers to stream movies on-demand via Clickplay where more than 200 titles are thrown in for the clients’ enjoyment. Clickplay offers the easiest access, as easy as 1-2-3.

You can enjoy movies on-demand via your PC, laptop and tablet by first registering at clickplay.ph to secure your username and password and second, logging on to clickplay.ph to start viewing through your gadget. You can also watch the movie from your TV screen by connecting your laptop using an HDMI cable.

Fibr clients are also able to access Cignal Digital TV channels using the same connection. The good news is that Fibr can offer packages that best suit your lifestyle.

Mr. C has become an instant fan. “I mostly do work online, I have not done gaming or started watching movies online but because of Fibr, I just might start right now,” he said with a grin.

TPG has a good year

TPG is getting closer to the billion dollar revenue figure, showing a healthy increase in all key financial metrics in its annual results.
Revenue is up 9% to $724.5 million, and the all important EBITDA, (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) is $293.1 million, up by 12% from the previous year. Net profit after tax was  $149.2 million, up 64%, although the prior year’s result was adversely affected by a $23.2 million one-off tax expense which arose from a retrospective tax legislation change.

“Excluding the impact of this from the prior year numbers, the result still represents a 31% increase in profit, and also in earnings per share which grew to 18.8 cents for the year,” said TPG Executive Chairman David Teoh.

The best growth came from TPG’s consumer division – revenue grew from $412 .7 million to $480.3 million, which makes it now twice the size of TPG’s corporate division. TPG grew its consumer broadband subscriber base by 76,000 last year to 671,000.

This compares to a growth of  47,000 in the previous year. It comprised a net increase of 130,000 subscribers to TPG’s home phone and broadband bundle plans, partially offset by the reduction in standalone on-net (40,000) and off-net (14,000) subscribers. TPG’s mobile phone subscriber base increased by 105,000 in the last year, compared to 54,000 in the previous year. TPG now has 360,000 mobile phone subscribers.

TPG’s corporate division saw revenues decline marginally, from $250.4 million to $244.3 million. But it achieved EBITDA of $110.3 million, similar to the previous year. Teoh said this earnings growth has been achieved “in a highly competitive environment in corporate, government and wholesale sales, and is largely attributable to improved margins resulting from the Group’s previous and ongoing fibre network investment.”

That investment is substantial, though overall capital expenditure fell by 10% to $58.3 million for the year. Nevertheless, TPG’s domestic fibre network footprint grew by over 800 km in the year to greater than 3,800 km, with more than 300 additional buildings becoming directly connected to the network, withl on-net buildings now exceeding 1,600.

International fibre infrastructure includes TPG’s own submarine cable (“PPC-1”) linking Australia to Guam, as well as capacity on other cable networks linking Australia directly with New Zealand, USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Philippines.

In August 2013 TPG confirmed its intention to acquire capacity on the Australia-US and Australia-NZ segments of the planned Hawaiki submarine cable, which Teoh said will provide a significant addition to the capacity and diversity of the TPG’s international network. The expected capital expenditure in relation to this project is US$10-20 million for each of the next three financial years prior to the cable’s expected activation in 2016.

A significant addition to TPG’s network infrastructure during the year was its purchase at the digital dividend auction of 20 MHz of spectrum licences in the 2.5 GHz band. “The acquisition of spectrum will complement TPG’s fixed infrastructure, giving us opportunities to offer value-added products to further enhance our existing product suite,” said Teoh. The spectrum will only become available for use from October 2014, with the $13.5 million purchase price payable in September 2014.

Firetide 5 GHz mesh network used for traffic management

Firetide deployed an intriguing private wireless broadband network using its mesh technology in Makati City, Philippines, which is using the network for its new traffic management center.

The system uses unlicensed 5 GHz spectrum to deliver real-time, high-definition video monitoring of major intersections in the city's central business district. Firetide, based in Campbell, Calif., said its Automesh technology was selected to deliver edge-of-network support to the cameras while simultaneously providing reliable wireless backhaul.

A total of 115 HD cameras were deployed, requiring a minimum of 30 Mbps bandwidth for non-MIMO (multiple input/multiple output) links, and 150 Mbps bandwidth for MIMO links for the mesh radios. The deployment encompasses two zones: Zone 1 covers 10 intersections comprising a total of 47 cameras and 14 Firetide mesh nodes with 11 wireless hops, while Zone 2 covers 15 intersections and comprises a total of 68 cameras and 22 Firetide mesh nodes with 19 wireless hops.

"The primary function of the new traffic monitoring system is to alleviate traffic congestion, document traffic law violations, and detect criminal acts. But the advanced wireless network that underpins this system can deliver other important benefits for the city. For example, during the recent typhoon Maring and monsoon rains, we were able to better monitor the flooded areas of the city and make decisions to evacuate residents and save lives," said Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay Jr.

NEOTION adds CONAX Professional CAM to its products range

NEOTION, the French high-tech company specialized in the design and manufacturing of DVB-CI and CI Plus Conditional Access Modules intended for Pay-TV operators enlarges its current Conax portfolio with new Professional CAMs dedicated to the IRD Pro.

The DVB-CI Conax Pro CAM from Neotion is able in its generic version to descramble several services simultaneously targeting the professional equipments set in collective installations such as residential buildings, hospitals or hostels, enlarging in the same way the panel of the Distribution on the CAM market.

NEOTION is providing its Conax Pro CAM in different packages: up to "x" services, "x" corresponding to the number of services simultaneously descrambled according to the Operator network signalization (video, audio and subtitle PID allocation) and in compliance with Conax high security requirements. The module could be limited up to 4 or 2 services for example, with the suitable price of course!

The NEOTION Pro CAM range is labeled in a large number of worldwide professional equipments. With a day-to-day cooperation with IRD manufacturers, NEOTION really confirms a recognized know-how in this domain on the market today.

"By completing its Conax CAM range with a module dedicated to the professional market, Neotion confirms once again its trusted partnership with Conax for now and the coming years." said Herve BOTREL, VP Product at Neotion.

"We are pleased to support the cooperation with our valued partner Neotion who now makes available their Professional CAM for headend equipment to Conax customers, " Hans Kwaaitaal, VP Partner Strategy, Conax."

About Conax

Conax provides future-oriented security solutions and expertise that empower multi-screen and digital TV content providers around the globe to deliver premium content over the combined Over-The-Top scenario of broadcast, broadband and connected devices, through secure DRM.

Bundling 25 years of pioneering content security experience, the Conax Contego(TM) portfolio of multiscreen solutions provides operators with a competitive advantage, highly secure solutions, flexibility, reduced hardware costs, easy deployment and upgrade. Through its benchmark policy for security-evaluated client devices and strategic partner network, Conax technology secures content for operators representing 125 million pay TV consumers in over 85 countries around the globe. ISO 9001 & 27001 certified, Conax is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and represented in Russia, Germany, Brazil, USA, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, China, Singapore, with 24/7 Global Support operations in India. Conax is part of Telenor Group who has operations in 11 markets, 33.000 employees, 148 million mobile subscriptions and is among the world's largest mobile operators.

Smart adopts Ericsson technology to improve wireless coverage, quality

Smart Communications Inc has deployed a technology that would improve the quality of coverage and access as the use of mobile data continues to increase across the network.

In a statement, Smart said it has deployed the Antenna-Integrated Radio (AIR) solution, making the telco the first in Southeast Asia to adopt the technology from Ericsson.

The advanced AIR solution ensures efficient and smooth introduction of elements of GSM, 3G/WCDMA and fourth-generation (4G) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technologies into Smart’s existing networks, by simplifying and reducing installation lead times while increasing coverage.

With the solution in place, Smart’s wireless network allows subscribers to keep abreast with the rest of the world in a more efficient and timely manner.

Rolando G. Peña, head of technology at Smart and parent Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co (PLDT), said deployment of the AIR solution once again puts Smart ahead of its peers in the region.

"We expect the vast improvement in coverage and swiftness of installation times to greatly benefit our subscribers, especially as we see increasing usage of mobile Internet in our network," he said.

PLDT said mobile Internet usage continues to grow strongly among mobile subscribers of its wireless brands Smart and Sun Cellular, with mobile Internet revenues increasing by 49 percent year-on-year at end-June.

The increasing use of mobile data is the result of PLDT’s network upgrade, the telco said, citing it network at least 9,835 cell sites, 15,116 cellular/mobile broadband base stations, and 2,898 fixed wireless broadband-enabled base stations, supported by over 71,000 kilometers of fiber optic cabling, serving over 73.4 million subscribers.

“Network solutions like AIR allow our already supercharged infrastructure to become even more future-proof, and able to serve the demands of present and more advanced technologies, such as LTE-Advanced,” said Peña.

With at least 1,000 LTE sites across almost 180 cities and municipalities including the entire Metro Manila, Smart recently tested LTE-Advanced.

Deployed by operators in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and in South America, LTE-Advanced is a next-generation mobile broadband technology that can deliver data rates in excess of 200-700 megabits per second (mbps), based on trials done in Metro Manila and Davao City.

According to is Peña, “the successful trials prove the readiness of the Smart network for the most advanced technologies, and the AIR solution can only serve to further strengthen this network.”

To date, Ericsson has commercially deployed the AIR solution for both Smart’s GSM and LTE networks, with tests showing an improvement of as much as 73 percent in 3G coverage when using AIR.

Ericsson’s AIR has fewer units and fewer interconnections compared to traditional site solutions, allowing a new standard or a new frequency band to be introduced easily.

Elie Hanna, president and country manager for Ericsson Philippines and Pacific Islands, said the market is experiencing a tremendous take off in mobile broadband and user expectations for speed and coverage are increasing the demands placed on networks.

“In order to cope with future capacity demands, Ericsson has a clearly defined small cell strategy that the AIR architecture is part of. When comparing 3G AIR with traditional 3G Radio Base Stations, there is a marked improvement in 3G coverage when using AIR. In addition, AIR simplifies and reduces installation lead times," Hanna added.

The innovative integration of the antenna unit into the radio unit is the first of its kind in the global telecommunications industry. Compact design and a multi-standard solution ensure the highly efficient and smooth introduction of new technologies in both 3G and 4G. A new standard or a new frequency band can easily be introduced by simply adding AIR and swapping the existing antenna.

Smart deploys wireless antenna solution

Smart Communications Inc. deployed a wireless technology solution that will enhance the quality of service, a company executive said over the weekend.

Rolando Peña, Smart’s head of technology, said the Antenna-Integrated Radio  solution would ensure the efficient introduction of elements of GSM, 3G/WCDMA and fourth generation Long Term Evolution technologies into Smart’s existing networks by simplifying and reducing installation lead times while increasing coverage.

“The deployment of the AIR solution once again puts Smart ahead of its peers in the region. We expect the vast improvement in coverage and swiftness of installation times to greatly benefit our subscribers, especially as we see increasing usage of mobile Internet in our network,” he said.

Smart was the first operator in Southeast Asia to deploy the solution amid the continued rise in the use of mobile data across the network, Peña said.

Smart’s parent company, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., earlier said  mobile Internet usage had grown strongly among the mobile subscribers of its wireless brands Smart and Sun Cellular, while PLDT’s mobile Internet revenues increased 49 percent on year in the first half.

PLDT has rolled out on-time network transformation initiatives to address the increasing demand for mobile data. Its network has now more than 9,835 cell sites, 15,116 cellular/mobile broadband base stations and 2,898 fixed wireless broadband-enabled base stations, supported by over 71,000 kilometers of fiber optic cabling, serving over 73.4 million subscribers.

“Network solutions like AIR allow our already supercharged infrastructure to become even more future-proof, and able to serve the demands of present and more advanced technologies, such as LTE-Advanced,” Peña said.

Smart also tested LTE-Advanced, which is deployed by operators in South Korea, the United Kingdom and other operators in South America, in Metro Manila and Davao.

Peña said LTE-A is a next-generation mobile broadband technology which can deliver data rates in excess of 200 megabits per second and up to a possible 700 mbps.

“The successful trials prove the readiness of the Smart network for the most advanced technologies, and the AIR solution can only serve to further strengthen this network,” he said.

Ericsson has commercially deployed the AIR solution for both Smart’s GSM and LTE networks.

“The market is experiencing a tremendous takeoff in mobile broadband and user expectations for speed and coverage are increasing the demands placed on networks. In order to cope with future capacity demands, Ericsson has a clearly defined small cell strategy that the AIR architecture is part of. When comparing 3G AIR with traditional 3G Radio Base Stations, there is a marked improvement in 3G coverage when using AIR. In addition, AIR simplifies and reduces installation lead times,” said Elie Hanna, president and country manager for Ericsson Philippines and Pacific Islands.

SMART Communications selects Thuraya for crew calling service that keeps Filipino seafarers in touch

Thuraya Telecommunications Company , a leading Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) operator, has been selected by SMART Communications of the Philippines for the launch of its new crew calling service, Marino PhonePal.
The multi-year deal will see SMART partner with Thuraya on network services and hardware for its maritime voice service, which connects thousands of Filipino seafarers to their loved ones.

Marino PhonePal is an expansion of SMART's current crew calling service, from an existing Asia Pacific footprint now to include major sea lanes in Australia, New Zealand, Indian Ocean, Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Bilal El Hamoui, Vice President of Distribution at Thuraya, says Marino PhonePal customers will now benefit from a seamless and reliable connection at fixed prices.
"We are pleased to be working with an experienced telecommunications leader like SMART which has a strong connection to one of the world's major maritime markets. Their background in maritime and Thuraya's portfolio of high quality and reliable MSS products, flexible solutions and robust network coverage across Europe, the Middle East and Asia are extremely complementary."

Through this partnership, SMART will offer low cost prepaid calls to seafarers while at sea using Thuraya's SF2500 voice terminals.
Smart's Chief Wireless Adviser, Orlando Vea said, "Ship owners and operators understand the value of making a robust crew calling service available to their seafarers. Thuraya offers a strong and reliable solution combined with attractive price plans that fit these requirements. We are excited to embark on this partnership which is beneficial to all parties and most importantly, will benefit seafarers around the world."

Tvinci powers Blink in Philippines

Tvinci will use its over-the-top pay-television platform to power Blink, a new personalised premium service in the Philippines. Launching with movies and television series from top Hollywood studios, provided by Deluxe OnDemand, it will also have six live television channels with plans for more by the end of the year. Blink will initially support personal computers followed by Apple and Android smartphones and tablets.

Tvinci is working in partnership with Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, which has a cloud-based catalogue of over 40,000 multiscreen-ready titles. It enables operators to deploy a Netflix or Hulu style service rapidly.

“We have chosen to work with Tvinci and Deluxe OnDemand because of the confidence of the Hollywood studios in these partners and their track record in the digital media business,” said Ronan Deguzman, the chief operating officer of Omni and executive vice-president of Solar Entertainment.

Blink service powered by the Tvinci platform.

“Blink offers a personal and social TV service using our platform to manage content, users, devices, business rules and user experience,” said Ofer Shayo, the co-founder and chief executive of Tvinci. “Blink is set to provide consumers in the Philippines with a transformed viewing experience.”

“Asia is a particularly exciting market for us, with increasing uptake of broadband in the region providing improved bandwidth and ever more connected consumers,” he said. “This is Tvinci’s second major Asian deployment in 2013, and we are looking ahead to further future expansion in the region.”

Tvinci also powers the Toggle service for MediaCorp in Singapore. In Europe, the platform also supports the Eutelsat KabelKiosk wholesale offering for German operators.

Ido Wiesenberg, co-founder of Tvinci, told informitv the Tvinci 2.0 platform promises the personal touch for users of mobile devices, allowing users to create individual profiles as part of their subscription, for instance for children in their household. He believes that this model will become the norm, so that individual users have their own favourites, recommendations, friends and notifications.

Founded in 2007, based in Tel Aviv in Israel, with an office in London, Tvinci now has around 75 staff. From the outset Tvinci has concentrated on developing a platform designed to deliver pay-television experiences online, taking on established players like Comcast subsidiary thePlatform, Cisco with its Videoscape, and systems integrators like ioko, which became part of Kit digital, now Piksel.

Smart levels up wireless quality, network coverage

Smart Communications, a unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., will deploy the Antenna-Integrated Radio (AIR) solution built by Ericsson, the first such installation in Southeast Asia.
The move would improve Smart subscribers’ coverage quality and allow them access to more advanced wireless technologies.
“We expect a vast improvement in coverage and swiftness of installation times to greatly benefit our subscribers, especially as we see increasing usage of mobile Internet in our network,” Rolando G. Peña, head of technology at Smart and PLDT, said in a statement.
To date, Ericsson has commercially deployed the AIR solution for both GSM and LTE networks of Smart. Tests show an improvement of as much as 73 percent in 3G coverage when using AIR. Ericsson’s AIR has fewer units and fewer interconnections compared with traditional site solutions, allowing a new standard or a new frequency band to be introduced easily.
PLDT earlier reported how mobile Internet usage continues to grow strongly among mobile subscribers of its wireless brands Smart and Sun Cellular. PLDT’s mobile Internet revenue increased by 49 percent as of end-June 2013, compared with that of a year ago.
PLDT operates the country’s most extensive network with over 9,835 cell sites, 15,116 cellular/mobile broadband base stations, and 2,898 fixed wireless broadband-enabled base stations, supported by over 71,000 kilometers of fiber optic cabling, serving over 73.4 million subscribers.
“Network solutions like AIR allow our already supercharged infrastructure to become even more future-proof, and able to serve the demands of present and more advanced technologies, such as LTE-Advanced,” Peña said.
Smart, already the country’s leader in current LTE with over 1,000 sites in almost 180 cities and municipalities successfully tested LTE-Advanced.
Deployed by operators in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and some South American firms, LTE-A is a next-generation mobile broadband technology that can deliver data rates in excess of 200 megabits per second (mbps) up to a possible 700mbps, in trials in Metro Manila and Davao City.
“When comparing 3G AIR with traditional 3G radio base stations, there is a marked improvement in coverage when using AIR. In addition, AIR simplifies and reduces installation lead times,” said Elie Hanna, president and country manager for Ericsson Philippines and Pacific Islands.

Tattoo launches rewards program for mobile broadband

TRUE to its game-changing role in the industry, Tattoo, the broadband brand of Globe Telecom, raises the innovation bar a notch higher by introducing the country’s first-ever rewards program for mobile broadband services, available to both new and existing prepaid subscribers.

With Tattoo +Plus Rewards, prepaid customers can earn points and freebies by using Tattoo as a means to connect to the internet. Upon activating a new prepaid account, Tattoo users will instantly receive 15 bonus rewards points, which they can immediately redeem to register to POWERSURF15, a prepaid data plan that gives them 20MB of internet data valid for one day.

On their seventh to twelfth month of subscription, new and existing subscribers can avail of a FREE one-day unlimited access to Facebook, Twitter, Gmail and Yahoo! Mail every week for six months when they load at least P50 between Monday and Friday via Autoload Max. To redeem the rewards the following week, subscribers can text SOCIALWEEKLY to 8888.

Subscribers likewise accumulate rewards points when they load their Tattoo Prepaid account, where one point is given for every P25 reload. They can use their points to redeem their favorite Globe services or use them to buy products from Globe partner-merchants such as Ayala Malls Cinemas, Figaro, Wendy’s, Rose Pharmacy and Bench where 1 rewards point is equivalent to P1.

Head of Tattoo Nomadic Broadband Dong Ronquillo said, “From innovative and groundbreaking mobile broadband services, Tattoo unveils its very own customer loyalty program—the country’s first—to provide more value to our prepaid subscribers by rewarding them for their loyalty to the brand. With their continued patronage, Tattoo subscribers can look forward to accumulate bigger rewards as they continue to live without limits.”

Tattoo Broadband prepaid users can learn more about Tattoo +Plus Rewards and check out their redeemable rewards and freebies by visiting tattoo.globe.com.ph/rewards.

PLDT Fibr leader in broadband technology

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) has once again proven itself as a dominant force in the telecommunications industry as it introduced Fibr, the “most powerful” broadband service in the country.

The launch, held in Buddha Bar, Makati gathered a most esteemed crowd of personalities who put premium on speed, power and value for time and money. Present at the event were PLDT bigwigs, celebrities and other distinguished guests, including PLDT president and CEO Napoleon Nazareno; EVP and PLDT Home business head Ariel Fermin; and VP and PLDT Home Fibr Broadband head Gary Dujali.

Fibr is a new service that revolutionizes home Internet connections by using dedicated fiber optic lines for each subscriber, instead of shared cable lines used by typical broadband providers. The dedicated lines allow subscribers to enjoy unparalleled speeds of up to 100Mbps. Fibr also gives subscribers exclusive access to hundreds of movies-on-demand through Clickplay and the Cignal Digital TV service.

“This new partnership with Cignal is proof of PLDT’s culture of innovation as we commit to provide Filipino families with only the best telecommunication and digital entertainment services,” said Fermin.

International model and celebrity DJ Tenashar was flown in from Hong Kong to get the posh party started. Some of the very first Fibr subscribers were among the guests, including Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, basketball star Vince Hizon and wife Patricia, advertising boss Arthur Young and DDB Philippines president Gil Chua.

Also seen at the event were Johnny Litton, Dennis and Tessa Prieto-Valdez and former TV5 president lawyer Ray Espinosa. PLDT partner companies Federal Land, Sun Trust, DMCI and ETON were represented as well.

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Members of the entertainment, lifestyle, business and technology press were seen enjoying themselves, along with several of PLDT’s online media partners.

Fibr’s family-sized connection allows multiple devices to use the same Internet connection without sacrificing speed. All members of the family can use all their gadgets simultaneously to e-mail, enjoy social networking, watch videos, stream movies or play online without worrying about slowing others down.

With data rates of over 200 mbps: Smart tests new Huawei ultra-high speed mobile broadband

Mobile leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has now attained double the data speed of current fourth-generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in recent trials using ‘LTE-Advanced’. Smart has begun testing LTE Advanced, a mobile broadband technology which can deliver data rates in excess of 200 mega bytes per second (mbps), up to a possible 700mbps.

Currently deployed by operators in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and various South American countries, LTE Advanced connectivity allows users to download data at speeds twice as fast as 4G networks and 10 times faster than 3G services.

 “LTE Advanced is the next step forward for mobile broadband, and we look forward to many new possible applications of this ultra-fast technology that will benefit Filipinos and keep the Philippines abreast with the most technologically advanced countries in the world,” said Smart co-founder and chief wireless advisor Orlando B. Vea.

Smart recently conducted tests of LTE Advanced in cooperation with network equipment provider Huawei. The test facilities were able to achieve break-neck speeds of up to 209 mbps, over twice the 100 mbps top speed of LTE.

 “These tests demonstrate the readiness of the Smart network infrastructure to meet the demands of technologies that go beyond LTE,” said PLDT and Smart Technology group head Rolando G. Peña.

In the test setup, LTE Advanced was also deployed over WiFi, enabling devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops to experience extremely high speeds by logging on to the local wireless network.

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 “Just as we have seen how quickly Filipinos took to LTE after getting a taste of its high speeds and lag-free mobile broadband, so do we foresee the rapid acceptance of LTE Advanced, once all the right elements are in place,” added Vea.

The widespread adoption of LTE Advanced is expected to help bring down the cost of network equipment and customer terminals significantly.

“The good news is we have transformed our network in the past two years. LTE Advanced will work hand-in-glove with our extensive and robust fiber-powered network which, as we speak, we continue to expand and strengthen,” Peña added.

With over 71,000 kilometers of total fiber footprint, inclusive of 7,200 kilometers of international submarine fiber, and over 4,000 kilometers of domestic submarine fiber, Smart, together with parent company PLDT, boasts of the Philippines’ most extensive fiber network.

Unlike traditional copper wires which use electricity to transmit data, fiber uses pulses of light allowing for quick and lossless uploads and downloads.

“By combining high-speed wireless access technologies like LTE Advanced with PLDT and Smart’s extensive fiber optic network, we can provide customers with an unmatched broadband experience well into the future,” Vea said.

Philippines - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts

Positive signs for mobile broadband market in Philippines, as smartphone and tablet sales surge

Growth in the mobile segment of the Philippines telecom market has been moderating after years of strong exapansion. Initially the slowing in the market was partly due to a general downturn in the Philippine economy; however, even as the economy picked up, it became obvious that mobile subscriber numbers were continuing to increase but at a generally slower pace. Mobile revenue growth also down in what has for many years been a highly competitive market. Into 2013 the Philippines had over 100 million mobile subscribers. Penetration, having eased past the 100% milestone, had moved to 112% by March 2013. Ongoing annual subscriber growth of between 5% and 10% looked likely.

Clearly the economy will be an important factor in the continued expansion of the Philippine telecom sector. Earlier on, the recession in the US, its main trading partner, had hit exports hard but the country seemed to have generally overcome this setback. Following the big 'down' year in 2009, the country's GDP growth bounced back up again in 2010 reaching almost 8% (even exceeding the 31-year high of 7.3% in 2007). It then fell back to under 4% in 2011. The IMF estimated growth of almost 7% in 2012. Annual growth in the range 5%-6% looked likely to occur in the short term at least.