Smart hastens mobile broadband deployment

To quickly deploy high speed mobile broadband services nationwide, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has to date fired up over 1,200 High Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+) base stations in 120 cities and municipalities throughout the Philippines. HSPA+ is a next-generation network technology that can deliver aggregate speeds of up to 42Megabits per second (Mbps). As of middle of this month, HSPA+ service cover 50 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila, Rizal, and Bulacan, as well as key locations in Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos City and Zamboanga City, according to Smart Chief Wireless Advisor Orlando B. Vea. "We have stepped up our network transformation program," he elaborated. “Last month, we had about 500 HSPA+ base stations. It took us just a month to more than double that count." Already, subscribers are reaping the benefits of the country's most extensive and robust mobile broadband network in the country, Vea added. “They are enjoying a better mobile Internet experience on the devices such as the Smart Bro Rocket and the Netphone that we have introduced in the past few months." To fast track the deployment of HSPA+ base stations, Smart tapped the services of three major international network suppliers.

Sandigan Selects Stratos for Fleetwide Deployment of FleetBroadband

Stratos Global, the leading global provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, today announced it has been selected by Sandigan Ship Services, Inc. to deploy the Inmarsat FleetBroadband satellite communications service on Sandigan's fleet of commercial vessels. Based in The Philippines, Sandigan manages a global fleet that includes bulk carriers and car carriers. FleetBroadband from Stratos already has been successfully deployed on 12 Sandigan vessels. Deployment on the remainder of the fleet is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The Sandigan contract is the latest example of Stratos' successful deployment of FleetBroadband on a wide range of vessel types across all major geographic regions. Stratos has activated more than 9,000 FleetBroadband terminals worldwide. By ensuring reliable broadband connectivity at sea, FleetBroadband from Stratos is helping Sandigan achieve optimal vessel performance, improved business operations and increased crew productivity. For Sandigan, Stratos fully integrated FleetBroadband with its sophisticated AmosConnect application, to improve management of all interoffice communications. Sandigan also improves crew welfare by deploying Stratos' AmosConnect Crew CommCenter. The solution enables personnel at sea to stay in contact with home via calling, private email and SMS at affordable, flat global rates. The solution's high functionality helps retain qualified seafarers. The application features an easily manageable, separate account for each crewmember. The integrated communications solution that Stratos is deploying for Sandigan includes an Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro satellite phone on each vessel, for backup voice communications. An IsatPhone Pro is installed at Sandigan's headquarters office as well. Sandigan also is deploying Stratos' GSM Oceanwide solution, which enables crewmembers to use their personal GSM phones to communicate with family and friends by voice and SMS. This deployment for Sandigan includes the full range of The Stratos Advantage value-added services for which Stratos has become well known. Those services - which are helping Sandigan attain the highest possible FleetBroadband performance, security and cost control - include the online Stratos Dashboard, which provides Sandigan with cost and traffic control, online invoicing, firewall management and many other benefits. "FleetBroadband from Stratos is meeting our high expectations by enabling us to achieve faster data transmission and better voice quality than the systems we previously used - at a lower cost," said Sandigan President, Capt. Tomoyoshi Yanagita. "The service has increased the performance of many of the IP-based applications on which we depend. This has enabled us to improve business management." Capt. Yanagita added, "Stratos provided a comprehensive approach to this deployment. Their Singapore support team analyzed our data traffic and provided a range of options. They patiently helped us reduce communications costs and improve the performance of critical applications such as BASSnet, our planned maintenance software. Stratos President and CEO Jim Parm said, "This FleetBroadband solution is carefully designed to help Sandigan meet its objective of deploying the latest integrated management systems to achieve the highest levels of customer service. We look forward to helping Sandigan use our expanding range of new applications to maintain high operating efficiency and a competitive advantage." For Sandigan, this FleetBroadband system provides an optimal data connection for numerous other onboard applications, including planned maintenance systems, purchase systems and remote management - which allows Sandigan headquarters personnel to manage the ship's computers without visiting the vessel. With FleetBroadband from Stratos, Sandigan now has the capability to achieve high-performance, direct remote access to the ship's computer terminals, the FleetBroadband terminal and the onboard firewall via popular remote-support applications. In the future, Sandigan has the option to use FleetBroadband from Stratos for engine-performance analysis and emissions monitoring, to help reduce fuel costs and comply with emissions regulations. About FleetBroadband from Stratos Stratos has activated more than 9,000 FleetBroadband systems across all major geographic regions and vessel types. FleetBroadband from Stratos provides cost-effective, high-speed data and voice communications - available simultaneously - at speeds up to 432kbps. FleetBroadband from Stratos also provides on-demand guaranteed IP data rates, regardless of the vessel's location. The above-deck, stabilized, compact directional antennas are smaller than most existing Inmarsat Fleet products used today. FleetBroadband also helps Stratos continue to provide ship managers with innovative crew-communications solutions, to support the recruitment and retention of well-trained seafarers. For example, FleetBroadband from Stratos now is available with a pre-paid web-browsing solution and other valuable services. Communications managers have discovered that FleetBroadband from Stratos can be rapidly deployed across an entire fleet and, as a standard IP service, seamlessly integrated with head-office networks. Terminals operate globally and the user interface is standard across all products. FleetBroadband from Stratos supports any IP service, as well as traditional circuit-switched voice and ISDN data for legacy applications. Terminal costs are relatively low and the network supports all the latest security protocols. Stratos offers a wide range of value-added services to provide ship managers with optimal communications performance, management control and cost efficiency. Stratos is the largest supplier of mobile satellite services to the maritime industry, with communications to more than 40,000 maritime terminals worldwide. In addition to FleetBroadband, Stratos' industry-leading portfolio of maritime broadband satellite services includes Iridium OpenPort, maritime VSAT services and Inmarsat XpressLink - which combines FleetBroadband with VSAT to provide a highly flexible migration path toward Inmarsat's Global Xpress services. FleetBroadband from Stratos Features The Stratos Advantage With the benefit of The Stratos Advantage, FleetBroadband from Stratos is elevated far above baseline FleetBroadband services. The value-added services comprising The Stratos Advantage, including Stratos Dashboard, provide users with cost and traffic control, high-usage metering, firewall management, data optimization, real-time traffic overviews, instant remote provisioning, high security options, easy VPN access, messaging services and a full range of IP options. In addition to offering The Stratos Advantage, Stratos works with application partners to deliver broadband business solutions in key maritime business areas. These solutions include voyage management, remote management, IT management and cargo management, which help reduce fuel and operations costs and improve crew and customer satisfaction. Maritime customers can secure more information on FleetBroadband from Stratos by calling their Stratos account manager or by visiting www.thepowerofmobilebroadband.com.

UPDATE 1-Philippines' PLDT Q3 net down 10 pct, sees weak revenues

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co (PLDT) , one of the country's most valuable listed firms, said on Thursday its third-quarter net income fell 10 percent on weaker revenues from its mobile phone business and the impact of a strong peso. The company expects further pressure on group revenues as it spends on its data and broadband platform and upgrades networks after acquiring rival Digital Telecommunications Philippines Inc (Digitel) in a $1.6 billion deal completed last week. Analysts have estimated the deal gives PLDT, partly owned by Hong Kong's First Pacific Co Ltd , Japan's NTT DoCoMo and NTT Communications , a 70 percent share of the local mobile phone market. "We are therefore faced with the sobering prospect that revenues are likely to continue declining for the foreseeable future, and costs rising in the near term -- as we need to follow through with improving and upgrading our networks, including Digitel's," group chairman Manuel Pangilinan said. Analysts have said the takeover could end the bruising price war Digitel had sparked off, but it would take time before PLDT fully integrates Digitel and benefits from the deal. Pangilinan said in a statement it would take some time before fast-rising revenues from data and broadband services match those from the group's core mobile phone business. PLDT said net income in the September quarter was 9.3 billion Philippine pesos ($217 million), down from 10.3 billion pesos a year earlier. Analysts had expected net profit of 9.7 billion pesos for PLDT in the third quarter and 39.8 billion pesos for 2011, down 1 percent from 2010, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. STRONG PESO Core net profit, which excludes currency and derivatives-related items, fell 6 percent in the third quarter to 9.6 billion pesos. PLDT said it had cut its core profit guidance to 39 billion pesos from 40.5 billion pesos set early this year. Net income and core net income in the first nine months both reached 30.6 billion pesos, 4 percent and 3 percent lower from a year earlier. The company said if the peso had remained stable, core net income in the first nine months would have been slightly higher at 31.3 billion pesos. The peso has gained more than two percent so far this year, and hit a three-year high against the dollar in August. PLDT has lost more than 7 percent this year, underperforming the main stock index which was mostly flat. Service revenue fell 3 percent to 33.6 billion pesos in the third quarter. The company said the strong peso cut its January to September service revenue by 1.4 billion to 103 billion pesos, down 3 percent from a year ago. Mobile phone service revenue, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the group's service revenue, fell 5 percent to 67.3 billion pesos in the first nine months. PLDT said its mobile phone subscriber base was 47.7 million at end September, slightly lower from 47.8 million at end June.