PLDT closed the year at P1,480, flat and significantly lower than June 15, 2017’s level of P1,900 per share.
Velarde family-led NOW Corp. surged to a new historic high with the value of trades breaching the P1 billion mark for the second consecutive day.
NOW skyrocketed to P15.30 each share Wednesday, up 49.12 percent as investors seemed enthusiastic about the company’s potential to become the country’s third telco player. The stock jumped to as much as P15.38 per share, making it the second biggest gainer for the day.
A total of 142.72 million shares valued at P1.94 billion changed hands.
NOW officially announced last month its intention to vie for the third telco slot being offered by the government in a bid to shake up the PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. duopoly.
The company is in talks with both local and foreign groups for a possible partnership to bolster its bid.
Under the guidelines drafted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the applicant with the highest committed investment for the first five years will be selected and this commitment should be secured with a performance bond.
Candidates must have at least P400 billion to P500 billion over a period of five years to compete with the industry giants.
Source: http://bilyonaryo.com.ph/2018/02/14/smart-globe-duopoly-killer-now-hits-new-high-heavy-buying-2-straight-days/
The local stock barometer rose to a new high on Monday on selective buying of large-cap stocks after last Friday’s breakout into the 9,000 territory.
Tracking mostly firmer regional markets, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) reversed early losses and ended 17.42 points or 0.19 percent higher to close at a new high of 9,058.62. A new intra-day peak of 9,078.37 was also hit.
Following Friday’s breakout from the 9,000 barrier, Papa Securities said in a research note that the next barrier would be at 9,160 while 9,200 would be the next psychological resistance.
“Looking forward, we note that the index is entering overbought territory once again in terms of RSI (relative strength index) —although trading at overbought levels is not an uncommon occurrence for breakouts,” Papa Securities said.
On Monday, the PSEi was perked up by the services counter, which added 2.33 percent, while the financial, holding firm and mining/oil counters also firmed up.
On the other hand, the industrial and property counters slipped.
Total value turnover for the day amounted to P8.87 billion. Foreign investors were net sellers although at a modest level of P86 million.
Despite the PSE’s gain, market breadth was negative. There were 116 decliners that outnumbered 95 advancers while 55 stocks were unchanged.
The PSEi was led higher by telecom stocks PLDT and Globe, which respectively surged by 6.52 percent and 8.76 percent.
Investors also picked up shares of Ayala Corp., which gained 4.13 percent, while SM Prime and BPI both added over 1 percent.
Shares of Megaworld and Security Bank also firmed up.
Outside of the PSEi, notable gainers included Now Corp., which surged by 10.73 percent. Now is among those aspiring to be the third telco player in the country.
On the other hand, ALI, AGI and Jollibee all slipped by over 2 percent while Metrobank and SM Investments lost over 1 percent.
BDO, URC, ICTSI and DMCI also faltered.
Source: https://business.inquirer.net/244991/ph-stocks-notch-another-record-high
Listed technology firm Now Corp. is in talks with local companies on forming a consortium in response to the government’s call for a third telecommunications player.
Details of the partnership are now being finalized, but Now declined to name the other companies.
“Definitely, we will participate … several groups have contacted us to form a consortium,” Now Corp. business development head Kristian Pura told reporters on the sidelines of the preliminary conference and consultation on selecting a third telco Wednesday in Quezon City.
“The consortium will require a foreign partner, kasi hindi naman kaya ng domestic players,” he said.
“That’s the requirement for us to have a foreign partner … So, Philippine consortium to partner with foreign player in order for us to participate, but we will wait for the TOR (terms of reference),” Pura noted.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is coming up with the final terms of reference on February 19.
DICT officer-in-charge Eliseo Rio said Philippine Telegraph & Telephone and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. have conveyed their intention to form their own respective groups.
PT&T earlier said it was in talks with a South Korean telco and was working on a separate partnership with China Telecom, the Chinese government’s choice to enter the Philippines as the third telco player and compete with PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc.
Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is also interested to make a bid for frequencies from the National Telecommunications Commission.
As of 3:12 p.m., shares of Now Corp. has been trading at P5.26 apiece, up 13.61 percent from P4.63 Tuesday. —VDS, GMA News
Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/640908/now-corp-in-talks-with-local-telcos-on-forming-a-consortium/story/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/640908/now-corp-in-talks-with-local-telcos-on-forming-a-consortium/story/
MANILA, Philippines — Shares of telecommunication companies PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom have been negatively affected by speculations of a third telco player coming in, while share prices of companies that may possibly benefit from the entry of the much-awaited third player have been on the rise.
Shares of Now Telecom, for instance, rallied by 1.81 percent at the close of the 2017 to finish at P2.82 per share from just P2.2 per share last Oct. 25.
Now Telecom of Mel Velarde has expressed interest in joining the government’s planned auction of surrender and recalled spectrum frequencies, the National Telecommunications Commission earlier said.
EasyCall Communications Philippines likewise saw its share price rise by 5.71 percent at the end of 2017 to end at P18.50 per share. Last Sept. 25, this was just at P3.25 per share.
Traders attributed the increase in the share prices of these two companies to the possible partnership with Chinese or foreign telco players that are interested in entering the Philippines following President Duterte’s call for the entry of a third telco player.
Share prices of PLDT, chaired by tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan and Globe Telecom, on the other hand, have seen significant declines.
Globe, meanwhile, closed 2017 at P1,900, lower than the P2,228 closing price last June 7.
Aside from Chinese telecom players, four other companies from Japan, South Korea, US, and Australia are interested to partner with local firms and become a third telco player in the country, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said.
DICT officer-in-charge Eliseo Rio Jr. said in a recent briefing Telstra Corp. Ltd. of Australia is interested in entering the Philippine telco market.
President Duterte has invited Chinese telco companies to invest in the telco industry to break the duopoly and provide more options for consumers.
The DICT and the NTC are planning to conduct the bidding for the available frequencies within the first three months of 2018.
NOW Corp., known for its Fiber Air service, now enters the residential market. This service is unique because of its guaranteed and committed minimum speed already enjoyed by highly demanding enterprise clients.
The Philippine Stock Exchange-listed technology, media and telecom company decided to expand to the residential areas in response to clamor from enterprise users whose families consume enormous bandwidth for their personal, educational, entertainment and other needs.
“One important thing we learned for the past 12 months of operation is that families now require enterprise-grade quality of Internet experience,” said Kristian Pura, head of business development.
The delivery of Fiber Air to homes will help deliver over-the-top products, such as movies and television programs that require minimum throughput, and with NOW’s reliable services, absolutely without data cap.
Apart from its broadband services, NOW is known as an information-technology company delivering software systems and IT-managed services to top banks, such as BDO, Philippine National Bank, the industry’s regulator, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, as well as other government agencies and branches like the Supreme Court. The company is now implementing the P57-million contract on e-mail and collaboration system of the Supreme Court.
“The strength of our company is our IT competence, which enables us to ensure superior connectivity to highly demanding enterprise customers, who, in turn, want their families to also enjoy the high-quality Internet experience from NOW,” Pura added.
The first residential area that has been activated is Corinthian Village in Quezon City, whose residents may now avail themselves of the high-quality Internet services enjoyed by educational institutions, media companies, hospitals, government agencies and buildings with SMEs and large enterprises as tenants.
Because NOW is using wireless technology, new residential areas would be quickly added into its network. A special feature of this business will allow residents to also make money. NOW partners with home-buddies who would represent the company in their respective buildings and subdivisions. As sales partners, they will earn money through commissions and enjoy free broadband, as well.
With this marketing tactic that harnesses local talent in each area and powered by the easily deployable wireless technology, NOW is confident that it will emerge as the most viable and capable alternative to the telecom duopoly.
NOW counts some of the biggest firms in the country as its broadband clients. Among its recently connected broadband customers include Sogo Hotel Group, which has a chain of hotel establishments in Metro Manila; Marco Polo in Ortigas; WorkHaven, a co-working space located in Linden Suites; Manila Broadcasting Corp. in Pasay City; and STI campus in Bonifacio Global City.
INFORMATION technology firm NOW Corp. is targeting to have 400,000 broadband subscribers in Metro Manila in five years with the expansion of its enterprise-grade wireless internet to residential areas, a company executive said.
Mel Velarde, president and chief executive officer of NOW, told reporters in a news briefing on Tuesday that the company is optimistic it can hit the target in five years with its combined subscribers from the residential sector and small- and medium-sized enterprises.
He said they decided to expand their services to the residential areas in response to demand from users in the enterprise segment for faster internet connectivity and higher bandwidth.
Velarde also said NOW is introducing a new marketing strategy whereby residents can earn money by representing NOW in their respective buildings and subdivisions. Velarde said these channel partners will earn commissions and get free broadband.
Meanwhile, he disclosed that the company is looking to raise P1 billion to support the rollout of its enterprise-grade wireless internet to residential areas.
“We’re in the middle of doing a preferred share offering. We’re raising a billion pesos,” he said.
He said the company is the middle of the application process with the Philippine Stock Exchange and Securities and Exchange Commission. “Hopefully, we get the approval in the next few months,” he added.
Velarde said the P1 billion they are aiming to raise is “good for us to cover the major areas of Metro Manila.”
NOW Corp. is entering the massive residential broadband business as it hopes to capture a small but loyal slice of a market being aggressively pursued by industry giants PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom.
NOW president and CEO Mel Velarde told reporters in a briefing Tuesday that the company would utilize its fiber air service, which it had successfully rolled out for businesses such as banks, schools, hospitals and hotels.
The next step is homes and Velarde said there was a market for NOW’s guaranteed broadband rates.
“Families want enterprise-grade service,” he said, referring to the type of internet quality typically demanded by businesses.
Using its fiber air technology, NOW hopes to go around regulatory bottlenecks experienced by the telcos in laying down fiber cables for their broadband connections. Moreover, it can pursue a modular approach to expansion, helping mitigate upfront capital spending.
NOW has so far launched its broadband service in Corinthian Gardens, an upscale neighborhood in Quezon City.
“This is wireless. We will be able to cover Metro Manila easily through partners,” Velarde said.
With partners, NOW’s home broadband could be available across the capital district within 12 months, he said. He is also targeting to expand in Davao and Cebu City by next year.
NOW’s partners will help the company penetrate certain areas and, in exchange, receive a commission.
For Metro Manila, Velarde is targeting a relatively small market of 400,000 homes and small businesses in five years. Their current 100 fiber air hubs will increase to over 450.
Funding will come from a P1 billion preferred share sale, which has convertible features, which Velarde hopes to close by the first quarter of 2018.
Broadband so far accounts for 20 percent of NOW’s revenues, most of which come from its IT services arm. NOW’s IT customers include the Philippine National Bank, the Supreme Court and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Velarde said they hope to increase broadband to 50 percent of revenues and then 80 percent in two years. /cbb
source: http://business.inquirer.net/240277/business-broadband-now-corp-pldt-globe-telecom-mel-velarde-fiber-air-service-it 
NOW Corp. is looking to raise P1 billion from a preferred share offering in the first quarter of 2018 to fund the expansion of its broadband business
Mel Velarde, president of NOW, said the company had already filed its application with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange.
The company has tapped Unicapital Inc. as its underwriter for the share sale
Proceeds from the offering will be used to expand its broadband internet infrastructure in Metro Manila to serve enterprises and residential areas.
Among its new broadband customers include Sogo Hotel Group, which has a chain of hotel establishments in Metro Manila; Marco Polo in Ortigas; Work Haven, a co-working space located in Linden Suites; Manila Broadcasting Corp. in Pasay City; and STI campus in Bonifacio Global City, among others.
NOW is also looking to expand in Cebu and Davao next year.
The company also offers software systems and IT managed services to top banks such as BDO, Philippine National Bank, the industry’s regulator, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, as well as other government agencies and branches like the Supreme Court.
Source: http://bilyonaryo.com.ph/2017/11/07/now-corp-eyes-p1b-share-offering/
NOW Corporation announced it will use IBM Collaboration Solutions portfolio to become the country’s premier one-stop-shop IT and broadband services provider for enterprises and government agencies looking for safe, secure, top-of-the-line software solutions bundled with NOW Corporation’s broadband connectivity.
Workforce productivity, among the top challenges for organizations today, is one such area where NOW is looking to provide their integrated communication and collaboration solutions. According to TechAisle Asia-Pacific Mid-market Insights 2017 report, as the size of a business increases, companies also see an increase in the use of mobile and collaboration solutions that develop cohesiveness among geographically dispersed teams. With the partnership of IBM, NOW can help companies support their employees remotely on a secure platform and drive productivity improvement.
“As an integrated solutions company, NOW Corp. deploys telecom pipes, provides solutions to operational problems that encompass information technology, software systems and maintenance, network connectivity and cybersecurity to select blue chip and fast rising companies,” said Kristian Pura, Head of Enterprise Marketing at NOW. “By partnering with IBM, we can now offer a unified collaboration platform for our clients. This allows businesses with distributed workforce to embrace a new way to work that improves personal productivity and team collaboration”
NOW offers IBM Collaboration Solutions software licensing, technical maintenance and support, user-training services, applications development to a host of companies and is an IBM Premier Business Partner. NOW was named IBM’s Top Business Partner of the Year for IBM Collaboration Solutions in the Philippines in 2014 and 2015.
“We are helping our clients implement IBM Verse, a cloud business email hosting platform and messaging software. It allows our clients to not just use traditional emails but to also host audio and video conferences, make information and background about the people and companies within the email network more accessible. Most importantly, it also serves as a social networking platform since Verse is tightly integrated to IBM Connections, a collaboration platform for businesses,” said Maneth Libid, Managing Director of NOW’s software collaboration group. “Our clients are demanding more value and insights from mailing and collaboration tools. Our partnership with IBM gives us the capability to offer our customers an integrated business mail & collaboration platform that integrates email, chat, meetings, content and social networking on a single cloud platform to reduce clutter and focus on what is most important. IBM Verse is available on the cloud and as an on-premise solution.”
NOW works with several companies and government agencies to deliver IT software solutions and broadband services. Some of the country’s biggest companies such as BDO, Chinabank, Phinma Properties, Development Bank of the Philippines, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Meralco and SM Retail count on NOW to provide their IT software solutions. NOW believes that as an integrated communications and collaboration solutions provider, NOW is well placed to enable companies for social business and improve workforce experience.
NOW Corporation will team up with IBM to provide integrated communication and collaboration solutions for enterprises and government agencies and drive productivity among geographically dispersed teams.
“By partnering with IBM, we can now offer a unified collaboration platform for our clients. This allows businesses with distributed workforce to embrace a new way to work that improves personal productivity and team collaboration,” said Kristian Pura, Head of Enterprise Marketing at NOW.
NOW offers IBM Collaboration Solutions software licensing, technical maintenance and support, user-training services, applications development to a host of companies and is an IBM Premier Business Partner. NOW was named IBM’s Top Business Partner of the Year for IBM Collaboration Solutions in the Philippines in 2014 and 2015.
“We are helping our clients implement IBM Verse, a cloud business email hosting platform and messaging software. It allows our clients to not just use traditional emails but to also host audio and video conferences, make information and background about the people and companies within the email network more accessible. Most importantly, it also serves as a social networking platform since Verse is tightly integrated to IBM Connections, a collaboration platform for businesses,” said Maneth Libid, Managing Director of NOW’s software collaboration group.
Libid says the partnership with IBM gives them the capability to offer customers an integrated business mail & collaboration platform that integrates email, chat, meetings, content and social networking on a single cloud platform.
IBM Verse is available on the cloud and as an on-premise solution.
NOW works with several companies and government agencies to deliver IT software solutions and broadband services. Some of NOW’s clients are BDO, Chinabank, Phinma Properties, Development Bank of the Philippines, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Meralco and SM Retail.
Source: http://newsbytes.ph/2017/09/22/now-corp-ibm-partnership-to-bring-unified-collaboration-platform/