MANILA, Philippines — Publicly listed information and communications technology company NOW Corp. has forged an alliance with UnionBank of the Philippines for the use of next generation networks such as 5G.
NOW signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with UnionBank to utilize and promote the use of new generation telecommunication networks, including 5G, in support of the bank’s digital transformation roadmap.
“We are excited to work with UnionBank of the Philippines as we co-market the use of next generation networks which includes 5G,” NOW deputy CEO Rodolfo Pantoja said.
“The potential for 5G in financial services would include reduced video lag for real-time video chat and consultations between bankers and consumers, full-power mobile pop-up branches, shift to the cloud for mobile banking, and more accurate fraud detection and cybersecurity,” he said.
UnionBank wants to be at the forefront of utilizing and promoting the use of new technologies in the banking system.
The MOU will allow both parties to undertake co-marketing activities to promote NOW’s broadband capabilities and UnionBank’s digital transformation, as well as technological products and services enabled by next generation networks including 5G which both parties may collaborate on.
Last week, NOW and UnionBank also entered into a multi-year agreement for the provision of guaranteed broadband internet access in support of the bank’s digital transformation roadmap.
The first activated site with a one Gbps broadband connectivity via fixed wireless is UnionBank’s corporate headquarters in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
Both parties also agreed to explore utilizing NOW Fiber Air for its branches and for other sites owned and operated by the Aboitiz-led bank.
NOW Telecom, an affiliate of the publicly-listed company, is a grantee of a 25-year congressional franchise to engage in the business of providing telecommunications services throughout the Philippines and other countries and territories.
It was also granted by the National Telecommunications Commission an authority to install, operate and maintain cellular mobile telephone system services.
NOW is the country’s largest fixed wireless access (FWA) broadband provider, delivering guaranteed broadband services to enterprises as well as commercial and residential buildings through its Fiber Air technology,
NOW has established an FWA network infrastructure in Metro Manila and has connected more than 400 buildings with service coverage of up to two kilometers per building.
Union Bank of the Philippines’ fraud detection and cybersecurity is seen improving as the lender embarks on digital transformation, partner provider NOW Corp. said Thursday.
Improvements are expected in the financial services of UnionBank through next-generation network (NGN) technology such as fifth-generation (5G) connections, said NOW Corp. deputy CEO Rodolfo Pantoja.
“The potential for 5G in financial services would include reduced video lag for real-time video chat and consultations between bankers and consumers, full-power mobile pop-up branches, shift to the cloud for mobile banking, and more accurate fraud detection and cybersecurity,” Pantoja said in a statement.
NOW Corp., its affiliate NOW Telecom Co. Inc., and UnionBank late on Wednesday, October 9, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to utilize and promote new-generation telecommunication networks.
NOW will assist UnionBank in its digital transformation by providing next-generation network technology such as 5G.
“The MOU would allow both parties to undertake co-marketing activities to promote NOW’s broadband capabilities including NGN and UnionBank’s digital transformation, as well as technological products and services enabled by next-generation networks including 5G which both parties may collaborate on,” said NOW.
The agreement also states that NOW will provide UnionBank guaranteed broadband connectivity for enterprises through its fixed wireless network “Fiber Air.”
“Both parties also agreed to explore utilizing NOW Fiber Air for its branches and for other sites owned and operated by the Aboitiz-led bank,” said NOW.
The extension includes its authority to install, operate, and maintain state-of-the-art efficient, effective, and economical telecommunications networks—including mobile telecommunications, data and voice telecom network, trunked radio dispatch communications system, digital trunked radio system, and telecommunications operations. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News
MANILA, Philippines — Now Corp. has entered into a multi-year agreement with Union Bank of the Philippines to support the bank’s digital transformation roadmap by providing guaranteed broadband internet access.
As part of the agreement, Now said UnionBank’s corporate headquarters in Ortigas Center, Pasig City has been powered with a one Gbps broadband connectivity via fixed wireless.
Both parties also agreed to explore utilizing Now Fiber Air for other branches and other sites owned and operated by the Aboitiz-led bank.
“The agreement with UnionBank strengthens Now’s position to provide guaranteed broadband connectivity for enterprises via its fixed wireless network infrastructure that it has established in Metro Manila,” the publicly listed company said.
UnionBank has been making strategic investments in its digital transformation.
The country’s 9th largest lender in terms of assets saw its total assets rise by 13 percent to P704.5 billion in the first half.
Now, for its part, upgraded and quadrupled its capacity to 2.40 Gbps in 2018.
It has connected more than 400 buildings with service coverage of up to two kilometers per tower.
“This inverse relationship between technological costs and high marginal value is the core element that keeps Now’s business model thriving. Especially in the fixed wireless space, where bandwidth capacity solutions are exponentially increasing, we at Now have the right footing to maneuver this competitive space,” Now Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja said.
Now Telecom, an affiliate of Now Corp., has a 25-year congressional franchise to provide telecommunications services throughout the Philippines. It is a cellular mobile telephone system licensee.
Saturday, October 5, 2019 – NOW Corporation, a publicly listed company in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE Ticker: NOW), is pleased to announce that it has signed BrenPro Inc. to a two-year Fiber Air service agreement.
BrenPro Inc., owned by businessman Bernard Chong, is the Philippines’ largest and most diversified conglomerate in the Video Games and esports industry. BrenPro Inc. currently owns the following esports and content creation subsidiary brands: Bren Esports, the Mobile Esports Arena (MESA), BrenPro TV, and NEXT Talents.
Access to NOW Corporation’s Fiber Air was installed in BrenPro’s state-of-the-art esports training facility located in its office headquarters in Makati City. It is Southeast Asia’s largest esports training complex, a showcase hub with an estimated budget of PHP 100 Million and a floor area size of 2,000 square meters, comparable with Team SoloMid’s 2,300 square meters training facility in Los Angeles. The facility is designed to accommodate for the following: Training areas for diversified esports genres such as Fighting Games, First Person Shooters (FPS), Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas (MOBAS), and Mobile MOBAs. The facility also includes several professional video production areas and professional live streaming areas for BrenPro TV’s social media influencers and talents, under the NEXT Talents brand. The training facility also contains several capsule-based resting areas, and various recreational areas, including an indoor gym.
The facility also serves as the official training grounds for the representatives of Team Philippines that will participate in the 2019 Overwatch World Cup.
In an official statement, BrenPro Inc. Chief Operating Officer Leo Andrew “Jab” Escutin posited a growing partnership between NOW and BrenPro. “What NOW did to win us over was to prioritize speed and customer experience to a bandwidth-intensive company like BrenPro Inc. While other ISP’s tried to offer their services to us, NOW’s quick activation of Fiber Air in less than 4 weeks solidified our confidence in their ability to deliver. We value partnerships that provide a premium, value added care to our needs. NOW’s first-class accommodation endeared their brand with BrenPro’s brand of excellence.”
“BrenPro Inc. is a firm proof of concept supportive of Philippine esports and video game content creation as a viable investment destination. We would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to BrenPro Inc. for entrusting us with their lifeblood. Internet connection is mission critical for BrenPro and NOW Corporation’s Fiber Air is more than capable and willing to answer the challenges of low latency and high capacity internet and provide the best service it can to improve and promote the Philippine esports industry. We are confident that our internet service will provide the competitive advantage that BrenPro is looking for.” NOW Corporation Deputy CEO Rodolfo Pantoja said.
Both BrenPro Inc. and NOW Corporation are confident of quickly ramping up the bandwidth requirement as BrenPro Inc. expands further into the gigabit speed era of guaranteed speed.
By Emmie V. Abadilla
NOW Telecom is collaborating with Singapore-based HyalRoute Group, which is investing $1- $2 billion to roll out a fiber optic cable network in the Philippines via its local subsidiary Philippine Fiber Optic Cable Network, Ltd. (PFOCN).
Because NOW has a 25-year congressional franchise to provide telecommunications services throughout the country and is also cellular mobile telephone system (CMTS) licensee, its partnership with PFOCN puts the telco “in the best position to be the country’s fourth telco”, according to industry analysts.
The HyalRoute Group is a global provider of shared communications fiber network and subsidiary PFOCN is leasing its fiber optic cable network to domestic telcos, Internet service providers (ISPs), and cable TV operators. PFOCN and NOW Telecom signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the latter’s nationwide expansion, sharing fiber infrastructure assets nationwide, including access to fiber optic cores and other related facilities.
NOW Telecom revealed they will also roll-out a fiber optic cable network with PFOCN.
Newly installed Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio Honasan acknowledged he is open to a fourth or even a fifth telco player.
Earlier, the government granted China Telecom-backed Dito Telecommunity (formerly Mislatel consortium) the license to become the country’s third telco, after PLDT-Smart Communications and Globe Telecom.
The DICT, which has also signed a memorandum of agreement with PFOCN, stated that the latter’s investment will address the need to extend the fiber optic network to nonviable rural areas, which local telcos are incapable of doing right now.
And NOW’s partnership with HyalRoute and PFOCN will accelerate the former’s nationwide deployment through the availability of a nationwide transmission backbone.
NOW Telecom can reach consumers faster than a pure fiber-based broadband provider at a fraction of their capital expenditure, leading to more compelling broadband offers.
The local telco can then cater to markets that are currently underserved because of the huge costs required. The presence of its partner, a provider-agnostic fiber operator, solves a key infrastructure elements of NOW’s 5G plan and enables it to launch disruptive 5G offerings.
“The nationwide backbone (of HyalRoute-PFOCN) allows us to replicate our success in Metro Manila with guaranteed throughput broadband services that continue to resonate with enterprises especially those where availability of reliable broadband is mission-critical,” NOW Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja explained.
PFOCN will roll-out its network in phases starting this year until 2028, giving preferential rates to the government for its free WiFi and National Broadband Program while the rest of its capacity will be leased to other players.
NOW Corporation’s affiliate NOW Telecom Company, Inc., a grantee of a 25-year congressional franchise during the 17th Congress to carry on the business of providing telecommunications services throughout the Philippines and other countries and territories, including outer space and likewise a grantee of an Authority to install, operate and maintain cellular mobile telephone system (“CMTS”) from the National Telecommunications Commission, executed a Memorandum of Understanding with Philippine Fiber Optic Cable Network Ltd Inc. (PFOCN), a Singapore-based company.
The MOU will enable the Parties to collaborate for the commercial use of shared fiber infrastructure assets nationwide including access to fiber optic cores and other related facilities. Furthermore, the parties intend to collaborate on the fiber optic cable network rollout that will strengthen and support NOW’s nationwide expansion.
PFOCN’s rollout of a shared fiber optic cable network in phases, which NOW Telecom will be a part of, aligns with the Government’s National Broadband Program.
Now Telecom Co. on Thursday said it is open to a possible partnership with third telco player Mislatel Consortium—operating under the brand name Dito Telecommunity.
The company has a proven strategy of providing guaranteed broadband to enterprises and is determined to expand its service offerings to new geographical markets, Now Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja noted in a statement.
“Part of this strategy is our willingness to entertain possible partnerships with other telecommunications companies. We are always open to explore opportunities of partnership and collaboration with other players in the industry, to both local and foreign players,” Pantoja said.
“The same can be said to Dito Telecommunity. The decentralized gigabit era will inevitably force disruptive innovations in this industry. Specializing in a specific market niche and partnering with the right entities are both essential in delivering profitability,” he added.
Now Telecom was among the companies that submitted a bid for the third telco player last year.
The company, however, withdrew from selection process as it lodged a case before the Court of Appeals to stop the government from enforcing certain provisions of the terms of reference for the new major player.
Now Telecom said it welcomes the liberalization of the Philippine telecom industry with the entry of a new player.
“We see the entry of Dito Telecommunity as net positive for the industry. It provides a market signal that government is in the liberalization phase of the telecommunications industry. This will ultimately benefit the consumers as increased competition will stimulate improvements in quality of service, increase in service coverage and availability,” Pantoja said.
Dito Tel—comprised of Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics, China Telecom, and Mindanao Islamic Telephone Co.—was awarded on Monday a certificate of public convenience and necessity to operate as a telecommunications company. —Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News
NOW Telecom’s board of directors has approved to offer an additional 11 percent of its equity for a share swap deal with affiliate and publicly listed Now Corporation.
As a result, the deal gives Now Corporation a 30 percent ownership in Now Telecom.
“This will satisfy the congressional franchise requirement for NOW Telecom to have the public own at least 30 percent of the company,” the telco said Monday.
Now Corporation currently owns 19 percent of Now Telecom.
“By being compliant with the terms of our congressional franchise, we boost the confidence of our Investors, both foreign and Local,” company chairman Mel Velarde said in a statement Monday.
Velarde noted they are willing to explore other offering options such as listing by way of introduction for NOW Telecom if need be.
Under Republic Act 10972, Congress renewed NOW Telecom’s congressional franchise on February 22, 2018, for another 25 years.
RA 10972 is a franchise for Now Telecom to build, establish, operate and maintain radio systems, cellular phone systems, personal communication network, and trunked radio systems in the Philippines as well as outside the country. —VDS, GMA News
NOW Telecom, a telecommunications company owned by businessman Mel Velarde, has revealed plans to offer 5G or fifth generation wireless technology which is about to revolutionize communications.
In its recent board meeting, the company approved plans to adopt 5G technologies that allow the delivery of up to 20 gigabit per second speed to enterprises and homes, a quantum leap in broadband technology that will give birth to innovations never seen before.
“The Decentralized Gigabit Era is upon us now. 5G will allow high wireless bandwidth in low latency scenarios, allowing for further complex technologies to exist. 5G is necessary for the Internet of Things to thrive. With cloud computing, you can now decentralize the business of telecommunications,” according to newly elected NOW Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja.
Now Telecom has brought in telecommunications expertise to its management by electing Pantoja, former Indonesian telecommunications firm Smartfren CEO, as its new president and chief operating officer. Pantojo spent 28 years in Indonesia, under the PT Sinar Mas Komunikasi Teknologi banner, leading the telecommunications company to an exclusive 4G-LTE operations, which is expected to add valuable experience to the table for NOW Telecom.
Pantoja acquired his education from the De La Salle University in 1975 and had his graduate studies from the Asian Institute of Management in 1979.
In the same meeting, Velarde was elected chairman and remains as chief executive officer. Velarde is known for building organizations in satellite broadband, cable TV, broadcast news, mobile telecom, high end education, IT software development, and other telecommunications, media and technology businesses. Velarde earned his eMBA (OPM) from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (humanities and sciences), summa cum laude, from Boston University
NOW Telecom holds a license from National Telecommunications Commission to operate Cellular Mobile Telephony System, with frequency assignment of 5G mid band channels. It has deployed in selected areas the Israeli-based technology TELRAD wireless technology that delivers 200 mbps to its present customers, which will soon increase to gigabit speeds.
In order to strengthen its portfolio to seize greater opportunities from 5G, NOW Telecom’s board of directors also approved to offer to publicly listed NOW Corporation an additional 11 percent for share swap with NOW Telecom, which will result in NOW Corporation owning 30 percent of NOW Telecom. This will satisfy the congressional franchise requirement for NOW Telecom to have the public own at least 30 percent of the company.
“NOW Telecom stands true to its commitment in its franchise. We are a compliant telecommunications company. By being compliant with the terms of our congressional franchise, we boost the confidence of our Investors, both foreign and Local,” company chairman Mel Velarde said.
Velarde added that if needed, they are willing to explore other offering options such as listing by way of introduction for NOW Telecom.
NOW Telecom renewed its congressional franchise last 22 February 2018, for another 25 years of operations, under Republic Act 10972.
NOW Telecom, a telecommunications company owned by businessman Mel Velarde, has revealed plans to offer 5G or fifth generation wireless technology which is about to revolutionize communications.
In its recent board meeting, the company approved plans to adopt 5G technologies that allow the delivery of up to 20 gigabit per second speed to enterprises and homes, a quantum leap in broadband technology that will give birth to innovations never seen before.
“The Decentralized Gigabit Era is upon us now. 5G will allow high wireless bandwidth in low latency scenarios, allowing for further complex technologies to exist. 5G is necessary for the Internet of Things to thrive. With cloud computing, you can now decentralize the business of telecommunications,” according to newly elected NOW Telecom president Rodolfo Pantoja.
Now Telecom has brought in telecommunications expertise to its management by electing Pantoja, former Indonesian telecommunications firm Smartfren CEO, as its new president and chief operating officer. Pantojo spent 28 years in Indonesia, under the PT Sinar Mas Komunikasi Teknologi banner, leading the telecommunications company to an exclusive 4G-LTE operations, which is expected to add valuable experience to the table for NOW Telecom.
Pantoja acquired his education from the De La Salle University in 1975 and had his graduate studies from the Asian Institute of Management in 1979.
In the same meeting, Velarde was elected chairman and remains as chief executive officer. Velarde is known for building organizations in satellite broadband, cable TV, broadcast news, mobile telecom, high end education, IT software development, and other telecommunications, media and technology businesses. Velarde earned his eMBA (OPM) from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (humanities and sciences), summa cum laude, from Boston University
NOW Telecom holds a license from National Telecommunications Commission to operate Cellular Mobile Telephony System, with frequency assignment of 5G mid band channels. It has deployed in selected areas the Israeli-based technology TELRAD wireless technology that delivers 200 mbps to its present customers, which will soon increase to gigabit speeds.
In order to strengthen its portfolio to seize greater opportunities from 5G, NOW Telecom’s board of directors also approved to offer to publicly listed NOW Corporation an additional 11 percent for share swap with NOW Telecom, which will result in NOW Corporation owning 30 percent of NOW Telecom. This will satisfy the congressional franchise requirement for NOW Telecom to have the public own at least 30 percent of the company.
“NOW Telecom stands true to its commitment in its franchise. We are a compliant telecommunications company. By being compliant with the terms of our congressional franchise, we boost the confidence of our Investors, both foreign and Local,” company chairman Mel Velarde said.
Velarde added that if needed, they are willing to explore other offering options such as listing by way of introduction for NOW Telecom.
NOW Telecom renewed its congressional franchise last 22 February 2018, for another 25 years of operations, under Republic Act 10972.