PhilWeb, Compaq join forces to establish Internet data center inRP

There seems no stopping local tech stock PhilWeb.com in its aggressive hook up and expansion binge in its efforts to distinguish itself as the country's top Internet company.

Its latest coup: a partnership with global computer giant Compaq for the establishment of an Internet data center.

PhilWeb president Alex Villamar said the Internet data center is a major step in providing cost-effective solutions for all types of business enterprises with web-based applications while avoiding the high cost of individual distributed information technology (IT) centers.

"It is our vision that this facility will accelerate the growth of web-enabled enterprises while selecting the wide range of business solutions offered by Compaq and PhilWeb," he said.

Under the memorandum of agreement, Compaq will offer its award-winning and market proven solutions at the PhilWeb Internet data center which will be interconnected with Compaq's other centers in Singapore, Sydney, Seoul and Bangalore.

The data center will offer hardware and applications hosting in a fully secure environment managed by top-notch IT professionals chosen for this purpose. PhilWeb will also provide broadband connectivity between customers and the data center and at the same time ensuring optimum bandwith availability to the world wide web.

Compaq, with a market capitalization of more than $50 billion, is the second largest computer company and the largest global supplier of computer systems. It develops and markets hardware, software, solutions and services, including industry leading enterprise computing, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, enterprise and network storage solutions, commercial desktop and portable products and consumer PC.

The Compaq deal marked the seventh time the fast-rising PhilWeb has tied up with international partners in just who months of its corporate existence.

Since the former listed mining firm South Seas Resources was transformed into a technology company by the group headed by former Trade Minister Roberto Ongpin early this year, PhilWeb has since linked up with a host of global technology firms such as Informatec AG of Germany, California-based ITXC Corp.; Japan's Softbank; the American International Group (AIG), Startech Holdings of the British Virgin Islands; and New Jersey-based Net2 Phone.

Two weeks ago, PhilWeb launched its suite of products and services for Internet and e-commerce applications such as its high-speed internet access SpeedWeb; the dial-up Internet service ZOOM; and the college website Mylifemystyle.

Recently, PhilWeb has appointed two top-notch foreign partners in the board of directors to fill in the vacancies created by the resignation of Vivian Yuchengco, who will assume a board position at the Philippine Stock Exchange, and Pilar Cayetano, who has been designed PhilWeb's general counsel and assistant corporate secretary.

In their place will be Sheridan Tatsuno, a Silicon Valley pioneer and president of Dreamscape Ventures, an e-business virtual incubator, and Alan Batkin, president and CEO of Orama Partners, an invetment bank specializing in hi-tech companies. Among the leading hi-tech companies that have invested in Orama include Compaq, Softbank, Lucent Technologies, Siemens, Pacific Century Cyberworks, and Apple co-founder Paul Allen's Vulcan Ventures.

Aside from Ongpin, who chairs the PhilWeb board, and Villamar, its other officials include vice chairman Jaime Gonzalez; Equitable-PCI Bank chairman George Go; former Solidbank chairman Consuelo Madrigal; Global Equities chairman Nora Bitong; former PLDT director Mario Locsin; retained directors Jesus Cabarrus, Jose Miguel-Cabarrus and Jose Mari Moraza from the SSO board; and three representing Hong Kong interests -- Ronald Arculi, K.B. Fung and Thomas Tang.