PLDT scores webcast breakthrough

Telecommunications leader Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) scored another breakthrough in local Internet history with its successful live webcast (broadcast through the web) of the New Year’s Eve celebration concert dubbed "Revolution 02" featuring premier recording and performing artist Gary Valenciano at the Bonifacio Global City last Dec. 31.

Internet surfers worldwide, especially his Filipino fans, saw the energetic Gary V performing live over the Web. The event was broadcast using the streaming technology provided by ePLDT, the Internet arm of PLDT.

"Streaming or webcasting technology enables live or on demand distribution of audio, video and multi-media on the Internet," ePLDT chief technology officer Emmanuel Dizon said, adding that webcasting is the same technology that they use for PLDT’s quarterly investors’ briefings and other corporate events.

"As soon as the webcast started, quite a number of viewers started to get connected. The number increased steadily and this was sustained until the end of the webcast. Among the positive feedback received were from Internet users from the United States and Japan," Dizon added.

ePLDT’s Vitro IDC (Internet Data Center) hosted the streaming server while I-Gate (PLDT’s premium Internet gateway service) provided the Internet bandwidth. PLDT Fixed provided the connectivity of the concert site at Bonifacio Global City to Vitro IDC.

ePLDT is also offering the same webcast services to all interested parties who want worldwide exposure. It has the most extensive array of new-media solutions for almost any application. With GMA New Media and INQ7 as media partners, the webcast URL was published both on GMA Network’s and INQ7’s web sites.

One of PLDT’s goals for 2002 is to dominate and lead the broadband business. "The successful webcast of Revolution 02 proves the infrastructure PLDT and ePLDT built to be at the forefront of the new-media business is a force to reckon with," according to ePLDT co-managing director.

PLDT is the leading telecommunications provided in the Philippines. Through its three principal business groups – fixed line, wireless, and Internet and multimedia – PLDT offers a wide range of telecommunications services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiber optic backbone and fixed line, cellular and satellite networks.

EPLDT is the principal vehicle for PLDT’s Internet, e-commerce and multimedia initiatives and will eventually serve as the holding company for PLDT’s existing interests in a number of business including cable television through Home Cable and the Internet through Infocom Technologies.

Meanwhile, although last year was not a good year for telecommunications companies all over the region, PLDT bucked the trend and was cited the best in terms of investor relations by the prestigious Asiamoney magazine.

Referring to the challenging year that Asian companies had to go through, Asiamoney writers Olivia Chow and Robert Law noted that "it takes real quality of management to keep investors on your side when everything around you is going horribly wrong."

The premium and importance of PLDT gives to its investors is further validated by the company’s number two ranking in terms of accessibility to senior management and number five in corporate governance.

Aside from grabbing the top spot in investors relations, PLDT also landed number one in the best corporate website category, an award which the company credits to its leadership in the new media business.

PLDT also figured highly in the list of overall best managed company for 2001 and proved its stability by ranking well in the list of best managed companies over the last 10 years.

Asiamoney’s 10th annual best managed companies poll was faxed to nearly 2,000 fund managers, chief investment officers, and head of research and fund management firms, insurance companies, and brokerage houses in the Asia Pacific region, Europe and the US.

The magazine in 1997 voted PLDT one of the best managed companies in the Philippines.