BayanTel, 3D Networks join forces for outsourcing venture

Lopez-owned Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel) has partnered with 3D Networks to attract more investments in the call center and business process outsourcing businesses from the US and Europe by offering end-to-end telecommunication and systems solutions to potential investors.

Under the partnership, BayanTel will serve as the telecommunication solutions partner in the Philippines of 3D Networks for its various initiatives as a leading end-to-end systems integrator in Asia for various businesses spanning vertical markets such as finance, contact centers, information technology, manufacturing, health and retail. 3D Networks is owned by the Singapore-based Planet One company and is recognized around the world as a high-capability Nortel Networks partner.

Junie Pama, BayanTel vice president for corporate and business markets said the partnership with 3D Networks promises ICT investors a full breadth of services that would streamline and fast track the process to set up operations in the Philippines.

BayanTel counts major call centers in the country as its top clients and the partnership with 3D Networks is seen to further expand its market reach in the industry.

Pama said investments in information and communications technology (ICT), particularly in call centers, is expected to continue to grow in the medium term and the partnership would position BayanTel and 3D Networks in the forefront as end-to-end solution providers to potential investors. Just recently, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) projected that the total number of call center seats would hit 40,000 (about 64,000 jobs) this year, which is double the number of seats in 2003.

At the same time, while the US has been the main source of investments, DTI reported that European firms are also now considering the Philippines as a call center hub.

"We will harness our resources and skills from our strategic partnerships and broad regional presence to continue making Philippines more competitive to attract ICT investments. Having BayanTel as our partner to provide the reliable telecommunications infrastructure, we are confident of bringing in more investors to consider the Philippines as a hub for their operations," according to Glenn Espino, 3D Networks country manager.

3D Networks is a leading systems integrator in the Asia Pacific region. It designs, builds, deploys and manages communications infrastructure and is the sole pan-Asian platinum partner of Nortel Networks.