Sky Vision launches new Internet cable modem service

Sky Vision Corp., operator of SkyCable, launched yesterday a new Internet cable modem service.

Carlo Tria, Sky Vision managing director, said that for this alone, they are targeting about 2,000-4,000 high-value customers, mostly in key business districts and premier residential areas of Metro Manila.

Called ZPDee, the service promises to revolutionize web surfing and electronic correspondence for some 350,000 SkyCable subscribers nationwide.

Tria said that since ZPDee uses cable instead of telephone lines, customers will not experience busy signals and dropped calls.

With a cable modem, ZPDee users can access the Internet through the same SkyCable line that provides their television sets with over 70 channels, thereby, eliminating the need for an additional phone line.

He explained that a SkyCable line has significantly more bandwidth than a twisted-pair telephone line, enabling it to transfer huge amounts of information in a much shorter time.

Thus, ZPDee subscribers can download practically all programs available online including video materials, with unmatched speed.

The service also boasts of value-added services such as a TUCOWS mirror, e-mail, news, FTP/Web and chat services. The TUCOWS mirror is not available in any other cable Internet company.

TUCOWS collates updated versions of programs web surfers commonly download.

Tria pointed out that while the standard computer modem for dial-up service can reach speeds up to 56 kilobits per second, ZPDee can reach 40 megabits per second which is 182 times faster although very few computers or content provider servers can take advantage of the speed.

"Obsolescence is not going to be an issue here. We can upgrade the system without being tied to one supplier who may or may not develop improvements in their hardware," Tria said.

Tria also cited other benefits of ZPDee such as maximum reliability, 24-hour customer support and an all new Internet protocol (IP) network.

ZPDee, he said, has five redundant, fully-dedicated, high-speed connections to the Internet backbone reaching different points in US and Asia, thereby, guaranteeing consistent speed of service even as more subscribers sign up.

Already, SkyVision has set aside some P600 million for ZPDee rollout which began in Makati City and Pasig City although there are plans to extend the service in major Metro Manila villages over the next two years. Eventually, the service will be available nationwide.

To address different Internet usage requirements, Tria said ZPDee offers a range of pricing packages tailor-fit to the subscribers' needs and habits.

Sky provides cable televisions services in Metro Manila and in other parts of the country such as Cebu, Iloilo, Baguio, General Santos, Tagum, Naga, Cavite, Ilocos Region, Pangasinan and Bulacan through its various cable operator subsidiaries.