EasyCall spins off Internet, call center operations

Easycall Communications Philippines Inc. (ECPI) will spin off the operating assets of its Internet and call center businesses into a new wholly-owned subsidiary, the company told the Philippine Stock Exchange.

ECPI said the move is in line with efforts to streamline its operations following the closure of its paging business.

It said the assets to be transferred to the new company will form part of its capital contribution into the said subsidiary.

ECPI recently signed an agreement with US-based Centralized Marketing Co. (CMC) to jointly establish a $1-million call center company in the Philippines.

CMC is a multi-awarded call center company which focuses on high-margin accounts. At present, it has a 250-seat call center operation.

Under the agreement, both companies will initially contribute $500,000 each for the incorporation of a new firm that will handle their proposed venture.

ECPI said the partnership will accelerate its entry and access into the huge US call center market and will provide for technology transfer by CMC to the company covering best practices in call center operations, training expertise and other areas of technology collaboration.

The company’s board also approved a P5-million investment in iAspire.net (Phil.)Inc., representing a 25 percent equity participation to enhance and support ECPI’s Internet operations.

iAspire is affiliated with iAspire Singapore, which has been very successful in managing services to corporate clients in Singapore. The investment will help increase the utilization of ECPI’s data center facility and Internet infrastructure and will subsequently contribute to higher revenues for the company in the months to come.

To support these new investments and working capital requirements, the board approved the issuance of additional 50 million shares at a par value of P1 per share, which will be fully subscribed by ECPI’s new strategic partner, Global E-Business Solutions Inc. (GEBSI), the information technology subsidiary of the Transnational Diversified Group of the Delgado family.