PLDT bags best emerging market carrier award

Telecommunications leader Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) bagged the best emerging market carrier award in recognition of its excellent financial and market performance by Telecom Asia, one of Asia’s largest regional telecommunications publishing groups.

The 2004 Telecom Asia Awards, which has been held yearly by Telecom Asia since 1998, recognizes the best telecommunications firms across Asia.

PLDT bested many other leading carriers in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka under the emerging market category.

"We have proven once again that PLDT can compete with the best telecommunications firms in Asia, and we can only promise that the company will continue to strive to get better and better in the years to come," PLDT president and CEO Napoleon Nazareno said.

The winners were chosen based on a two-stage process. Telecom firms were first assessed based on their combined financial, market and technology trends using financial performance analysis tools by telecom research firm the Yankee Group in order to come up with a shortlist.

An expert judging panel then scored the shortlisted companies on market leadership, ability to innovate and corporate governance.

Robert Clark, chairman of the judging panel, said the diversity of this year’s winners highlights the maturing of telecommunications markets in Asia, much of it under the pressure of competition.

"The results also suggest operators in emerging economies are performing in many ways to the same level of their counterparts in more developed markets," he added.

The Telecom Asia group publishes the magazines Telecom Asia, Wireless Asia and Telecom China and runs the website www.telecomasia.net. The magazines serve more than 80,000 subscribers.

US-based Yankee Group is one of the global leaders in communications and networking research and consulting.

Since late 2003, PLDT has received a string of awards as a result of its strong financial and operational performance, focus on innovative telecommunications solutions, and good corporate governance. The awards include the Best Managed Company award from two different surveys conducted by leading finance magazines Asiamoney and FinanceAsia, as well as the Reader’s Digest SuperBrands 2004 Platinum Award for being the most trusted and preferred brand for telecommunications services in the country.