PLDT partners with software, computer hardware companies

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) has recently forged new partnerships with leading software and computer hardware companies to expand its innovation laboratory and churn out new innovative solutions for clients and thereby uplift information and communications technology (ICT) capability in the country.

Intel, Microsoft, ProSoft, GIS, JIMAC, IBM Avaya, Veritas and Microdata teamed up with PLDT in the expansion of the PLDT InnoLab, where research and development on telecommunications technologies, training, applications testing and live product demonstrations can be conducted.

The expansion involved converting the whole PLDT TelTEC Building on Boni Street in Mandaluyong City into the PLDT InnoLab Building, where PLDT InnoLab used to occupy only a mere 116-square-meter area.

The new partners for PLDT InnoLab provided the applications and some of the equipment for demonstration, training, and research and development activities with government, academe and PLDT clients. PLDT also added new laboratory and training rooms as well as additional solutions showrooms.

During the recent 2nd anniversary celebration of PLDT InnoLab, PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said this expansion of the facility and the new alliances with suppliers reflect PLDT’s commitment to innovate offer clients the best services.

"Again, the industry is approaching a new era, a new inflection point and a new future. It is our conviction at PLDT that the key to that future will continue to be innovation. Innovation would continue to be the key to our success and our survival," he said in his speech.

PLDT President and CEO Napoleon L. Nazareno said, "PLDT InnoLab is a facility that serves as catalyst for technology innovation and business development. It therefore serves as an incubator for both our clients and the academe, providing hands on experience on various PLDT products and services."

He emphasized also that this "would not have been possible without the support of the government, our valued clients and business partners."

Board of Investments Executive Director Celeste Ilagan, who represented Trade and Industry Secretary Juan B. Santos and read his speech, said PLDT InnoLab would usher in a new generation of product development.

"There is no doubt that its operations will boost public awareness of state of the art technological applications for our business and industrial sectors and upgrade the skills and abilities of our knowledge workers and therefore fortify our country’s position as a world-class service provider," she said as she read Santos’ speech.

Virgilio Peña, Commission on Information and Communications Technology chair, likewise believed that PLDT InnoLab enhances the role of PLDT as a major partner in the growth of ICT in the country.

"Being an old IBM hand, we’ve always believed that solutions is what we need to sell and I’m glad that InnoLab is serving solutions rather than equipment and services. I hope to see more InnoLabs around the country," said Peña in his speech.

Eric R. Alberto, PLDT Senior Vice President for Corporate Business Group, said PLDT InnoLab has indeed been a pioneering endeavor that PLDT will continue to develop.

"Upon it’s launching in 2003, it has been recognized as a genuine Philippine first and, to quote one of the deputy commissioners of the National Telecommunications Commission, InnoLab is an unprecedented undertaking that must be emulated by other players. The overwhelming response from different sectors inspired us to utilize this whole building," he explained.

PLDT InnoLab now has a memorabilia walk showing equipment, pictures and other paraphernalia depicting events in PLDT’s colorful 76-year history. There are also six special showrooms for demonstrating PLDT’s products and services in real-life scenarios.

These showrooms include the Banking Solutions Room, Manufacturers’ Solutions Room, Call Center Solutions Room, Retailers Solutions Room, Residential Solutions Room, and Resort Solutions Room.

PLDT’s new partners for PLDT InnoLab provided server equipment, total application packages, automated teller machines and licenses for banking and manufacturing solutions, retailers’ point-of-sale (POS) application and hardware, total package for call center and IP telephony, replication software for disaster recovery solution, and videocon packages for PLDT’s videocon solutions.

These partners committed to jointly develop solutions that would help the country, especially the business community, become globally competitive.

In 2003, PLDT launched its InnoLab in Manila and signed separate agreements with the University of the Philippines and the Department of Science and Technology, through the Advanced Science and Technology Institute, involving key research and development projects on information and communications technology.

PLDT, UP, and ASTI have agreed to undertake projects that will include but not limited to rural telecommunications, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), mobile telecommunications, broadband networking, toll on-line billing system, and wireless communications.

The following year, another InnoLab was launched in Cebu. The launching included the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CEDF-IT, a foundation for the development of information and communications technology in Cebu, and another MOU with Cebu Investment Promotions Center. These agreements aim to strengthen the ICT capabilities of the region’s human resources and attract investments in Cebu.