PLDT to take advantage of rapid growth in Internet access

MANILA, Philippines - Dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) has positioned itself to take advantage of the exploding number of Internet access devices in the country that is expected to reach 45 million by 2016.

PLDT executive vice president Ariel Fermin said in a statement that the buoyant communication device development could be attributed to a variety of factors.

This, according to him, includes the steep device financial assistance offered by local providers who resell majority of new model of phones and the growing array of gadgets below the P10,000 mark available in the market today.

Fermin, who is also head of PLDT HOME Business, said International Data Corp. (IDC) predicts the total number of devices, including personal computers (PCs), internet access devices (IADs), and tablets in the country will reach more than 45 million by 2016.

“I think the consumers’ need to be connected, mostly for communication and entertainment, are the ones driving the penetration of various gadgets in consumers’ lives,” he stressed.

He pointed out that there are some key barriers to address in realizing the connected home concept despite the fact that there is a concerted effort by gadget manufacturers and operators to keep things really interesting by introducing innovative offerings and more accessible price points and plans.

Local consumers now have an increasing number of digital communications and entertainment options, but few of them work well together. Each device satisfies shared, overlapping needs of individual members of the family both in and out of home.

“As consumers crave for [high-speed] broadband connection, there is a need for industry players to step harder on the plate and work towards delivering consumer expectations on user-experience - that is seamless and intuitive across devices and operating systems,” he added.

The connected home concept is in line with global industry players’ vision of a networked society by 2020, where there will be more than 50 billion connected devices in real time, changing the way people collaborate and communicate.

According to IDC’s WW New Media Market Model, 1H12: Worldwide and US Data report published in September last year,  households with broadband access in the country is expected to register an annual compound growth rate (ACGR) of 7.3 percent over the next five years, with the number of homes with broadband connection reaching 2.4 million by 2016.

The IDC report also shows that there would be more than 29 million devices in the hands of local consumers by 2016, or an ACGR of 16.7 percent from the 13.5 million gadgets in 2011.

As such, operators continue to develop alternatives for the masses to enjoy digital connectivity.

Fermin said that the ones who appreciate this reach-out strategy are the young teens who know the value of being always connected – anytime, anywhere, any device.

Majority of these young consumers also prefer to communicate via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter in favor of the traditional email messages.

Fermin believes that the advent of handy and form factor tablets is one of the driving factors why PLDT’s Telpad, the world’s first landline and tablet in one, is becoming a household preferred device to stay connected with friends and family, either locally or overseas.

He added that with the Telpad along with the reliable connections of PLDT’s myDSL, and in some areas, Fibr, the company’s latest solid broadband solution, they are doing their part to provide the strongest connections at home.

“The concept of a Connected Home has transformed from basic connected home networks to a combination of having an array of devices with compelling features, broadband-enabled services and multifunctional set-top boxes,” Fermin added.

The key to getting the consumers on availing various [connectivity] services in the market is always grounded on how much value these services would bring to their lives and family at home.

“The connected home is our vision on how individuals can easily use and enjoy their various digital content, entertainment, and communications resources,” Fermin said.

Local families that require solid and uninterrupted connectivity should consider using fixed broadband connection, the most reliable network solution today, Fermin concluded.