And technology of the Internet-connection kind has made staying in touch more convenient, easier and cheaper, too. Whether one uses the Internet for school or office work, for communicating with family and friends, or for leisure and entertainment, the right Internet connections can make it all happen for you.
With a Globelines Broadband connection, Internet access everywhere and anywhere is simple. Imagine, you can get connected at speeds ranging from 384 kbps to 2 MB depending on the plan you get. There are three plans: Express unlimited Internet access, which gives you broadband connections with speeds of 384 kbps for P995 per month; the Silver plan with connection speeds of 768 kbps for P1,995 per month; and for heavy Internet users, the Gold plan which gives you speeds of 2 MB for P2,995 a month.
Globelines Broadband has Internet connections for homes and businesses, allowing fast and easy access to information, communication and entertainment.
"What Globelines has done is to help broadband users maximize the service is to develop a User Portal where they can experience a number of content and applications," said Matthew A. Lloren, Globelines product management and development head. "What we did was to give our clients more options, on top of the regular and more popular e-mail and chat."
But, just to let us know that Globelines is not all talk, Lloren walked us through (as we sat in front of laptops) the content and applications available for their broadband subscribers.
It began as we entered the User Portal, which we accessed at Globelines’ website: www.globelines.com.ph.
We got a feel of the Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP) Softphone, which is a postpaid reloadable account where one can place calls to anywhere, including overseas to more than 52 countries at a low IDD rate of $0.05 per minute.
"Go ahead, try and make a call," urged Lloren. We did try to make an overseas call – unfortunately, the other party was not picking up. Using the softphone, which works much a like a landline phone, the connection seemed clear. "The Softphone is more for IDD calls than local calls," added Lloren. "It is a service that we want our OFW subscribers to enjoy when they call their relatives abroad."
All the Globelines Broadband subscriber has to do to use the web phone or download the Softphone is to connect to the User Portal, attach their headset to their computers and start making calls.
Calls done, we moved on to the next feature of Globelines Braodband.
The Gimikan shows real-time views of key areas in cities all over the world. These are webcam images from parts of Australia, Asia, the United States, Europe, Russia and the Philippines. Lloren informed us that the service is useful if you are planning a trip to any of these destinations. At least before you leave you can get a feel of what the place is like. There are plans to include more places of interest.
For a glimpse of the best travel destinations, culture and food from all over Asia and the Pacific, the Globelines User Portal gives broadband subscribers access to the Living Asia Channel. Five-minute travel video clips from this cable and satellite television channel can be viewed right on your computer. This service is also useful for students who need information about different places in the world. The five-minute documentaries are very informative. We watched a cockfight. It was interesting seeing how much planning and skill goes into such a brutal pastime.
One can also tune into local AM and FM stations. With the Internet Radio by eRadio Portal, you can tune in to your favorite radio station to catch the latest news and your favorite songs while surfing the web. And these stations don’t have to be Manila-based – we were able to listen in on an FM station in Cebu. "I have a colleague who likes to listen to the music in Cebu," said Lloren. "She is able to do just that with the eRadio Portal."
Of course, there are also those who subscribe to broadband primarily keep in touch with family and friends both here and abroad. A broadband Internet connection makes popular web messaging and web conferencing – widely used by today’s youth and the families of OFWs – possible.
Lloren linked us up to two Globelines Broadband subscribers in Batangas via web conferencing, demonstrating the many possibilities of broadband.
Both subscribers agreed that with Globelines Broadband they have not only been able to stay in touch with their families abroad, they have also been able to see them.
With the kinds of connections we can make over the Internet, talking is no longer enough even if it is cheaper. Seeing loved ones in real-time is what truly makes the happiness complete. It’s just like being together.
Indeed.