Philippines - WiMAX

Pacific Internet Announces Plan for WiMax Rollout in the Philippines

SINGAPORE, April 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pacific Internet Ltd., the largest telco-independent Internet Communications Service Provider by geographic reach in the Asia Pacific region, today announced a major investment and expansion plan for Pacific Internet Philippines (PI PH). PI PH will invest over US$12 million in building a wireless broadband infrastructure, initially in the Greater Metro-Manila area.

This will be the first rollout of a WiMax infrastructure in the Philippines. The plan includes multiple wireless technologies to support its core business: leased lines and broadband Internet access and other IP-based services mainly for corporate customers. PI PH has recently been assigned the 15MHz spectrum in the 2.5-2.7 GHz band, suitable for Broadband Wireless Access for business customers and professionals.

Managing Director of PI PH, Ms Jojie Yap, said, "We are especially delighted to have been assigned the BWA spectrum, as this will allow us to expand our range of services to both corporate and individual customers. By owning our infrastructure we can achieve lower cost of sales and better margins. Pacific Internet Philippines looks forward to strengthening its position among the leading Internet service providers in the Philippines and offering the widest choice of broadband services, as well as more value-added IP services.''

PI PH recently launched PacNet Vocal, a VOIP service, which, among other features, provides un-metered calls between the subscribers, wherever they may be located.

The infrastructure expansion will make PI PH an important component in PacNet's regional strategy, by providing the means to extend corporate networks from the other PacNet countries into the Philippines, while having full end-to-end control over the service delivery and quality. PI PH will also be able to strengthen its brand name and market positioning by owning its infrastructure down to the last mile.

Ms Yap added, ''Customer satisfaction has always been our company's driving force and we continue to listen to the pulse of the market in all the initiatives that we have laid out for the forthcoming years. Our company is one of the pioneers in the Philippine ISP industry, and we shall continue to bring exciting developments to meet the market's increasing demand for more choices and better alternatives.''

Mr. Phey Teck-Moh, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Internet Limited said, ''We are delighted that PI PH is set to be the first to rollout WiMax there. This expansion is in line with Pacific Internet's five-year business plan announced in 2006, to transform Pacific Internet into an IP- based Communications and Solutions Provider.''

PDSI secured its Congressional Telecommunications Franchise in 2001, and its wireless operating license in 2005.

See also Pacific Internet