The lack of cooperation among telecom companies has been keeping the cost of Internet services in the Philippines elevated.  The National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) said Internet Protocol or IP peering should be put in place among telecom providers or carriers to improve Internet services.

Globe Telecom, the second most dominant telco in the Philippines, supports the proposal of the NTC.  Globe lawyer Froilan Castelo said there should not be any access charge to IP peering to maintain or lower Internet costs.  

IP peering refers to an agreement among companies to reciprocally provide access to each others' customers.  IP peering allows one ISP to connect with another, giving both entities a direct route for fast exchange of information. 

“A mandatory IP peering among major Internet service providers in the country would greatly improve internet speeds. The absence of an effective and applicable IP peering agreement among major telecommunications providers in the Philippines has been huge deterrent in further advancing internet development in the country. It is high time that the NTC addresses this issue squarely amid mounting calls of Filipino consumers for faster internet speeds,” Mr. Castelo said.

The NTC, in a recent joint hearing of the Senate committees on trade and public services, cited the lack of IP peering among local ISPs as one of factors that contribute to slower Internet speeds in the country. 

The NTC cited the case of Singapore and South Korean, both of which generate most of their Internet content locally, and as a result of IP peering, enhance Internet speeds.

Globe said 15 percent to 23 percent of all Internet traffic in the Philippines is domestic, which means domestic traffic originates and terminates in the country. However, up to 70 percent of this local traffic is being routed externally, such as in Hong Kong and the US, before returning to the Philippines. 

This means that instead of getting routed directly between origin and destination, data is routed outwards through large ISPs that sell transit before the data is routed back to its target destination, thus causing delay in data transmission and effectively slowing Internet connectivity.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the top telco in the country, however, said IP peering “cannot really address the objective of improving the speed of Internet services given that 80 percent to 90 percent of traffic goes overseas.”

"When IP peering was proposed in the past, we also raised concerns that this could compromise the quality and security of Internet traffic in the country," PLDT vice president Ramon Isberto was quoted as saying.

He said mandatory IP peering also lead to a situation where some parties "free ride" on the networks of others.

Filipinos spent US$419 million to buy more than 2 million smartphones in the first quarter of 2014 alone, market research firm Gfk said.

This made the Philippines the fourth largest market of smartphones in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, next to Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Gfk said in the Southeast Asia region, smartphone sales continue to intensify each consecutive month. Latest GfK data show that smartphone take-up had passed the halfway mark in the overall handset market which includes basic feature phones, making up 55 percent in March 2014 across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Smartphone sales volume continue to break its own record month after month to reflect its continued staggering growth of 43 percent in the first three months of 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. In value terms, the popular gadget generated nearly US$4.2 billion within January to March this year or 25 percent more compared to a year ago.

“Demand for mobile handsets is stabilizing as indicated by the slight two percent growth in volume sales, but we continue to see consistent deepening of smartphone penetration in this region,” said Mr. Gerard Tan, Account Director for Digital World at GfK Asia. “More than half the market today is contributed by smartphones and the trend will be sustained as the switchover in emerging markets takes precedence.”

The top three growth markets for smartphones according to sales volume in the first quarter were Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand which reported 68 percent, 59 percent and 45 percent increased sales respectively. 

Indonesia is also the largest market with consumers there buying over 7.3 million units or two-fifth of the region’s smartphones.

“The intensified penetration in Thailand and Vietnam was likely driven by the 3G launch last year, which served as a catalyst tipping consumers in these two countries towards the smartphone segment,” said Tan. “At the same time, a mix of Chinese and local brands have penetrated into the smartphone market of emerging countries with very attractively priced models to appeal to the low-end segment, managing to convert those consumers who cannot afford the premium phones.” 

This apparent trend is reflected by the fact that smartphones priced lower than US$100 turned in the strongest growth to become the largest contributing segment in dollar terms, accounting for over 30 percent in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, phablets, or large smartphones with screen size measuring over 5.6-inch have become increasingly sought after. Over 1.1 million units worth a total of US$567 million have been sold, with Malaysia and Indonesia being the biggest markets for this sector.

“Several popular international brands have officially announced the launch of a number of flagship models in the next two quarters of this year, and this could likely be holding consumers back from their purchases in anticipation of the new models,” said Tan. “We can be expecting these events to play a major contributing role in boosting the smartphone market further across this region to turn in yet another stellar performance,” he said.

GfK is a trusted source of relevant market and consumer information that enables its clients to make smarter decisions.

Smart Communications Inc., the top mobile phone company in the Philippines, claimed that its 55.4 million Filipino subscribers now have access to Smart Money virtual accounts, which they can activate as they choose.

Smart Money, the mobile money service of Smart eMoney Inc. said the number of transactions for Smart Money peer-to-peer transfers and domestic remittances surged 32 percent in May from the year ago.  The number of unique accounts also increased 16 percent year-on-year in the same period.
Meanwhile, revenues from the service jumped 124 percent in May as compared to the same month last year.

“The right factors are coming together for mobile money in the country and we’re seeing this in the positive growth for Smart Money. With more than 55.4 million Filipinos on Smart’s network enabled with ready mobile money virtual accounts, the potential is huge. That’s why we are constantly looking for ways to expand and enhance our various mobile money offerings to our subscribers. This will be a great tool for the majority of people with limited access to physical banking services.” said SMI president and chief wireless advisor Orlando B. Vea.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) shoew the volume and value of transactions in electronic money in general, including mobile money, have been steadily increasing, particularly since the regulating body issued its Electronic Money Circular in 2009.  

From 2010 to 2013, volume and value of transactions rose by 57 percent and 66 percent, respectively.

SMI said it stepped up its merchant acquisition and consumer uptake programs and has launched in the past year a number of financially-inclusive products that aim to bring even those in the bottom of the pyramid into the economic mainstream.

“We’re seeing a lot of online entrepreneurs, web and mobile commerce sites and brick and mortar stores accepting Smart Money. This will continue to grow as many businesses are now going mobile, with the increased smartphone and data services usage in the country.” said Benjie S. Fernandez, managing director at SMI.

SMI said it has also been developing new mobile financial services that leverages on their mobile commerce platform. Recently, Smart and SMI launched the first fully electronic Mobile Loan Saver program in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) that allows government employees to secure a loan from LANDBANK. 

“The mobile money infrastructure and services are already here and we will see more improvements to come.” Fernandez said.

Smart introduced its virtual wallet feature in 2010. As of March 2014, all 55.4 million Smart and Talk N Text subscribers have provisioned Smart Money virtual accounts which they can activate and use to receive money using the mobile phone. 

Soon, Sun Cellular’s 15.1 million subscribers will be enabled by the Smart Money mobile commerce platform. To enjoy Smart Money’s full features, a Smart Money card is needed. To get one, subscribers simply have to present a valid ID at any Smart Wireless Center. 

The new Smart Money cardholder may then enjoy its array of services, such as bills payment, peer-to-peer cash transfers, purchase of goods and services from partner MasterCard establishments worldwide and online, and the ability to withdraw from ATMS in the country and thousands of Cirrus ATMs around the world.

Smart said it has been at the forefront of mobile money innovations globally since 2000. Together with its subsidiary SMI, it has won numerous global recognitions including Best Mobile Money Service and Best Mobile Money for the Unbanked at the 2009 Asia Mobile Awards in Hong Kong; Most Innovative GSM Wireless Service for Customers given by the GSM Association in Cannes, France in 2001; and Most Innovative Service, Asia-Pacific Marketing Awards of MasterCard International in Sydney, Australia in 2001. It also won the National IP Award at the 2010 Ambassador Alfredo M. Yao National Intellectual Property (IP) Awards. 

Here is a collection of text greetings, text messages, SMS and quotes that convey appreciation for people you miss.

Everyday I miss you. I hope one day you will miss me too.

If only I don't care and ignore my feelings, I will say I don't miss you, but my friend it will never be true.

Missing someone is like telling her she is important and her absence disrupts your life in ways only lovers understand.

The most exciting moment in life is the feeling of missing a person so much, that you are willing to cross a great distance to be with that person, no matter how he or she reacts afterwards.

When I don't see you in the morning, the my heartbeat slows, the daylight dims, food becomes tasteless, my tongue turns speechless, and my mind cannot think of anything aside from the fact that I miss you.

Missing you brings out a level of anticipation similar to that of a traveller looking for water in an African desert, finding none, but still hoping, walking and moving until it is there.

I miss you because you make me think of you, even when you don't want me to. I miss you because you wake me up at night, even when you are asleep afar from my sight.  I miss you because your absence only means a thing, that one day you will appear again and show me why my life is exciting.

US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, who visited the Philippines on June 4, 2014, has recognized the substantial contribution of Filipino-Americans to the US economy.

In a speech before the American Chamber of Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Secretary Pritzker said about "4 million people of Philippine heritage contribute to the fabric of America."

She said more than 160,000 Filipino-owned businesses help drive the US economy every day.
Secretary Pritzker said among her dear friends of Filipino descent are Rhoda and Manny Valdez and Jaime August Zobel de Ayala.  "Jaime and I went to college together and remain in close contact. Of course those college stories will remain in college," she said.

She highlighted the special bonds between the two countries.  "Not only are America’s bonds with the Philippines truly special, our presence throughout the Asia-Pacific region is longstanding," she said.

Secretary Pritzker noted said through the Philippines, the US expanded its ties with the Asia-Pacific region.

"The US has been actively trading throughout the Pacific since the first American vessel Astrea reached Manila in 1797.  Today, the United States and the Philippines share a $24 billion per year trade relationship. And more broadly, American exports to the region now support more than 3 million US jobs," she said.

"The Asia-Pacific region has become a significant market for American products and services – and sales to and investments in the region by U.S. companies serve as the foundation for good jobs here and in the United States," she said.

She said inbound investment to the United States has been growing fast. "Just from the Philippines’ alone, foreign direct investment in the United States more than doubled between 2011 and 2012. And foreign direct investment from Asia now supports more than 970,000 US jobs," she said.

She said Asia-Pacific region will support the growth of the US and the world economic in the coming years.

"By 2022, the Asia-Pacific region will be home to 54 percent of the world’s middle class; By 2022, Asia-Pacific nations will import nearly $10 trillion of goods and services, nearly two-and-a-half times more than they do today. And through 2020, more than $1 trillion of infrastructure investment is needed in ASEAN to meet the demands of a growing population," she said.

Secretary Fritzker said the Asia-Pacific region will be an engine of global growth over the next decade, which will have a profound impact on how—and where—the world does business. 

"American firms want to be part of the solution as countries across the region look to support a growing middle class, develop world-class infrastructure, unleash sustainable energy, and invest in their futures. Our firms are also here for the long-term and want to help you reach your goals," she said.

"As true partners, the United States and the Philippines lift each other.  Our commitment remains steadfast and our fortunes will rise together," she said.

Sandvine, a leading provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for fixed and mobile operators said Smart Communications is using Sandvine's Network Policy Control solutions to support PowerApp – the world's first mobile Internet store – which allows users to purchase "bite-sized", application-specific, mobile service plans to fit their particular preferences and needs.

PowerApp, developed by Smart Communications' technology partner, Chikka Philippines, communicates with the data network to enable applications to dispense mobile data on demand, at precise speeds and bandwidths for highly valued services. 

Integrated with Sandvine's Usage Management solution, PowerApp offers users service plans, such as Email, Chat, Photo and Social packages, in 15-minute, 3-hour or per-day unlimited access, depending on the particular application and plan, for an incredibly low fixed price. The packages provide "always-on" access to top apps anywhere, without the need for a Wi-Fi connection.

"In the Philippines, nearly 95 percent of subscribers are on pre-paid or pay-as-you-go plans. PowerApp represents an affordable model that makes sustainable economic sense for consumers and for telcos, which are able to distribute data more efficiently and profitably across all customer segments," said Michele Curran , Data and International Services Head at Smart Communications. 

"With the perspective of emerging markets, Chikka together with Sandvine helped rationalize the mobile data business for Smart Communications, and together we are helping lead the worldwide race to connect the unconnected."

PowerApp was launched in December 2013 and already millions of Smart subscribers have adopted plans.

"Sandvine's Usage Management solution enabled us to create innovative service plans that are highly-valued by our customers, so they can keep posting, liking and tweeting everywhere they go, making the experience truly mobile," added Curran.

"To meet the needs of this emerging market segment, Smart Communications needed to quickly create new, innovative, app-like mobile data plans that offered access to highly-valued applications in affordable, bite-sized increments," said Tom Donnelly , co-founder and COO, Sales and Global Services. "Sandvine's Usage Management product offers the flexibility, ease-of-deployment and time-to-market advantages that rigid incumbent solutions, which rely heavily on custom professional services, could never deliver."

Mobile service provider Smart Communications Inc. has launched its mobile advertising service or digital ad to capture its share in the P2.2-billion digital advertising business in the Philippines.

Smart Media Convergence group head Leah Besa-Jimenez said the new service called Smart Ads deliver time- and location-sensitive ads to mobile phone users.
“The medium delivers more than awareness. It drives a sustained brand experience and creates opportunities for consumers to socialize with brands. Mobile is in every step of the whole purchasing cycle,” she said.

Executed on or with mobile devices, such as a smartphones and tablets, mobile marketing has the capability to deliver to a customer time and location sensitive, personalized advertisements promoting goods, services and even ideas.

The Smart Ads service is potentially lucrative for Smart as the Philippines was cited as the fastest-growing smartphone market in South East Asia.
For decades, advertisers have devoted a bulk of their spending on primetime radio and television spots to reach the largest possible audience. But with the rapid rise in mobile phone usage globally, advertisers no longer have to wait for their target market to go home and turn on their TV sets to get their message across.

With Smart Ads, companies have the potential to reach about 72 million mobile phone users.  Already, about 12 million Smart subscribers have opted-in have and been profiled for mobile advertising.  The figure is continuously growing as the majority of Smart subscribers are open to receiving mobile advertisements.

Aside from giving brands a wide and targeted reach, mobile offers deeper audience engagement, said Jimenez.
With synergies with the rest of the PLDT group which includes TV5 and Sun Cellular, Smart is in a good position to offer businesses a converged or mixed media strategy.

Smart and several industry partners have commissioned a pioneering industry study that will gauge the efficiency of brands' mobile ads using text messages.
The groundbreaking research activity, to be conducted along with the Certified Digital Marketer Program, Mobext, and the Philippine Association of National Advertisers, will provide information on the effectiveness of SMS campaigns, and provide measurable and valuable insights that can be used by brands for campaigns that will be forthcoming.

"In the Philippines, a lot of brands have employed SMS marketing campaigns to reach out to their customers, but no study has ever validated their effectiveness, or whether they provide adequate return on investment,"Jimenez said.

She said the mobile effectiveness study will be the first in a series of industry-wide research that will be supported by Smart, in its efforts to further boost efficient mobile advertising practices in the country.

Smart Communications Inc., a unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.(PLDT) has deployed its mobile service in the United States, targetting 3.5 million Filipino-Americans who have relatives in the Philippines.

PLDT said it has teamed up with T-Mobile to bring the uniquely Filipino mobile service in the US. Its unit called PLDT US Mobility launched the new service Smart World Mobile, which allows subscribers to get a US mobile number and a Philippine mobile number in one SIM. 

"This allows their loved ones in the Philippines to call and text them at Philippine local rates,” PLDT US Mobility general manager Enrique Yu said.

“With more affordable calls and text messages and an array of Filipino-centric value added services, Smart World Mobile makes connecting between Fil-Ams and their family and friends in the Philippines easier and more convenient,” PLDT senior vice president and PLDT Global Corp. chief executive Alex Caeg said. 

The no-contract, pre-paid service allows subscribers to choose from three monthly base plans of $25, $45 and $55.

“Smart World Mobile also gives subscribers 240 free text messages and free 30 minute calls to the Philippines every month, plus a 50 percent rebate on the base plan rate every third month,” he said.

PLDT president and chief executive Napoleon Nazareno said PLDT US Mobility’s partnership with T-Mobile would ensure nationwide coverage on the fastest LTE network in the US.  This will also connect them to the largest mobile subscriber base in the Philippines.

PLDT, through mobile subsidiaries Smart Communications and Sun Cellular, has more than 70 million subscribers in the Philippines while T-Mobile’s data network is said to have more capacity than any other nationwide network in the US.

“This partnership means subscribers will definitely enjoy unlimited text, calls, and data at very affordable rates,” said PLDT executive vice president and head of enterprise, international and carrier business Eric Alberto.

Smart World Mobile also provides relevant Filipino-centric services such as the reloadable mobile wallet that allows subscribers to send remittance at affordable rates.

The service also allows live streaming of Philippine TV with Smart Pinoy TV and send gifts and pay for utilities in the Philippines through the Smart Pinoy Store. 

Subscribers will also have access to e-magazines from popular Philippine publishing companies and e-books.

US-based subscribers may also avail of PLDT Home services such as landline and DSL services for their families and relatives in the Philippines.

“These are just some of the services that we are offering now but we are continuing to expand our portfolio to meet the growing communication requirements of our Filipinos in the US,” Yu said.

Globe Telecom expects higher revenues from mobile data business in the second half, on the back of the steady rise in the number of smartphone users.

“Growth in mobile data has been astounding and we see a tremendous amount of data stimulation due to the rise of smartphone usage among mobile customers. We continue to reap the gains of our network transformation with a more pervasive 3G and 4G network that helps drive mobile browsing adoption among our customers. The key is giving our customers a good data experience at prices they can easily afford,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

Cu said the number of Globe customers using mobile data more than doubled over the last six months, led by the rising number of smartphone users, which now accounted for 25 percent of mobile subscriber base of close to 41 million.

He said the steady upturn in the use of data-capable devices, as the company continued to attract high-end customers in both postpaid and prepaid segments, would help sustain demand for data solutions and connectivity.

He said Globe’s free Facebook offer, which ran for six months until April 2014, introduced many Filipinos to the convenience of mobile browsing as it enabled customers to stay connected through the popular social networking site for free.

The telecommunications company also signed an exclusive partnership with Spotify, the global leader in music streaming service in April, giving Globe customers free all-day music experience on mobile through new data plans. 

Globe also has an ongoing partnership with Viber, the most popular chat application provider.
Globe’s consolidated revenues rose 9 percent year-on-year to P23.2 billion in the first quarter, following strong subscriber uptake in both mobile and broadband business and sustained demand for data connectivity. 

Mobile browsing and other data revenues accounted for 15 percent of total mobile service revenues at P2.8 billion, up by 12 percent from P2.5 billion a year earlier.

Globe’s broadband subscribers hit 2.19 million as of end-March, up from 1.74 million a year earlier.

Here is a collection of lovers quotes and greetings for everybody.

A true lover. That's what I have become because of you.

From the way I saw you last night, I realized I wanted to see you again, every day and every night, for the rest of my life.

I miss you because I honestly love you.  I hope one day you will find in your heart to find mercy to forgive me.  Take care always.

The first time I glanced at you, I knew I was in trouble.  You rocked my world, in a way that was both painful and pleasurable.

What a joyful feeling it brings, when you tell a lie like you miss me.  What a fool I am willing to become, when I pretend I believe you, because all that matters is I love you.

Love is so short. Forgetting is so long. -- unknown

Don't fall in love with someone like he is your last choice. Fall in love with someone like he is your only choice.-- unknown

Here is a collection of daily inspiring quotes and greetings.

Anger is what you feel when you go to shower without water.  But a happy heart knows how to laugh about a minor incident like it.

The walls that divide us are the same walls that unite us.

My life is not perfect but the way I want it to be, but I am as fine as God wants me to become.

When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile."

In God's eyes, love is never absent. In God's heart, forgiveness is never impossible. In God's embrace, no one is ever alone or forgotten. Wear ur smile!:) TC.

Don't say something permanently hurtful just because you are temporarily upset.

"What you get by achieving your goals is not nearly as important as what you become by achieving them."- Zig Ziglar

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

If you can’t change the circumstances, change your perspective.

It's better to lose a lover, than love a loser.

Life is 10 percent of what happens to you and 90 percent of how you react to it.

True friends understand....
True friends give you space...
True friends never judge....
True friends forgive...
True friends accept who you are.

Bakit pag nakikita ka, bigla akong sumisigla? Isa lang ang ibig sabihin. May lagi kang dalang pagkain.

Kahit maganda at sexy ka, mahal na mahal kita. Good morning.

Dating maligalig at saan saan ang nais mapuntahan, sa buwan, ibang planeta o kahit na Greenland. Nang ika'y makilala mayroon akong nalaman. Ang paraiso pala'y sa tabi mo lamang.

Wag kang mag-alala, kaibigan kita. Di lalayo sa tabi mo pag may problema.  Pag nadapaka, sasabihan kita. Tama na, tumayo ka na.

Muntik na lang kitang minahal, buti na lang tinamad ako.

Giliw ko akoy nahihirapan na di mo ako pansin o maisip lamang. Sabihin mo sanang akoy iyong naaalala upang akoy makadama ng kaunting ginhawa.

Ang pagbati ng magandang umaga, ang ibig sabihin ang taong binabati ay mahalaga, at lagi mong gustong makita.  So para sayo, magandang umaga!

Gusto ko mang huwag magselos, pero ang tunay na nagmamahal, di makasunod sa utos, at may damdaming lubos, na parang isa lang sa mundo ang dapat kairog.

Ang beauty mo parang isang kisapmata. Kanina lang andian, bakit bigla na lang nawala.

Kapag nami miss mo madalas ang isang tao, isa lang ang ibig sabihin.  Hindi kayo.

Bawat umaga ay pagpapala.
Bawat tilaok ay hiyaw ng pag asa.
Bawat huni ng ibon ay awit ng tuwa,
At bawat paggising ay panibagong pakikibaka.
Diyos ay pasalamatan,
mamuhunan ng ngiti, sa Diyos ay bumati,
Upang sa buong araw maglaho  ang  pighati!

Inaamin kong akoy makasalanan, subalit kay Jesus ay ginawang banal.

We have the world's most unstable and earthquake-prone volcanic islands and deepest waters, but these islands and waters are ours, and have been ours since we became an independent nation more than a century ago.

We acknowledge China as one of the most dominant countries that have influenced our history as a nation, and for naming our biggest island, Luzon (Liu-sung).

We acknowledge the maritime superiority of China, which it first displayed 600 years ago, long before Western powers discovered Americas and the Pacific. Chinese Admiral Zheng explored South China Sea, a century ahead of Magellan and his crew. This enabled Chinese merchants to reach far flung islands in the Visayas and Mindanao, where ancient Chinese porcelains were later discovered.  They settled here and became a part of the population, long before the Spaniards, the British, the Americans and the Japanese mingled with the local race.

Our islands, more than 7,100 in total and surrounded with vast territorial waters that are unparalleled in the world, were united into a nation in 1898 and recognized with full independence in 1946. Isolated from the rest of the world, the Philippines is the most dynamic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea and on the path of the strongest storms in the planet.

We have survived as a nation despite the natural and military forces that invaded our islands.  We choose to stay because these are our islands and waters and we are ready to defend what is ours.

We view China's historical claim over South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) and display of maritime superiority as signs of greed perpetuated by powerful nations to justify continuous exploits of other islands way beyond their borders and way beyond the time of colonization.

Recognizing a historical claim based on maritime superiority is like allowing an old tyrant to continue to subdue others in this modern age, when countries are supposed to respect human rights and freedom of nations.

We will defend our islands and our waters, because these are ours.  These islands and waters belong to the Philippines, our nation.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. or PLDT said it will expand its fourth generation or 4G network in the Philippines with the deployment of 5,000 new stations to bring fast wireless connectivity to nearly all cities and towns in the country.

PLDT President and CEO Napoleon Nazareno said the expansion of PLDT long term evolution or LTE network is part of the thrust to provide broadband connectivity to the whole Philippines.

“It complements our efforts to provide connectivity to all Filipino homes through fixed lined services like our fiber-to-the-home and the next generation network services,” he said.

Smart Communications, a unit of PLDT, launched its mobile LTE service in 2012.   PLDT in April 2014 deployed the fixed wireless version of LTE, the first in the country, to provide high-speed wireless broadband services to homes via PLDT Home Bro Ultera that provides speed of up to 10 Mbps.  About 2,000 LTE base stations has so far been deployed.

PLDT Home Bro Ultera was originally launched in Metro Manila, but it was also expanded to provincial areas from as far as Cagayan province in Northern Luzon and Davao del Sur in Mindanao.

“This new service revolutionizes the country’s Internet experience as it enables more Filipino families to gain  ready access to multimedia services like social media, movies, games, and music,” PLDT executive vice president and Home Business Group head Ariel Fermin said.

"The take up of our PLDT Home Bro Ultera service has been phenomenal," he said. The LTE to the Home service utilizes time division-LTE, one of the two wireless data transmission technologies that fall under the international standard of LTE.

The deployment of more LTE base stations will also enable Smart to expand its high-speed mobile broadband service.

The expansion is a part of the PLDT group’s P32-billion capital expenditures for the year which also includes the ongoing expansion of its extensive fiber optic network, now reaching 85,000 kilometers, five times more than its competition.

The continuing expansion of its fiber optic cable network has enabled the PLDT group to reach more areas of the country with broadband services through both fixed and mobile technologies.

Yahoo! has come a long way, from just a simple email platform, to a media conglomerate that carries all types of news and articles, from around the world, about anything.
Yahoo! is fast and beats other media entities in breaking news. It carries legitimate news wires such as Reuters, AP and AFP. It also carries gossips, hearsays, fiction and lies.
The thing is not all articles that appear on Yahoo! should be read, as many of them are propaganda designed to endorse one brand, or to put down another.
Below are the seven types of articles that Yahoo! visitors should avoid reading to save their time and escape the feeling of being duped by a writer.

1. Fitness tips that keep contradicting other tips. Yahoo! publishes a lot of articles on fitness, like how to get those sculpted abs in one week, or in one month, or in four months.  Writers of these articles keep on debating Whether it is walking, or jogging, or running that is most effective in reducing weight.  One day, an article says it is walking, the next day, it will be jogging, and on another, running.  If this debate is endless, imagine the discussion on other issues.

2. Best tourist destinations.  Yes, Yahoo! will endorse tourist destinations in your face, and you cannot do anything to challenge it, like posting on the comment section, which will only make the article more popular.

3. Worst tourist destinations.  Yahoo! has the guts to make a list of the world's most overrated cities or tourist destinations, based on random interviews, or perhaps on the perception of one writer who has never seen an airport.

4. Biased news articles.  They are published simply to get attention. These controversial pieces are so divisive they get a lot of comments from netizens, which encourages Yahoo! to publish more of such type.

5. Humiliating experience.  Yes, Yahoo! makes the world notice how an athlete fumble a game or a movie celebrity snob a child.

6. Worst dress.  Yahoo! will tell you outright who is the worst dressed celebrity in an awards night.  It will also tell you who is the best dressed, and you have no choice but to agree.

7. Best cars of the year.  Yahoo! has the power to come up with a list, based on others' lists in fact, like the best cars or the worst cars, as if they own the automotive market in the world.

It is just an initial list of the most often criticized Yahoo! articles that leave readers perplexed everyday.  We hope that this list will make Yahoo! realize the power it has on millions of readers, who now turn to the portal for information.

 A breakthrough mobile data platform developed by Smart Communications Inc. will soon enable its subscribers to access the Internet on their mobile phones for as low as P1, the most affordable mobile Internet service to date.

Dubbed “PisoNet,” Smart’s new mobile Internet offer will be initially available to Talk ’N Text subscribers and shall allow access to all apps and websites on mobile phones for only P1 per 10 minutes, with the exception of video streaming sites and file-sharing activities.

The service, set to be rolled out this month, is more affordable than the standard P5 per 15-minute charging rate for mobile Internet.

“Now, one peso is all you need to access the Internet. PisoNet thus brings the many benefits of the Internet to more Filipinos nationwide, especially those who are accessing the Internet for the first time using their phones,” said Smart executive vice president and head of the wireless consumer division Charles Lim.

“With this upcoming service, the user is not limited to specific sites or apps.  They can thus access the mobile apps and sites that are most relevant to them at a more affordable price,” Lim said.

PisoNet is expected to surpass Smart’s growth momentum in mobile data, which grew 73 percent from last year’s figures, as more Filipinos gain access to the Internet via their mobile phones.
PisoNet will be delivered through a pioneering mobile internet platform which enables Smart’s mobile phone data network to efficiently manage and shape the flow of Internet data traffic. As a result, network resources are used more efficiently to deliver the internet services that people want.

“This platform unmatched by any other country in the world is a technical breakthrough that enables us to offer very affordable Internet ‘sachets’ sustainably,” Lim said. 

This means we can keep offering best-value mobile Internet products for as low as ‘piso,” he said.
This enables Smart to offer data services in “sachets” without sacrificing consumer experience, allowing subscribers to pay only for the Internet services that they need on an “always on” basis. 

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. or PLDT Group announced that its more than 66 million pre-paid subscribers of wireless brands Smart Communications Inc., Sun Cellular and Talk ‘N Text will have free access to mobile Internet for the next two months.

To avail of the free mobile internet offer, Smart, Talk N Text and Sun Cellular subscribers must have an available airtime balance of at least one peso, or is subscribed to any load bucket or promo.

The announcement is meant to win pre-paid subscribers from rival Globe Telecom, which will likely be forced to also announce its own free Internet, lest it will be left behind.

“We are launching this initiative to provide a much larger number of Filipinos the opportunity to try out and experience the Internet, enjoy its benefits," said PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan.

PLDT said subscribers could access the Internet either through data-capable feature phones or smartphones running on Android, iOS and Windows operating systems.  

Smart said under the promo, it would provide prepaid subscribers with free mobile Internet starting Sept. 26 until Nov. 30 with up to 30 megabits of data per day. Talk ‘N Text and Sun Cellular active subscribers can also enjoy the same privilege, it said.

PLDT president and chief executive Napoleon Nazareno said the company had the ability to provide the free Internet service, despite the additional 15 million smartphone holders going online simultaneously.  

"We have the capacity to handle the traffic," he said. 

Nazareno said the company anticipated losses from the free mobile Internet but this would be offset by the surge of subscribers because of the promo.
"The surge of new subscribers that we will get will offset whatever losses we will incur," he said. 

The PLDT group said through the special offer, non-mobile Internet subscribers could use their data-enabled mobile phones to browse through and post on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, visit their favorites websites, search on Google and Wikipedia, use navigation tools like Waze and Google Maps, book a cab or limo service via Easy Taxi and Uber, or use traffic info sites.

“They can also send and receive emails, read their favorite blogs or update their own blogs, listen to songs via Smart’s Spinnr music service, shop via online stores like Zalora, Lazada, book their travel details through sites like Skyscanner and Expedia, among other things – all without incurring data charges,” PLDT said.

PLDT, however, said data charges would apply to peer-to-peer uploads and downloads, videos, voice over Internet protocol and messaging.

“This special offer is specifically designed to assist our prepaid subscribers who make up the bulk of our population.  Many of them already have the mobile devices capable of accessing the Internet but have yet to use them to go online.  In this way, Smart can effectively promote digital inclusion and spread the benefits of the Internet in the fastest and most effective way possible,” Pangilinan said.

About 90 percent of mobile phone holders are prepaid subscribers in the Philippines.

Smart recently reported a 73-percent  hike in mobile data traffic, as smartphone prices continued to fall and innovative services like SmartNet and PisoNet allowed more Filipinos to gain access to the Internet via their mobile phones.

PLDT said it has rolled out about 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables all over the country which provides the transmission facilities needed to support Internet services.  

There was a time I thought I was in love, until I stopped drinking beer and going to night clubs.

I'll might nver be ur 1st kiss, ur 1st love, ur 1st valentine, or ur 1st fyt. I'm not in dis to be ur 1st anything.I just want 2 be ur last.

Don't expect to find the right person if you aren't willing to let the wrong one go

Thank you for bringing me happiness and joy all the time, and maybe for a life time.

"Be with someone who brings out the best in you, not the stress in you."

We can deny it as much as we want but in time our feelings will show.

Sometimes it's not the pain that makes you suffer, it's your own negative thought that makes things seem worst. Gets mo ?! 

A relationship without trust is like a car without gas, you can stay in it all you want, but it won't go anywhere.

Pagdating ng araw, mai inlove ka din sa akin, kaya ngayon pa lang, be good to me na. 

If you allow me to, I will take care of you.

Ibang klase ang pagka guapo mo.  Yun bang may pagka pangit.

Babae: Hanap ka nang hanap ng maganda, bakit guapo ka ba?
Lalaki: Bakit guapo lang ba ang naghahanap ng maganda?

Babae: Kung umasta ka, feeling guapo ka.
Lalaki: Walang pakialamanan ng feeling.

Bakit ba ang suplada mo?  Sa tingin ko, hindi mo lang nararamdaman, pero in love ka talaga sa akin.

Sa relationship laging may isang "mas" nagmahal kaya sa huli siya ang "mas" nasasaktan.

Pasan mo ang mundo, pero kinandong mo pa din ako.  Thank you Lord.

Ang hirap magkunwari na hindi na kita mahal, lalo pa't parang wala kang pakialam. Sa bandang huli, ako din ang nasaktan.

Sana may "?Seen" din sa text no? Para malaman natin kung binabaliwala tayo.

Madapa nga lang, masakit na. Eh yung Fall pa kaya nang walang sumasalo sayo. 

Wag kang assuming na mahal ka niya, porket nag text siya.
Minsan kasi, kailangan nya lang ng kausap dahil walang load ang mahal niya.

Bakit ka magpaparamdam sa taong hindi marunong makaramdam? Wag kang magpakatanga, sa taong hindi marunong magpahalaga.

Philippine Long Distance Co. has expanded its time-division duplex-long term evolution  network to over 400 cell sites as of end-September, strengthening its leadership in providing high-speed Internet services to more homes all over the country. 

The current total is more than double the 200 TD-LTE sites that were installed as of April this year from Cagayan to Davao del Sur.

PLDT said the additional TD-LTE cell sites would further expand the reach of its service in existing sites, such as Cebu, and cover new areas such as Bohol and the resort island of Boracay in Aklan. 

The expansion also covers other provinces in central and southern Luzon and Mindanao.  These facilities enable PLDT to deliver its Home Bro Ultera service that provides speed of up to 10 megabits per second for its customers, it said.

“We are continuously expanding our TD-LTE network to further strengthen connections at home, especially for those in the remote towns and provinces of our country, by providing access to the internet and allowing them to experience the benefits of broadband connectivity,” said PLDT executive vice president and Home business head Ariel Fermin.

PLDT Group technology head Rolando Peña said the expansion of the TD-LTE network "complements our efforts to broadband the entire Philippines via fiber-to-the-home and next generation network services.”

TD-LTE is one of the two wireless data transmission technologies that fall under the international standard of LTE, the other being frequency-division duplex which is used by mobile networks. LTE is also known as a 4G technology.

Smart deployed around 1,400 FDD LTE cell sites in various parts of the country as of end-September.  This brings the combined number of LTE cell sites for both fixed and mobile applications to over 1,800.

Each LTE cell site has three “sectors” or base stations, bringing the PLDT Group's total number of LTE base stations to around 5,500.

"PLDT HOME Bro Ultera service in a way revolutionizes the country’s Internet service as it enables more Filipino homes to gain ready access to multimedia services like social media, movies, games, and music,” Fermin said.