SKY launches broadband service in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Widely known as a cable connection provider, SKY has expanded its range of services through introducing its SKYBroadband service in order to cater to the increasing number of internet users in the Philippines .

SKYBroadband service promises a distinct broadband service from other existing services with a 1.5Mbps up to 12 Mbps speed package for residential accounts.

Ronnie Pacio, SKY area director for Visayas said in an interview with The Freeman that they saw the need to develop value added services such as the SKYBroadband because the “cable industry is nearing its peak.”

He said that unlike before, there is not much growth in the number of houses and the need for cable connection though he said that they still have a lot of cable users.

Source: The Freeman Cebu

However, Pacio said that there is a greater internet demand and the need of the people for higher speed.

Pacio explained that common complaints of the public when it comes to internet connection are the speed and the reliability.

He said that at present, most residential broadband internet connection is only up to 3Mbps but for SKYBroadband, the connection starts at 1.5Mbps up to 12 Mbps. “SKY was able to answer the need of the people and now you can do more like multi-tasking without slowing the connection.”

Pacio said that they already have the ZPDee Broadband service but decided to upgrade and rebrand the service in order to accommodate the needs of internet users.

ZPDee customers with the 512 kbps will now be upgraded to the 1.5 mbps and higher.

The SKYBROADBAND was introduced to Luzon in the early part of this year but Pacio said that they needed to ensure everything would be okay first before they brought it to Cebu.

Pacio said that they still have a conservative target for this year for those who would avail of the service in Cebu since they are still trying it but they are optimistic of how the public would anticipate SKYBROADBAND since it raved good review in Manila where it was launched especially classes A and B market, which are their target customers.

Pacio said they have state-of-the-art technology that assures the high-speed connection for the users which would be at par with high speed broadband services offered abroad.

Aside from the new service, Pacio said that they are aiming to venture in to other value-added service and other innovations in order to cater more to the needs of their customers like going digital by next year.

He said that they will be coming up with improvements that would mean new technologies and facilities, which Pacio said is quite expensive, but will do so to continue offering quality services.

Pacio said that fortunately also, they were not affected with the global crisis and they did not lose their customers.

The SKYBroadband will be offered in four packages starting with the 1.5 Mbps package that goes for those who have SKYCABLE connections, which they will have a P175 discount. The package is offered at P1, 199 monthly subscription fee. The next package is the 3 Mbps package with a monthly subscription fee of P2,499.

The Plan 6 Mbps offered at P4,999 and the Plan 12 Mbps at P6,999 includes free installation, free modem and a free SkyCable subscription.

Pacio said that they have identified some areas where the SKYBroadband would initially be available in the city like in Banilad, Talamban, Capitol Site, Guadalupe, and in Mandaue city and Consolacion.

ATMCI: Wealth of experience in project management

CEBU, Philippines - One sector that has continued to grow despite the global financial crisis is the construction industry and evidence of that are the many projects that you can see sprouting in various areas around Metro Cebu.

With millions, sometimes a few billions of pesos spent to build these projects, investors tap a group of project managers to ensure that what they want can be done within the budget and following the quality standards that they have set.

One firm that specializes in such business is Asian Technicon Managers and Consultants, a Manila-based company that has 20 years experience in handling various construction projects around the country.

While we stereotype those involved in the business a male, at the helm of ATMC Inc. is Archt. Lily Pio Roda, the company president.

In an exclusive interview with The Freeman, she said that she and many of those who joined her when the company started used to work for the Ayala Group. It was after they completed the project in Brunei, including the construction of the palace, that she asked permission to leave the company and form her own.

Fast forward to 20 years hence, the company has been involved in the construction of various projects in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon and lately also in Cebu.

“Our first project in Cebu was Persimmon tower 1, which we started in June 2008,” she said. The project is nearing its full completion and a second tower is scheduled to be built.

Currently, their company is also managing the Insular Life Tower project inside the Cebu Business Park.

“Our role is to represent the owner in the projects and oversee the completion.”

To be more specific, as project managers ATMCI assigns a resident manager to each of its projects. The company makes sure that the projects are within budget and that the contractors would strictly follow the requirements set by the designers and architects.

It may seem like spending other people’s money, by Mrs. Pio Roda said, that “it’s not that easy.”

“We are answerable to the owners, so if there is a problem we have to solve it.”

She added, “Our major concerns are time, cost and quality.”

All the key personnel of ATMCI in Cebu right now come from their head office in Manila where they have about 200 employees.

“We hire locals also to help out our staff from Manila and in the process they also get trained about how things are done.”

Mrs. Pio Roda regularly visits the various construction sites. In Metro Manila alone, their company is managing 21 projects.

ATMCI is truly an answer to the call of the construction industry for an independent that will act as orchestrator among project participants.

Source: The Freeman Cebu