Flat-rate call, broadband propel PLDT fixed line business

By Erwin Lemuel Oliva INQ7.net



A FLAT-RATE per call promotion and the growth of broadband Internet have both boosted the fixed line business of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) in the second quarter of the year, the company said.
PLDT claims that paid subscribers to its fixed line subscribers increased by 12,200 during the second quarter. The 10-peso per call promo and the increase of its digital subscriber line (DSL) subscribers in this period have propelled the telephone company's business.

Fixed line revenues were however labeled "stable" during the first half of the year, but the company noted a 5 percent quarter-on-quarter growth to 12.4 billion pesos.

PLDT’s DSL subscribers have gone past the 60,000-mark, the company said.

Meanwhile the company has spent a total of 3.1 billion pesos in the first half of 2005 for upgrading its fixed line network into an IP-based system, also called next generation network. PLDT Expects to spend a total of 7 billion pesos by end of the year to upgrade its whole fixed line system.

"The next two years will be a reinvestment and reinvention phase for PLDT fixed line business, as we pursue our goal of progressing to our next-generation network; to simplify our network architecture; develop new revenue streams and growth opportunities; and [foster] closer coordination between our fixed and wireless businesses," said Napoleon Nazareno, president and CEO of PLDT and Smart Communications.

Local Internet awards

BAGUIO CITY-A government-run interactive opinion chatroom and electronic inquiry site on sexuality for young adults won an award last week for best practices in Internet-based public services from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec).

Nicknamed "Bonjing," this city's first government-run interactive website can be found in the baguio.gov.ph website under the "Young People in Baguio City" link. Registration is required to access the site.

Bonjing was among the 10 Philippine sites honored in Taipei by the Apec Digital Opportunity Center. ADOC was established in 2003 to address the "digital divide" problem, an issue raised during the 11th Apec economic leaders' meeting that same year.

Aside from Bonjing, the other awardees from the Philippines are: the Bureau of Internal Revenue digital filing system, the National Library, the Bulacan provincial government, the Upi town of Maguindanao, the Central Visayas Information Sharing Network Foundation, the University of the Philippines Open University, the Advanced Science and Technology Institute, the Mindanao State University in Iligan and the Northern Mindanao State Institute.

Frank discussion on sex

City officials here are hoping that Bonjing will become an avenue for unbiased political and religious discussion on sexuality, population management and the AIDS epidemic in this part of the country, according to Erwin Manaois, city information technology officer.

The website was launched on May 16 with the goal of engaging teenagers in a frank discussion about how, when and where sex should take place.

Mayor Braulio Yaranon approved the project based on a concept developed by Dr. Cecilia Brillantes.

In a May interview, Teodora Catolos, the city's population program officer, said Brillantes' original plan was for the website to evolve into an e-counseling service because it would guarantee absolute anonymity for teenagers.

Catolos said teenagers and young adults would not openly go to professionals for help, based on information from government-run and privately owned counseling services.

Anonymity

"The telephone counseling services work because of the anonymity [they provide], but there is even more anonymity on the Net," Catolos said in Filipino.

She said the website's biggest come-on was the fact that questions were answered by some of Baguio's experts on sexuality, health and population management.

The city government had also forged ties with civic groups such as Baguio Center for Young Adults (BCYA), Child and Family Services Philippines Inc. (CFSPI) and Ebgan Inc., a gender rights advocacy group.

No censorship

Some of the experts have jokingly referred to the city project as "a condom website" because it provides better information about sexuality than what the government allows.

The website does not censor discussions, even allowing criticisms on the government's AIDS and population programs.

Globe Telecom becomes 1st RP carrier to make 3G video call

By EMMIE V. ABADILLA


Globe Telecom Inc. beat other local operators in the race for 3rd Generation (3G) technology when it completed the first 3G video call in the Philippines over its 3G trial network recently, announced President and CEO Gerardo C. Ablaza, Jr.


Using a 3G trial permit and frequencies from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Globe completed its first 3G video call last month, allowing not just voice but full-motion real-time videos between two mobile subscribers.

Globe has committed to invest in 3G trials to make sure it will be ready to offer the service in due time, the Ablaza explained.

"Now, 3G is upon us and we are ready," Ablaza declared. "This video call is another milestone in the evolution of Globe — one of many steps we are taking to understand and build the next generation of telecommunications technologies and services."

With 3G technology and services, subscribers will not only hear, but see loved ones — in the country and abroad.

Mobile phone users can watch the news, favorite TV shows, or sports highlights while commuting to and from the office. They can also download and listen to the latest music, wherever and whenever they want. 3G promises the public even richer experiences and greater convenience, on top of the full mobility that only cellular service provides.

"Just a decade ago, Globe pioneered digital communications in the Philippines by introducing the second generation of cellular networks, GSM (Global System for Mobile communications)," Ablaza elaborated.

"As communication needs evolved beyond just calling and texting, Globe led and launched the Philippines’ first 2.5G network, with GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)."

"Globe’s mission is to enrich the people’s lives through communications, and make more great things possible for them," he went on. Hence, "We continue to seek different breakthrough possibilities. Testing new innovation and technologies like 3G services and 3G video calling is part of this commitment."

Villar sounds alarm on Internet child pornography

SENATOR Manuel Villar has filed a resolution for Senate to look into the “alarming” level of Internet-based child pornography in the Philippines.

Villar, head of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, said the "alarming prevalence of child pornography on the Internet involving Filipino children" calls for the strict enforcement of anti-pornography laws in the country.

Senate Resolution 297 directs the Committee on Youth, Women and Family Relations to conduct an investigation into pornographic materials on the Internet involving Filipino children.

Saying the country is not lacking in laws, but in implementation, Villar added: “That is why I am calling for the strict and consistent enforcement of anti-pornography laws in order to punish or to impose sanctions to violators."

Villar said the incidence of pedophilia in the country has increased and that most perpetrators involve foreigners or tourists, “who are rarely apprehended or arrested for their molestation
and abuse of Filipino children.”

He stressed that child pornography is also a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Philippines is a signatory.

NOTICE OF HEARING: ASSOCIATED BROADCASTING COMPANY

Republic of the Philippines
Office of the President

Commission on Information & Communications Technology

NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION COMMISSION

Quezon City



BMC Case No. 2005-071



ASSOCIATED BROADCASTING COMPANY

Applicant

- - X



NOTICE OF HEARING




Applicant, ASSOCIATED BROADCASTING COMPANY, a domestic corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws and grantee of a Congressional Franchise by virtue of RA. No. 7831, requests in the above-entitled case for issuance of a Certificate Of Public Convenience to Install, Operate and Maintain UHF-TV Broadcast Stations in the following areas: Ilagan,Isabela; Olongapo City, Zambales



Applicant further request for a Provisional Authority pending final determination of the application.



This application will be heard by this Commission on 09 August 2005 at 9:30A.M. at its office, National Telecommunications Commission, BIR Road, East Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City at which hearing applicant shall present its evidence.



At least 15 days prior to the date of hearing, applicant shall publish this notice of Hearing once in (1) Metro Manila edited daily newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines serve by registered mail or personal delivery copies of the application and the notice of Hearing to all affected parties as appearing in the attached list.



Parties to the granting of the application must file their written opposition on or before the date of hearing furnishing a copy of the same to the applicant and appear at the hearing with such as may be appear at the hearing will be construed as a waiver of his right to be heard, the commission will proceed to hear and decide the application on its merits.



Witness, the HON. RONALD OLIVAR SOLIS, COMMISSIONER , National Telecommunications Commission, this 14th day of June 2005.




ATTY. NILO L. LOZADA
Officer-in-Charge
Commission Secretariat

Spam on 'pump-and-dump' stock scams on the rise

By Erwin Lemuel Oliva INQ7.net

SPAM promoting pornography has been declining over the last six months but there has been an increase of unsolicited e-mail pushing so-called "pump-and-dump" stock scams, Sophos anti-virus experts have said.

"Over the last six months, we've seen medication and mortgage spam retain their notorious ranking atop the spam charts, while unsolicited pornography, though still accounting for about 10 percent of all spam, is slipping downward," said Gregg Mastoras, senior security analyst in the Lynnfield-based Sophos.

He said that the most interesting development is the increased volume of stock scam spam, representing a new financial threat to naive online investors.

Mastoras explained that the pump-and-dump stock racket aims to artificially boost the price of a company's stock by spreading misleading or false information to potential investors via e-mail.

According to the website of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the fraudsters make money by selling their stock after the campaign results in a buying frenzy that pushes the stock price up.

"Typically targeting micro-cap companies’ stock, once these fraudsters dump their shares, and then stop advertising the stock, the price often falls, and investors ultimately lose their cash," the Sophos expert said, noting that pump-and–dump stock campaigns tend to run for short durations.

Some of the information provided in pump-and-dump spam is accurate, but the deceptive and unsolicited nature of the messages qualifies them as spam, Sophos said.

The majority of stock scam spam campaigns employ obfuscation techniques, using word variations such as "st0ck" or "stox" to avoid detection by spam filters. They also arrive in different formats, such as HTML or plain text, and are almost always sent via hijacked PCs known as zombies.

"Social engineering through e-mail, where scam artists take advantage of unsophisticated computer users, is on the rise and represents a dangerous trend," added Brian Burke, IDC Research Manager.

"Stock scams, combined with traditional phishing techniques, can result in significant financial loss for victims of these swindles."

Meanwhile, unsolicited pill or medication e-mail, including generic or non-brand name versions of Viagra and other pharmaceuticals, still account for over 40 percent of all spam traffic worldwide.

Senate Bill 2041 - ACT PUNISHING THE SNATCHING OF MOBILE PHONES

SBN-2041, entitled:
"AN ACT PUNISHING THE SNATCHING OF MOBILE PHONES AND OTHER RELATED GADGETS"


Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon

Mobile phones have become indispensable tools of communication. Reports from law enforcement agencies, however, reveal a high incidence of thievery of mobile phones, commonly known as cellphone snatching, thereby adversely affecting the personal security of our people and their means of communication. There is an urgent need to protect our people from cellphone snatchers as . . .

Full Text . .

Senate Bill 2042 - SIM CARD REGISTRATION

SBN-2042, entitled:

"AN ACT REQUIRING THE REGISTRATION OF SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE (SIM) CARDS IN MOBILE PHONES"

Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Mobile phones are useful and convenient tools of modern life. While mobile phones have brought us speed and efficiency in our transactions, there are individuals who take advantage of this modern technology to commit crimes faster and with greater facility. For example, criminals who commit kidnapping, estafa, and other crimes are at alarming level. . .

Full Text . .