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Press Release
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Lee Ann Lim Tata Communications +1-703 999-1726 Leeann.lim@tatacommunications.com |
Ramon R. Isberto Spokesperson, PLDT +632-511-3101 rrisberto@pldt.com.ph |
William Oei Cisco +65-63175555 loei@cisco.com |
Cisco TelePresence Powers Collaboration Between Cisco, PLDT and Tata Communications to Change the Way Philippine Companies Interact with the World
MANILA, Philippines – March 31, 2009 – A collaboration between Cisco, the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Co. (PLDT) and Tata Communications will result in the first public TelePresence service in the Philippines, enabling more organizations in the country to take advantage of this next generation video-based communications technology.
To be operated by PLDT, the Public TelePresence Studio will connect to Tata Communications’ growing global network of public TelePresence rooms, which currently includes Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Gurgaon in India; Boston in the U.S.; and London in the U.K. PLDT’s Public Studio Telepresence will also be able to connect to Cisco’s Public TelePresence Suite in Santa Clara, California in the U.S. PLDT will also offer Private Managed TelePresence services for organizations that want to have their own private TelePresence rooms.
"PLDT has often led the way in innovative, next-generation services and being the first-ever Philippine service provider to offer Telepresence is a testament to that," said Eric R. Alberto, Senior Vice President and Customer Sales and Marketing Group Head, PLDT.
The Cisco-PLDT relationship will allow more local companies to use TelePresence through PLDT’s Private Managed TelePresence Services.
"We are very excited with this collaboration with PLDT and Tata as it makes Cisco TelePresence more accessible to Filipinos. This technology is changing the way individuals and organizations collaborate with each other across long distances and we are certain this opens up a window of opportunities for our country," said Stephen Misa, country manager of Cisco Philippines.
"Tata Communications is delighted to expand our network of public rooms into Asia Pacific with Cisco and PLDT. We were the first global service provider to bring public Cisco TelePresence rooms to the market and we continue to open up more rooms in Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and also the Emerging Markets in 2009," said Sunil Joshi, President of Asia Pacific region, Tata Communications.
Cisco TelePresence provides life-like, high definition, conferencing facilities with superior audio, video and environmental qualities allowing participants to meet their colleagues, customers and business partners across a virtual table. Cisco TelePresence use also contributes towards a company’s environmental responsibility, enabling it to lower overall CO2 emissions by reducing the need for travel.
The announcement with PLDT and Tata Communications builds on Cisco Philippines’ own deployment of TelePresence in its office in Manila, connecting it to Cisco’s network of 200 other TelePresence suites in over 40 countries. As part of its corporate social responsibility program, Cisco Philippines also made its TelePresence facility available to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
"As Cisco celebrates its 10th year of operations in the Philippines, we are confident that our collaboration technologies such as Cisco TelePresence and relationships with industry leaders such as PLDT and Tata Communications will benefit more individuals and organizations in the country," said Cisco’s Misa.
About PLDT
PLDT is the leading telecommunications service provider in the Philippines. Through its three principal business groups – wireless, fixed line, and information and communications technology – PLDT offers the largest and most diversified range of telecommunications services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiber optic backbone and wireless, fixed line and satellite networks.
PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE:TEL) and its American Depositary Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:PHI) and the Pacific Exchange. PLDT has one of the largest market capitalizations among Philippine-listed companies.
Further information can be obtained by visiting the web at www.pldt.com.ph.
About Tata Communications
Tata Communications’ a member of the $62.5 billion Tata Group, is a leading global provider of a new world of communications. The emerging markets communications leader leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national and Indian enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.
Tata Communications’ range of services include transmission, IP, converged voice, mobility, managed network connectivity, hosting and storage, managed security, managed collaboration and business transformation for global enterprises and service providers, as well as Internet, retail broadband and content services for Indian consumers. The Tata Global Network encompasses one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks, a Tier-1 IP network, with connectivity to more than 200 countries across 300 Pops, and more than 1 million square feet of data center and co-location facilities.
Tata Communications’ unique emerging market depth and breadth of reach includes a national fiber backbone network and access to network in over 60 cities and 125 Pops in India, strategic investments in South African converged services operator, Neotel, Sri Lanka and Nepal and, subject to fulfillment of conditions precedent, a 50% ownership in China Enterprise Communications (CEC) providing full country VPN coverage in China.
Servicing customers from its offices in over 80 cities in 40 countries, Tata Communications is the number one global international wholesale voice operator and number one provider of international long distance, enterprise data and Internet services in India, the Company was named "Best Wholesale Carrier" at the World Communications Awards in 2006, "Best Pan-Asian Wholesale Provider" at the 2006 and 2007 Capacity Magazine Global Wholesale Telecommunications Awards and was awarded "Best Progress in Emerging Markets" at the 2008 Mobile Communication Awards.
Tata Communications Limited along with its global subsidiaries, (Tata Communications), is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. (NYSE: TCL)
About Cisco
Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco products are supplied in the Philippines by Cisco Systems International, BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.
Forward-looking and cautionary statements
Cisco, the Cisco logo, and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.
Certain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications’ expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications’ operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications’ network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company’s communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications’ industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications’ control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications’ various filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements.
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