PLDT enterprise business grows 9%
PLDT Inc. sustained the momentum of its enterprise business, posting 9% growth to 118.7 billion, due to strong demand for data and digital services as more companies and government agencies go digital.
Enterprise wireless services set the pace, posting revenue growth of 26% to 13.3 billion. This was powered by a 46% rise in Internet of Things/ Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions, a 23% increase in corporate postpaid, and a 20% improvement in broadband revenues.
Fixed revenues grew by 5% year-onyear to 113.64 billion, as the 17% increase in broadband revenues and 8% rise in domestic data revenues compensated for declines in corporate voice and international data services.
ICT revenues, on the other hand, reached 11.8 billion, still growing at almost twice the rate of the overall market. Cloud and software-as-a-service revenues surged 35% and data center revenues grew 15%.
“The thinking among business and government managers is shifting from just improving productivity to ensuring future growth and competitiveness. They see that Tech is changing the rules of the game,” noted PLDT Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise Business Juan Victor Hernandez.
Recently, PLDT Enterprise signed up agreements to provide wireless connectivity services for several established and new transport network vehicle service companies (TNVS).
Similarly, there is rising interest in PLDT’s cyber security services as more companies shift more of their operations and customer services online.
“Our network expansion efforts are designed to help build next-wave cities where new businesses and industries can be set up and thus spread the benefits of economic growth to more areas of the country,” says Vic Tria, PLDT First Vice President and ALPHA Head.
Already, PLDT Enterprise has been tapped as the ICT partner for the newest business hub in Central Luzon at the newly-built business center in Nueva Ecija, which will serve business process outsourcing companies and other enterprises that are moving out to second and third-tier urban areas.
Aside from private firms, local governments have been accelerating their shift to digital technologies.
“This year alone, we have announced several partnerships with new client LGUs that center on digital enablement,” he explained.
“We are also expanding the range of services offered to LGUs from safety and security to digital payments. This provides fresh proof that data and digital services are becoming core and crucial to the lives of both businesses and communities.”
PLDT’s ability to serve more LGUs has been enhanced by improved network reach and capacity.
As of end-June 2018, PLDT increased the coverage of its fiber-power fixed broadband network to 5.1 million homes passed, up from 4 million homes passed as of end2017, and also boosted its capacity by almost 86% to 1.86 million ports.
PLDT added over 29,000 kilometers of fiber cable, increasing its fiber footprint to about 204,000 kilometers and further boosting the reach, capacity and resiliency of its fiber network.