PLDT Group investing more on ‘big data’ services

Leading telecommunications and multimedia service provider Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is spending more over the next three years after launching “Big Data” services to help local enterprises advance their businesses through a range of digitally transformative solutions.

PLDT chief strategy officer Winston Damarillo said in an interview with reporters that the company is spending more on its “Big Data” services over the next three years after spending over $30 million in the last three years. “We expect more,” he stressed. Damarillo pointed out that the company would continue to lure business process outsourcing companies, financial institutions, retail, among others to avail themselves of PLDT’s “Big Data” services.

“It is going to grow and grow exponentially,” he added.

Eric Alberto, PLDT executive vice president, explained that the global wallet for data is expected to grow to about $230 billion over the next five years from its current level of $150 billion.

Alberto, who is also president of ePLDT, said the Big Data solutions would allow enterprises to analyze openly available data and gain insights that drive predictive and data-driven decision-making in their businesses.

“Big Data drives our everyday lives. Every action generates data, which become valuable insights that empower enterprises, organizations, government agencies, and even small and medium enterprises to develop more effective products, services, and programs for their target markets,” he said.

By offering Big Data services, Alberto explained that PLDT enables the country’s digital economy by providing capabilities that leverage the network infrastructure and data service expertise of the PLDT Group.

With the amount of data created and consumed by enterprises, he added that there is a need to ensure that Big Data analytics services are backed by a reliable network infrastructure.

As a company that heavily generates data, PLDT’s infrastructure is designed to handle Big Data processes generated by over 75 million wired and wireless PLDT subscribers.

ePLDT Group chief operating officer Nerisse Ramos said PLDT’s network of Data Centers could process industry-level data center requests, and enable PLDT to offer Big Data services such as expert consulting, managed platform services, and breakthrough insights.