Globe At Home cements Netflix speed index dominance for 10 straight months

Leading digital solutions platform Globe once more emerged in the driver’s seat after scoring the fastest internet speeds through its Globe at Home Broadband Business in October. This cements its dominance in the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) performance rating of subscription-based streaming service Netflix in the Philippines. 

Globe at Home topped the October 2022 Netflix ISP Speed Index with a score of 3.6 Mbps, a boost of 0.2 Mbps from its 3.4 Mbps result in September.

“Topping Netflix ISP Speed Index anew is proof of our commitment to providing the best internet services to our customers. Faster Netflix performance generally means better picture quality, quicker start times and fewer interruptions,” said Janis Legaspi-Racpan, Head of Globe At Home Brand Management.

Globe at Home has been taking the Netflix ISP top spot for the past 10 months or since January, as the company continues to enrich the experience of customers by providing a #1stWorldNetwork.

As of the third quarter of the year, Globe has spent P74.4 billion in capital expenditure (CAPEX) to build new cell sites, upgrade existing sites to 4G/LTE, accelerate rollout of 5G connectivity and fast-track the fiberization of Filipino homes nationwide.

Globe at Home’s score was at par with that of 31 countries, namely Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States.

 

Its performance was also better than the 3.4 Mbps average speed in the Philippines, Argentina, Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, and Vietnam.

 

Last year, Globe at Home dominated the Netflix ISP Speed Index for 10 out of the 12 months, taking the top spot from February to November.

 

Netflix is one of the world's leading streaming entertainment services with 223 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films, and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages.

 

The Netflix ISP Speed Index measures the performance of a particular ISP. Speed is vital for Netflix streaming since its videos load quickly on networks with faster data transmission and minimal delays. Otherwise, viewers may encounter issues such as buffering and pixelation while streaming content.

 

To learn more about Globe at Home, visit glbe.co/GFiber.

A 3-Day Music Festival Is Happening at Enchanted Kingdom!

From the creators of Wanderland Music & Arts Festival and concert series Karpos Live, Karpos Multimedia brings you a new Christmas tradition to make your holidays more special! Experience live music, thrilling rides, magical activities, and a lively celebration for the whole family all wrapped together at the most significant and first theme park music festival in the Philippines—Salo-Salo Fest. Don’t miss this 3-day celebration on December 2, 3, and 4 at the Enchanted Kingdom featuring a lineup of 40+ artists!

Joining the celebration are classic OPM rock icons PAROKYA NI EDGAR, ELY BUENDIA, RICO BLANCO, EBE DANCEL, MAYONNAISE, URBANDUB, AND ORANGE AND LEMONS, Taking us to cloud nine are the soulful voices of BARBIE ALMALBIS, MOONSTAR88, & CLARA BENIN. Making noise for today’s hottest acts, UNIQUE SALONGA, ARTHUR NERY, PAOLO SANDEJAS, ZILD & KIYO. The more the merrier as these international artists are all set to join the celebration–returning to the Philippines is the indie-pop duo, JOAN, and making his Manila debut is singer-songwriter JOHNNY STIMSON.

Lastly, put on your dancing shoes and let the music guide you at our dance tent, Goody Dance Shoes! Dance all night long with a disco, poolside lounge, and leisure pop sets curated by GROOVE DISCO, POOL RECORDS, & LEISURE.

Tickets are available at www.tickelo.com/salosalofest2022. Follow Salo-Salo Fest’s socials (@salosalofest) to get the latest updates.

GCash champions public sector partners at 2022 Digital Excellence Awards

Pioneering government agencies continue to step up and take on the challenge of utilizing digital financial technology armed with its learnings from the pandemic. With its extensive impact on Filipinos’ lives, digitalization has become an utmost priority in all aspects of the public sector. 

GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet, honors these and their relentless pursuit to make Filipino lives better every day, with the 2022 GCash Digital Excellence Awards, happening today,  December 1, 2022, at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion, Mckinley Hills, Taguig City.

“Through the GCash Digital Excellence Awards 2022, we recognize public and private entities who remain passionate and determined to innovate their services that improve the quality of life of every Filipino,” said Martha Sazon, GCash president and chief executive officer.

This year’s awardees will be given recognition through seven (7) different categories.

The Excellence in Digital Ecosystem Innovation Award, will be awarded to local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs) and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) who promoted the adoption of GCash services among their constituents, from palengkes to TODAs.

The Excellence in Digital Public Services Award will be given to public institutions that exhibited significant growth in digital transactions. 

The Excellence in Digital Public Aid Distribution Award is a citation for public institutions that took the lead in recognizing the quick and effective distribution of government aid by digital means, especially during crises. 

The Digital Financial Inclusion Champion are partners who substantially supported the public sector in providing a gateway for digital financial facility through promotion of financial inclusion.

GCash Digital Excellence Awards 2022 also added new categories: the Excellence in Digital Advancement for MSMEs who became instrumental in nation-building by enabling micro, small, and medium enterprises toward digitalization; the Excellence in Adoption to Government Initiatives to be awarded to LGUs, NGAs, and/or GOCCs who immediately stepped up and adopted current government directives; and, lastly, the Excellence in Digital Sustainability Award, which is granted to early adopters who sustained and even expanded the use of financial technology and transformed the community.

Through this awards program, GCash aims to motivate both public and private sector groups to innovate their services for Filipinos, as well as inspire others to follow their lead, making the Philippines a more financially inclusive and cash-lite society.

On the GCash app, users can safely and conveniently receive select government benefits, pay bills, send money, shop, save, and invest on the app. To date, GCash has more than 71 million users. The GCash app may be downloaded for free via Google Play or App Store.

For more information, visit www.gcash.com.

Globe’s 917Ventures, Ayala Corp. to bring Gogoro’s leading ‘Smartscooter’ and battery-swapping technology in PH

Globe’s 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation are set to bring global two-wheel electric vehicle and battery-swapping technology leader Gogoro to the Philippines.

Piloting in Metro Manila in Q1 2023, Gogoro’s Smartscooters will serve as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles currently used by the logistics and last-mile delivery industry. Gogoro^® Smartscooters^® are powered by Gogoro’s^® battery swapping platform through conveniently located swap stations, where users can quickly swap depleted batteries for fully-charged ones in seconds.

Vince Yamat, 917Ventures Managing Director, said the partnership seeks to reduce the use of fossil fuel by the country’s logistics industry which is known to release significantly more emissions per vehicle per day than consumer riding.

 

“We are committed to helping address the climate crisis by introducing Gogoro to logistics businesses, helping them in their sustainability efforts. In addition, because of the Swap & Go technology that enables riders to be fully charged in just seconds, we hope Gogoro will also help address hesitations surrounding charging electric vehicles and even finding parking slots. Hopefully, this technology will encourage more Filipinos to switch to EV,” Yamat said.

 

Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corporation’s Head of Business Development and Innovation, meanwhile, said: “Ayala supports the Department of Energy’s thrust to transition towards cleaner technologies. We are excited to contribute to a high-quality consortium focused on enhancing mobility through sustainable solutions, which aligns with our broader decarbonization and digital transformation ambitions.”

 

Patrick Aquino, Director of the Department of Energy’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau, said Taiwan has an incredibly high scooter density compared to the rest of the world, and it’s very encouraging to see its positive response to the Gogoro Network. 

 

“More than 25% of their quick commerce deliveries and almost all of their electric deliveries are powered by battery-swapping technology, and we see this solution will be most beneficial to a densely populated region like Metro Manila, which is also the hub of business districts. The success of this pilot will pave the way for a new sustainable business model in other cities in the country as well,” he said, adding that the Philippines can learn from Taiwan’s experience.

 

Meanwhile, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba noted how the project aligns with the government’s development agenda by supporting both digitalization and climate action. “Our country needs innovative tech-led projects that support climate action. I commend 917Ventures, Globe, and the Ayala Corporation for always being at the forefront of change-making initiatives that aim to improve the lives of Filipinos while helping protect the environment,” said Aldaba.

 

Chuan-Neng Lin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan, also added, “Gogoro’s leadership in battery swapping, vehicle design, and innovation has transformed two-wheel mobility in Taiwan and fostered a new smart mobility industry of eco-friendly businesses and end-users. We look forward to businesses and riders in the Philippines experiencing the benefits of Gogoro’s smart mobility like we have in Taiwan. Together with Gogoro, we can all reach our net-zero carbon emissions goals.”

 

In Taiwan, Gogoro currently has over 11,000 battery-swapping stations at more than 2,260 locations. With over 1 million batteries in circulation, the number of GoStations has already surpassed the number of gas stations in Taiwan’s major cities, making Gogoro battery swapping the de facto standard for electric two-wheel refueling in Taiwan. The Gogoro Network has more than 520,000 riders that perform more than 370,000 battery swaps per day.

 

“Gogoro is honored to have the support of the Philippine’s Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to kickstart this new smart mobility movement in Manila that utilizes Gogoro’s intelligent battery swapping, a new generation of EV refueling,” said Horace Luke, founder, and CEO of Gogoro.

 

“Through our collaboration with 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation, we are unlocking incredible environmental and sustainability benefits, and introducing new smart mobility efficiencies for businesses by improving how they manage their delivery fleets,” he added.

 

About 917Ventures

917Ventures is the largest corporate venture builder in the Philippines that ideates, launches, and accelerates new business ideas that uplift the lives of Filipinos. We have a total of 12 companies and act like a startup factory and have teams, frameworks, infrastructures, and strategies already in place, proven, tested, and backed by Globe, Ayala, and partner networks, to accelerate the growth of our ventures. We create solutions that can deliver indelible value to the Philippines and the APAC region, leveraging the rich asset base of Globe, the largest telecommunications company in the Philippines. To know more about 917Ventures, visit https://917ventures.com.

 

About Gogoro

Founded in 2011 to rethink urban energy and inspire the world to move through cities in smarter and more sustainable ways, Gogoro leverages the power of innovation to change the way urban energy is distributed and consumed. Gogoro’s battery swapping and vehicle platforms offer a smart, proven, and sustainable long-term ecosystem for delivering a new approach to urban mobility. Gogoro has quickly become an innovation leader in vehicle design and electric propulsion, smart battery design, battery swapping, and advanced cloud services that utilize artificial intelligence to manage battery availability and safety. The challenge is massive, but the opportunity to disrupt the status quo, establish new standards, and achieve new levels of sustainable transportation growth in densely populated cities is even greater. For more information, visit www.gogoro.com/news and follow Gogoro on Twitter: @wearegogoro.

All About Insurtech: Do I Need Insurance if I Rent a Place?

Home prices in Singapore rose to record levels in the third quarter of 2022, shooting up by 3.8% after rising by 3.5% in the previous three months. With the outlook for 2023 not looking any sweeter due to looming issues such as higher mortgage rates, inflation, and a potential economic slowdown, many in Singapore are turning to renting a property instead of purchasing their own. According to reports by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, rentals of landed properties increased by 10.9% in the third quarter of 2022, compared to a small 3.2% increase in the previous quarter. On the other hand, rentals of non-landed properties also increased by 8.3%, an uptick when compared to the 7.1% increase in the previous quarter.

The sharp increase in home rentals shows a growing trend among residents in Singapore, with a growing preference against purchasing a property. In becoming new tenants, there are common misconceptions in terms of home insurance and whether the landlord’s coverage extends to them. If you are planning on becoming a tenant, here are the reasons why you should still invest in your own home contents insurance plan: 

1. Your landlord’s insurance plans do not cover you

• If an accident occurs on the premises of your rental, your landlord’s insurance plan will not extend to you and your possessions. Take a house fire for example—it can consume all of your belongings ranging from your laptop, clothing, important documents, and luxury goods. Without a personal home insurance plan to cover yourself, you will have to replace everything that you have lost out of your own savings. Covering yourself with a unique home insurance plan will save you all that money in the event of an unfortunate accident. 

2. Accidental Damage to Property 

• Accidents happen from time to time. Damage can happen simply to negligence, such as leaving the stove on or dropping something heavy and damaging the floor. Purchasing a home insurance plan ensures that the repair costs are covered. Additionally, if the residence is damaged, the plan can provide you with an allowance for emergency accommodation while repairs are underway. Benefits can include 24-hour home maintenance services, electrical services, and locksmith services among others. While still being accountable to your landlord for the damage, you can have the peace of mind that expenditure due to repairs will be covered. 

3. Accidents and Personal Injury

• Personal accident policies within home insurance plans can cover family personal accidents, with some even giving worldwide coverage. Personal accident insurance that comes with home insurance plans can provide cover for you and your loved ones, and supply Worldwide Personal Liability against any legal liability for accidental property damage or loss or accidental death of or bodily injury caused by negligence.

Property prices are continuously on the rise, and it is not surprising to see people shifting focus to renting instead of owning property. When it comes to insurance, many tenants might be under the impression that they are covered by their landlords, or that accidents won’t happen to them. Knowing whether you are covered or not can make a huge difference in the event of a housing accident, and can either make or break your checkbooks after everything is said and done.

Opting to purchase a home contents insurance plan such as the HL Assurance HomeProtect360 is safe, as it provides the peace of mind of knowing that you will be covered in the event of potential accidents.