Friday, December 8, 2023

PH Logistics and Ecommerce Fertile Grounds for Funding

The rise of eCommerce and logistics in the Philippines has provided a fertile ground for startup communities to usher in innovations within these sectors. 

The heightened focus of venture capitalists (VCs) and angel investors or funders has fueled a growing interest in recognizing the nurturing of promising products and ventures emerging from logistics and eCommerce.


According to Carlo Chen-Delantar of Pan-Asia VC, a Gobe-Core partner, in the areas of the Business-to-Customer (B2C) market, Filipino startups can develop products that could improve the services offered by logistic companies, riding on to the rapid growth of eCommerce. Despite its potential, only 23 percent of startups are going into the B2C market, Delantar said.

 

“As our funding landscape matures, we hope to see dramatic improvements in the Pre-Seed to Stage A Startups turnaround times,” said Delantar referring to the growth of startup communities in the Philippines attracting funders.

 

Delantar who was at the recently held “Geeks on A Beach” held in Panglao Island, Bohol stressed the importance of the Philippines’ startup community to leverage in the booming eCommerce and logistics sector.

 

He cited that the Philippines has the highest last-mile delivery rates in product deliveries. Notably, promotional campaigns, such as enticing offers for free shipping, have propelled the widespread adoption of eCommerce throughout the country.

 

Pinoy startups—the new age, a new generation of digital entrepreneurs should take advantage of this development, he reiterated.

 

During the pandemic over 10,000 micro-small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) transitioned to eCommerce, yet none of them so far became millionaires. Introducing good products to aid the growth of logistics and eCommerce is ripe, he added.

 

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine eCommerce market could hit US$24 billion by 2025. The country is also poised to further eCommerce growth, with a projected annual increase of 15.8 percent in transaction value from 2022-2025.

 

By 2025, eCommerce transactions are estimated to reach P495.2 billion or US$9.7 billion, a substantial increase from the nearly P270 recorded in 2021.

 

Based on a report published by Ken Research, the logistics industry contributes 4 to 6 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Because of this, the Philippine logistics market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.2 percent from 2022 to 2027, reaching a market size of P1.160 trillion by 2027.

 

Despite this progress, the sector still faces significant challenges that could impede its continuous growth. According to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the country must improve its infrastructure and technology adoption, especially in rural areas, to remain competitive in the global market.

Globe launches game-changing Roam Surf4All

Every holiday season, travel is expected to peak, with families and groups of friends going off to overseas adventures they have long been planning for. To better serve its customers on their group trips, Globe is bringing a new innovation that makes data roaming more affordable, and now, easily shareable!

The new Globe Roam Surf4All brings ease and affordability to every trip, catering to the needs of budget-conscious families and travel groups.


Roam Surf4All is available in over 100 countries and offers an unmatched level of convenience by allowing shared connectivity among multiple users. Unlike when using a pocket WiFi, you can explore independently and skip the hassle of staying close to others to get shared connectivity. You may also enjoy up to 5G speeds that don’t slow down or throttle as you use more data or add more members to your group.

Affordability is at the heart of Roam Surf4All. Splitting costs with friends or family makes it incredibly budget-friendly, starting at as low as PHP73.00 per person per day for up to 15 days. Say goodbye to extra charges for security deposits, couriers, and insurance fees.

With the GlobeOne app, managing your group and tracking your data usage is a breeze. Add up to four members to your travel group and monitor everyone’s data use effortlessly, all in real time. Members can be Globe Platinum, Postpaid, Prepaid, or TM customers, provided they are all roamers.

You may choose from three tailor-made packages, each designed to suit various travel durations and data needs:

 

● Roam Surf4All 2599 with 5GB for 5 days (Php 104 per person per day)

● Roam Surf4All 5499 with 10GB for 15 days (Php 73 per person per day)

● Roam Surf4All 7499 with 15GB for 30 days (Coming soon at Php 50 per person per day)

 

“We at Globe are thrilled to present Roam Surf4All, a true game-changer in data roaming. It’s an unprecedented shared roaming service that you can enjoy with your travel buddies conveniently and at reasonable rates. This is another innovation that Globe is launching to make every travel experience richer and more enjoyable for its customers,” said Coco Domingo, Vice President of Postpaid and International Business at Globe.

 

Getting started with Roam Surf4All is simple. To register:


● Access GlobeOne

● Click Buy Promos

● Click More Promos Abroad

● Look for the Roam Surf4All promo you prefer

 

Once successfully registered to the promo, you can manage your data and add up to four Globe/TM members.

 

To easily add members to your group data:


● Click “Add Member” in the group data dashboard

● Click the Phonebook icon to choose from the contact list or manually type in the number of the member

● Once added, both owner and member will be notified

 

Upon arrival abroad, members can just turn on their Mobile Data and Data Roaming to start browsing. This is just a friendly reminder that the promo validity of Roam Surf4All starts upon registration.

 

This holiday season, let Roam Surf4All be your companion in creating unforgettable and more rewarding travel memories. Step into a world of seamless connectivity and shared experiences with Globe’s Roam Surf4All.

 

To learn more about Roam Surf4All, visit glbe.co/roamsurf4all.

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Smart Maintains 5G Data Roaming Leadership Worldwide

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) maintains its leadership in 5G data roaming, serving customers in 87 destinations with 159 telco partners around the world.

“In our pursuit of providing world-class services, we continue to expand our 5G data roaming services through our key partnerships with telcos worldwide, empowering our customers with fast 5G data roaming speeds that enable them to access their technology tools for work or personal endeavors, when it matters the most,” said Mitch Locsin, PLDT and Smart First Vice President and Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups.


Customers with Smart 5G SIMs and 5G-capable devices can enjoy live 5G roaming services in Aland Island, Albania, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Crete, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guam, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Northern Marianas, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, the United States of America, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, the Vatican, Vietnam, and Wales.

To subscribe and check roaming status and other information, customers can visit https://gigaroam.smart.com.ph/. To activate their roaming service before travelling abroad, prepaid customers must text ROAM<space>ON to 333; while postpaid customers can call the hotline *888 or *800 for Smart Infinity customers.

 

In the Philippines, Smart's mobile network covers 97% of the population with 3G, 4G/LTE and 5G, supported by PLDT's fiber infrastructure. This infrastructure spans over 1.1 million kilometers, consisting of over 0.2 million cable kilometers of international fiber and about 0.9 million cable kilometers of domestic fiber, as of end-September 2023.

 

Smart has also made it easy and hassle-free for tourists who have 5G SIMs and 5G-capable devices to connect to Smart’s 5G network when they visit the country, especially during the Christmas holidays.

 

“Smart fully supports the recovery of our economy by providing the best telco services to tourists, as more of them come to the Philippines and experience the Christmas festivities in the country,” said Joshua Montecillo, AVP and Head, Wireless Product Management of Enterprise Business.

 

Providing enhanced connectivity to roamers and tourists alike underscores PLDT's aspirational multi-year transformation, with elevating customer experience as one of the key priorities, as well as contributes to the Group’s endeavors to provide connectivity to all, and to anchor initiatives on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) particularly on SDG No. 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Power up a gamer's Christmas with Lenovo

07 December 2023, Manila, Philippines - With the holidays around the corner, you’ve most likely started checking off items on your Christmas gift list. Wondering what to get for your gamer sibling or significant other? Surprise them with Lenovo’s latest lineup of world-class gaming devices sure to cater to all their needs and gamer dreams.

Lenovo’s latest gaming devices range from beginner and budget-friendly to innovative handheld greatness. Catering to a wide variety of gamers, Lenovo’s Legion and LOQ lineups are bound to provide hours of quality performance and immersive gameplay that gamers old and new alike will surely appreciate.

Give the gift of ‘powerful luxury’ with the Lenovo Legion 9i

Launched last September, the Lenovo Legion 9i has already garnered a solid fanbase of gamers who swear by the device’s premium quality and impressive technology. The Legion 9i, dubbed the “King of Cool” is the world’s first 16-inch AI-tuned gaming laptop with an integrated liquid-cooling system. The device redefines powerful luxury with its 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-13980HX processor, AI-tuned, triple-fan air-cooling system with 6,333 individual intake vents, and innovative new A-cover made from forged carbon chips among other first-rate features.

On top of its impressive cooling system, the laptop also features a 94% screen-to-body Mini-LED display and up to 2TB of PCIe (Gen 4) SSD storage, ensuring crisp visuals and ample room for gamers and content creators alike to enjoy.

Get the Lenovo Legion 9i today at PHP 347,995

Inspire future pros with Lenovo LOQ

There’s no need for beginners to splurge on high-end gaming PCs to kickstart their gaming journeys. Newbie gamers looking to invest in a powerful and versatile gaming device need not look any further as Lenovo’s newest sub-brand LOQ is jam-packed with all the features one needs to embark on their path toward greatness. The Lenovo LOQ laptops provide users with the option to customize their processors with up to a 13th Gen Intel Core processor or AMD Ryzen 7000 Series CPU, with a Lenovo LA AI Chip powering the built-in Lenovo AI Engine+ designed to dynamically tune wattage and thermal performance for optimized gameplay.

Built for both future pros and casual gamers looking to have a good time, the devices also feature up to 16GB 5600MHz DDR5 RAM and support up to 32GB storage, future-proofed with two slots for RAM and two PCIe slots for expanded RAM and storage down the line.

The Lenovo LOQ 15IRH8 RTX 4050 is now available today starting at PHP 79,995.

Portability Is a present with the Legion Go

Give your loved one the gift of gaming on the go with Lenovo’s first Windows gaming handheld device, the Lenovo Legion Go. Designed for gamers who won’t settle for anything less than top-tier specs and visuals, the Legion Go is a game-changer in the Legion lineup --ensuring users are treated to Windows PC gaming power all in the palm of their hands.

The Legion Go is powered by AMD Ryzen™ Z1 Series processors, with an 8.8-inch Lenovo PureSight Gaming Display built for quality visuals despite the device’s size. The device is also powered by AMD RNDA™ Graphics and smart power management technology, and its controllers are detachable, hall effect joysticks to ensure ​​no joystick drift and more flexibility in playstyles. On top of this, the Legion Go can also convert into FPS mode for impromptu FPS gaming sessions, wherein the kickstand can prop up the device while the right controller can be attached to a magnetic base to act like a mouse.

Get the Lenovo Legion Go today at PHP 49,995.

This holiday season, level up your gift game with Lenovo’s latest Legion and LOQ devices designed to provide a powerful and unparalleled gaming experience for every kind of gamer. Gift your loved ones only the latest innovations in gaming and stay ahead of the game with premium and top-tier devices designed to be stylish on the outside, but savage on the inside. For more information and to check out the devices listed above, visit the Lenovo Flagship Store here. You may also visit Lenovo Exclusive Stores and authorized resellers nationwide.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

#BringBrightness to your home this holiday season with limited-time offer Globe GFiber Plans

The festive season sparkles with the joy of connections, and Globe At Home is ready to make this one the brightest and most memorable yet! Say goodbye to buffering and hello to seamless holiday cheer!

Globe At Home is spreading the magic this season with an irresistible promotion on its GFiber Plans to provide customers reliable and fiber-fast connectivity at special rates.


GFiber Plan 1299 is now available for just PHP999 for the first 12 months, giving customers savings of PHP 3,600 over one year. With this plan, you can enjoy internet speeds of up to 50Mbps, allowing you to play your favorite games, stream your much-loved shows, and snatch up the season's best online deals! You can apply for this time-limited offer via globegfiber.com or visit any Globe Store nationwide from December 1, 2023 until January 15, 2024.

For an even enhanced experience, GFiber Plan 1799 with speeds of up to 200 Mbps is your ticket to a buffering-free holiday season. It offers cutting-edge WiFi 6 modem technology with 12 months of Disney+ Mobile and KonsultaMD subscription, as well as a complimentary PHP 1,000 Razer Gold voucher.

In response to the need for a quick and hassle-free internet setup, especially during busy times, GFiber Plan offers installation in as fast as 24 hours. No long wait to start enjoying an uninterrupted online experience.

 

“This holiday season, Globe At Home is making internet access even more affordable and within the reach of Filipino families. With the launch of our exciting holiday promotions, we aim to show that Globe At Home is much more than just an internet provider – we are a life enabler and a lifestyle partner at home,” said Raymond Policarpio, Vice President and Head for Brand Management, Broadband Business.

 

“Our products are thoughtfully curated with your needs and aspirations in mind. We’re here to help you live life freely, progress, and pursue your dreams. This is the essence of what we bring this festive season – a true partnership in every step of your digital life."

 

Through Globe At Home’s #BringBrightness campaign, the brand ensures you stay connected to what matters most. Whether you’re sharing festive selfies, streaming midnight mass, or having a virtual holiday dinner, it’s ready to make sure every moment is as bright and joyful as possible.

 

Ready to brighten up your holidays? Visit globegfiber.com for more details.