Philippines: Cable TV via Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) Access

Saturday, November 12, 2005
Firm offers cable TV connection via power lines
By Joel E. Capundan

ROXAS CITY -- For the first time in the country and probably in Asia, the Capiz Electric Company (Capelco) would provide cable TV, telephone, and Internet connection through its power lines to far-flung barangays in Capiz.

This was bared by Retired General Pedro G. Dumol, chairman of Nextream Broadband Philippines Inc., and a native of Pontevedra, Capiz.

The new communication and information technology would soon be available after Capelco inks its joint venture with Nextream, a foreign firm that provides new technology called Broadband Power Lines or PBL.

The launching of this product was held on November 7 at the La Hacienda Hotel here.

Dumol said that two officials of Nextream are from Capiz and Iloilo. They are Ty Javillana, Chief Executive Officer, a native of Iloilo and Ronald Fesallon, chief technical officer from Romblon whose wife is from Cogon, Panay.

Provision

According to Fesallon the venture would provide broadband Internet, voice, and video services via power lines where radio energy passes through power lines.

These would be distributed into homes through a devise in the plugs a normal wall outlet and typically provides an Ethernet connection to a computer or home network.

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new BROADBAND over POWERLINES in Bataan, Philippines


Infotech power. Gen. (ret) Pedro Dumol, board chairman of Nextream, tries one of the new computers his company donated to the Bataan High School in a bid to empower the countryside with the help of information technology. Witnessing the historic moment are Nextream executives (from right) Ty Javellana, chief executive officer; Ronald Fesalbon, chief technical officer and, Gary Cedeno, chief finance officer. Arman Clemente

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Broadband project may trigger rise of Bataan
January 30, 2006

The rise of Bataan as a “fully wired-city” loomed strong following the launching yesterday of the Peninsula Broadband, a joint venture between the Peninsula Electric Cooperative (Penelco) and the Nextream Broadband Philippines, featuring “broadband over power lines” (BPL) system. The project will connect ordinary folk in the barangays with a wide-range of education, connectivity and information through the use of Internet, telephone, on-demand cable TV right in their homes. This was announced in a joint statement by Penelco general manager Loreto Marcelino, Gen. (ret.) Pedro Dumol as Nextream chairman and Ty Javellana, Nextream chief executive officer.


Infotech power. Gen. (ret) Pedro Dumol, board chairman of Nextream, tries one of the new computers his company donated to the Bataan High School in a bid to empower the countryside with the help of information technology. Witnessing the historic moment are Nextream executives (from right) Ty Javellana, chief executive officer; Ronald Fesalbon, chief technical officer and, Gary Cedeno, chief finance officer. Arman Clemente
The launching event also marked the graduation of 28 individuals who went through a three-week training to become “BPL” specialists. The Nextream officials likewise led yesterday’s donation of 10 sets of computers with flat screen monitors to the Balanga National High School with Penelco providing free Internet access to 5,637 high school students.

“We were surprised and we never expected that our school will be provided with a high-tech computer system putting the world in the fingertips of our students at no cost to the school and the parents. The provision of flat screen monitors, which are found to be low in radiation, also reflect the total concern of Nextream for the health and safety of our students,” said school principal Dr. Simeona Emata.

It was learned that the Balanga National High School is the first beneficiary public school among the 12 towns and 237 barangays in the whole Bataan province that will be provided by Nextream with 10 computer sets per town and one computer set in every barangay. Dumol, considered as the father of rural electrification after having served as National Electrification Administrator (NEA) from 1970 to 1986, expressed optimism over Nextream’s ‘viable and affordable system’ that will give information technology access even to the remotest rural areas.

During his stint as NEA chief, he was largely credited for energizing 90 percent of the barangays backed up by the formation of 120 electric cooperatives nationwide. This tie-up with the electric coops will address the great digital divide in our society, Dumol said.

For his part, Javellana, a Filipino-American businessman, said he envisions an empowered Filipinos in the countryside through affordable and effective information technology system. “Thirty years ago, there were no personal computers and there was no Internet. Addressing this great divide is one of Nextream’s goals since it has BPL which is the right vehicle in providing the imbalance and bridge the gap in the digital divide,” Javellana said in his speech at the Balanga High School. He added that with the new computers the high school students will be more productive and creative, “wired to the world,” more empowered and informed, as well as connected to the Internet that is four times faster in speed compared to the present system in the market. Javellana said it is vital that we give our educators the best tools available so that they are empowered to develop Filipinos who are well-educated. “For these next generation of Filipinos, opportunities will not just be limited by their location but by their educational level.”

But Ronald Fesalbon, Nextream chief technical officer, offered a philosophical but realistic assessment saying: In the Philippines, there are two ways to get out of poverty. Win the lotto and the other is to get yourself a good education.”

Nextream officials who were present at the donation and graduation rites include: Gary Cedeno, chief finance officer; Harold Hui, advisor; corporate counsel Rico Sogocio and Penelco administrator Loreto Marcelino.

Nextream has set its sights on tapping over 40,000 barangays connected to power lines, since electricity networks basically form the most ubiquitous utility in the Philippines.

With a 6 percent growth rate in subscription per annum, using these power lines to extend immediate access to the Internet and to become a competitive communication infrastructure in the country definitely offers an affordable alternative within the reach of everyone, without extra infrastructure costs.

For his part, engineer Loreto Marcelino said Penelco is honored to be the premier and pilot partner of Nextream in this noble venture aimed at empowering the people in the rural areas.

“We always pride ourselves in any pioneering venture or achievement. Penelco is the first in the whole country which registered 100 percent electrification in 1997. We are glad to be part of this new project that will lead to Balanga being known as the ‘wired city’ in the Philippines,” Marcelino said.

Penelco, which has a training center, hosted a three-week training for 28 individuals coming from Cebu, Pangasinan and Bataan to become “BPL” specialists.

To date, Nextream has formal tie-ups with Cebu Electric Cooperatives, Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative, Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative and Cagayan Electric Cooperative — all with combined 670,000 consumers.

The province is famous worldwide by the April 9, 1942 Fall of Bataan, a national holiday, commemorating the surrender of Filipino and American soldiers led by US General Wainwright to the Japanese forces.

“With the entry of Penelco Broadband that is expected to create a new wave not only in Bataan but in the whole country, we expect the province’s new rise as the ‘high-tech’ peninsula in the Philippines,” said Marcelino.