Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Cisco TelePresence Powers Collaboration Among Cisco, PLDT and Tata

A collaboration among Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Co. (PLDT) and Tata Communications will result in the first public Cisco TelePresence(TM) service in the Philippines, enabling more organizations in the country to take advantage of this next generation video-based communications technology.

To be operated by PLDT, the Public TelePresence Studio will connect to Tata Communications' growing global network of public Cisco TelePresence rooms, which currently includes Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Gurgaon in India; Boston in the United States; and London in the United Kingdom. PLDT's Public Studio TelePresence will also be able to connect to the public Cisco TelePresence Suite in Santa Clara, Calif. PLDT will also offer a private managed Cisco TelePresence services for organizations that want to have their own private Cisco TelePresence rooms.

"PLDT has often led the way in innovative, next-generation services and being the first-ever Philippine service provider to offer Cisco TelePresence is a testament to that," said Eric R. Alberto, senior vice president and customer sales and marketing group head, PLDT.

The relationship between Cisco and PLDT will allow more local companies to use Cisco TelePresence through PLDT's private managed Cisco TelePresence Services.

"We are very excited with this collaboration with PLDT and Tata as it makes Cisco TelePresence more accessible to Filipinos. This technology is changing the way individuals and organizations collaborate with each other across long distances and we are certain this opens up a window of opportunities for our country," said Stephen Misa, country manager of Cisco Philippines.

"Tata Communications is delighted to expand our network of public rooms into Asia Pacific with Cisco and PLDT. We were the first global service provider to bring public Cisco TelePresence rooms to the market and we continue to open up more rooms in Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and also the emerging markets in 2009," said Sunil Joshi, president of Asia Pacific region, Tata Communications.

Cisco TelePresence provides in person collaboration capabilities with superior audio, video and environmental qualities, allowing participants to meet their colleagues, customers and business partners across a virtual table. Cisco TelePresence allows organizations to save costs, improve productivity, meet faster with customers, partners and suppliers and gain competitive advantage. Cisco TelePresence use also contributes towards an organization's environmental responsibility, enabling it to lower overall CO2 emissions by reducing the need for travel.

The announcement with PLDT and Tata builds on Cisco Philippines' own deployment of Cisco TelePresence in its office in Manila, connecting it to Cisco's network of more than 400 other Cisco TelePresence rooms in 46 countries. As part of its corporate social responsibility program, Cisco Philippines also makes its Cisco TelePresence facility available to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

"As Cisco celebrates its 10th year of operations in the Philippines, we are confident that our collaboration technologies such as Cisco TelePresence and relationships with industry leaders such as PLDT and Tata will deliver the benefit of greater collaboration to more individuals and organizations in the country," said Cisco's Misa.

About PLDT

PLDT is the leading telecommunications service provider in the Philippines. Through its three principal business groups -- wireless, fixed line, and information and communications technology -- PLDT offers the largest and most diversified range of telecommunications services across the Philippines' most extensive fiber optic backbone and wireless, fixed line and satellite networks.

PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PHP: TEL) and its American Depositary Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: PHI) and the Pacific Exchange. PLDT has one of the largest market capitalizations among Philippine-listed companies.

Further information can be obtained by visiting the web at www.pldt.com.ph.

About Tata Communications

Tata Communications, a member of the $62.5 billion Tata Group, is a leading global provider of a new world of communications. The emerging markets communications leader leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national and Indian enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.

Tata Communications' range of services include transmission, IP, converged voice, mobility, managed network connectivity, hosting and storage, managed security, managed collaboration and business transformation for global enterprises and service providers, as well as Internet, retail broadband and content services for Indian consumers. The Tata Global Network encompasses one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks, a Tier-1 IP network, with connectivity to more than 200 countries across 300 Pops, and more than 1 million square feet of data center and co-location facilities.

Tata Communications' unique emerging market depth and breadth of reach includes a national fiber backbone network and access to network in over 60 cities and 125 Pops in India, strategic investments in South African converged services operator, Neotel, Sri Lanka and Nepal and, subject to fulfillment of conditions precedent, a 50% ownership in China Enterprise Communications (CEC) providing full country VPN coverage in China.

Servicing customers from its offices in over 80 cities in 40 countries, Tata Communications is the number one global international wholesale voice operator and number one provider of international long distance, enterprise data and Internet services in India, the Company was named "Best Wholesale Carrier" at the World Communications Awards in 2006, "Best Pan-Asian Wholesale Provider" at the 2006 and 2007 Capacity Magazine Global Wholesale Telecommunications Awards and was awarded "Best Progress in Emerging Markets" at the 2008 Mobile Communication Awards.

Tata Communications Limited along with its global subsidiaries, (Tata Communications), is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and its ADRs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. (NYSE: TCL)

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco products are supplied in the Philippines by Cisco Systems International, BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

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