Last March, Globe Telecom launched their new Globe WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) service in key provinces – Cavite, Cagayan, Cebu, and Southern Luzon. Today, the telecommunications company intends to make fast Internet access available to more households in the Philippines by deploying the service in more provinces.

Globe WiMAX is a wireless broadband technology that can transmit data wirelessly through various transmission modes for fully mobile internet access. It’s similar to WiFi but provides larger coverage and higher bandwidth. Since WiMAX’s launch last month, Globe says they’ve gotten about 4,000 WiMAX subscribers, some of which claimed to switch from existing DSL fixed-line services.

Globe WiMAX packages are as follows:

P795 for 512 kbps
P995 for 512 kbps with landline
P1,295 for 1mbps with landline

Most Filipinos with relatives in the US and Canada probably used to have phone bills in the thousands, especially during important holidays like Christmas and birthdays. Today, VoIP technology has made cheaper for loved ones to stay in touch. And with the addition of the Magic Jack, even the least technologically capable person can use VoIP to save on phone bills.

Magic Jack was created especially for those who aren’t at the forefront of communications technology. This simple device is a socket where you can plug your landline in, as well as a USB device that you can plug into your PC or laptop. Once you’ve got the Magic Jack plugged in, you’re well on your way to unlimited calls using your computer.

The service isn’t for free, but it’s at an unbelievably low price of $19.95 a year. The annual fee also includes local calling with long distance, and other convenient features like voicemail. You can even avail of a 30-day free trial at the Magic Jack website.

Japanese brand NEC is known for providing innovating technology solutions to small business entrepreneurs and large corporations. Just recently they decided to expand their market offerings by aiming for small offices and home offices (SOHO). Even homes will be able to avail of their products – from IT platforms (PCs, servers, laptops, and storage) to networks (Private Branch Exchange/Private Automatic Branch Exchange). NEC is also going to offer Key Telephone Systems with PABX features with the launch of their Aspila Topaz Product Lines.

The Aspila Topaz and Topaz Lite are a great choice for expanding communications solutions for home offices. This line incorporates all the key features needed for efficient communication in small offices that need a trunk line to connect to the staff. The products are also more affordable than their enterprise-level counterparts and are scalable as well – meaning, they grow with your business. The Aspila Topaz Lite starts with 3 users and can accommodate a maximum of 8 users, while the Aspila Topaz starts with 3 users and 8 extensions, and can grow to 27 trunks and 72 extensions.

The Aspila Topaz series have fully hybrid ports to combine multi-type terminals like proprietary keyphones, single line telephones, facsimle, modems, answering machines, and more. Voice and data integration are also supported through supplementary services from your local service provider.

NEC also offers stylish desktops and laptops, which are flying off the shelves in Japan. Recently, NEC installed a custom, face-recognition software for a major corporation in the Philippines, where the owner and user is automatically logged in once the computer recognizes his or her facial features.

The suggested retail price of the Aspila Topaz Lite is Php 17,900. For more information, you may call NEC Philippines at 8486400 or email at marketing@necph.nec.co.jp.

A lot of people have been complaining about the exhorbitant price Globe slapped on the iPhone 3G, but did you know that if you’ve been a Globe subscriber for years, you can get your iPhone 3G at a discounted price through Globe Loyalty Rewards? Dial 211 on your cellphone or visit the Globe Business Office at the mall nearest you. The discount you’ll be receiving depends on how long you’ve been a subscriber and how heavily you’ve used the service. My mom has been a Globe subscriber since the year 1999, and she’s getting her iPhone 3G for less than 20k. I thought that was already a great deal, until I found out that a girl at the Philmug forums is getting hers for a mere Php 2,400!

Reservations for the iPhone 3G ends tomorrow! Call Globe now and ask if you’re eligible for the Globe Loyalty Rewards.

For Existing Postpaid Subscribers
Please call 211 using your Globe handyphone to inquire about iPhone 3G offers available to you.

Check the new postpaid plans (which you can compare to the old postpaid plans)

The iPhone 3G will be released by Globe on August 22, Friday. Check the iphone 3g prices and plans.

Source

uMobile is the Philippines’ first advertising-funded mobile network that allows you to use mobile phone services (text messaging, internet surfing) for free or very cheap rates. Besides a Php .75 charge for text messages to other mobile networks, uMobile’s partnership with Fring lets subscribers to make mobile VoIP calls or do PC calling with Virtual Phone. The video embedded above shows you how to use the VoIP features on your mobile phone.

The Philippines is finally going to have legal iPhones in the market in a few months! Globe Telecom will be the exclusive distributor of the country’s most eagerly anticipated mobile phone. I’m pretty sure there was an intense bidding war between Globe and its rival company, Smart Communications. I wonder what made Globe win over Smart?

The iPhone will be hitting other countries in Southeast Asia as well – Singapore under Singtel, India under Bharti Airtel, and Australia under Optus. More updates coming soon!

Read more at Globe Telecom to carry iPhone in RP

Surf’s Up!
With the first and only 3G/HSDPA network in the country and a wide GPRS and EDGE network, Globe allows you to stay connected wherever there’s a Globe signal at up to 1.4Mbps with peaks of up to 1.8 Mbps. All you need is a browsing-capable handset, a Globe Prepaid or Postpaid SIM and you can already connect using the signal and speed available to you.

How to activate Globe 3g
Thankfully surfing the web on your phone is way easier than catching the perfect wave and hanging ten. Globe Prepaid and Postpaid subscribers are by default on the KB Charging scheme. If you want to try out Globe’s new TIME charging scheme, all you need to do is to text TIME to 1111 for free!

*Time Browsing Rate is open to Globe Prepaid, Postpaid Consumer Accounts, SME and Corporate accounts. Not applicable to subscribers on Data Plans (i.e. Visibility). Time Browsing rate effective upon receipt of text confirmation. Succeeding connections will be charged P5 for 15 minutes. If disconnected within the 15 minutes, reconnection will be considered a new session charged at P5. No refund will be made if disconnected before the 15mins are up. Applicable to browsing within the Philippines only.

read more?

I chose a black Nokia E51 because of its slim and sleek look (click on the thumbnail) at first yet I was impressed with the features:

* Thin design loaded with features to help balance your business and leisure time
* Access your email while on the go with support for most leading corporate and personal email applications
* Browse the web and email with high speed 3G, HSDPA, or WLAN connection
* Make lower cost voice calls over the internet with the built-in WLAN
* Stay connected to the people and information you need with a long battery life and large internal memory
* Take pictures and capture video with the 2 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom
* Listen to the latest hits with FM Visual Radio or play your favorite tunes on the MP3 music player

The most appealing feature is that the Nokia E51 “is also ideal for any user wishing to leverage broadband connections to access mobile Internet telephony from homes and hotspots.” The Nokia E51 can use Gizmo, a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) application. Gizmo not only allows you to make inexpensive calls but also chat and talk with friends who are also online and using the application. Gizmo can be downloaded in the Nokia Download! application that comes with the phone.

For S $588 (singapore dollars) or $ US 411.18, Nokia Singapore added a bluetooth worth $98 Singapore or $68.50. Since I was a tourist, I was entitled to a GST refund at the airport of 23 Singapore dollars. (Don’t forget your GST refund receipt though which is different from the sales receipt). Hence, the net cost of the phone was $467 (singapore dollars) or $ US 326.57 or 14,000 pesos. That is so much cheaper than the outdated WLAN enabled phones that were selling for 25,000 thousand pesos. The risk of buying in another country is that they only give local warranty but I took the risk because I’ve rarely had problems with Nokia phones.

Another wonderful feature is the indicator light to nudge you of new mails. The preview window is a nifty way for quickly checking mails on the home screen. “With the new Nokia E51 device, we are responding to this need with a business smartphone that combines the latest advances in business mobility and a classic, stainless steel design, at a price that makes it perfect for company-wide deployments,” Antti Vasara, Mobile Devices Unit senior vice president said in a company statement.

A cool application that I really love is the SMS SPam Manager which came pre-installed. I had been besieged by spam SMS in the past and I had no way to control it. Am I so glad that I finally have an anti-spam application.

SMS Spam Manager blocks unwanted SMS messages without producing any sound or light indication.

With SMS Spam Manager you can effectively filter all your incoming SMS messages. There are 6 different types of filters to block unwanted SMS. You have the freedom to choose whether to reject all incoming messages or to accept messages only from people listed in your phonebook. You can also choose to block incoming SMS messages from a defined phone number, from a defined prefix number and even messages that contain a defined phrase.

Take a look at this animation:

Goodbye junk and unwanted messages.

My Nokia E51 is bundled with an FM radio, a digital media player and 2-megapixel camera. The Nokia browser works with Microsoft’s Windows Live services, including Hotmail, Messenger and Spaces.

Overall, the E51 is one of the most affordable business cellphones. It’s slim and sleek features makes it look classy yet classic looking cellphone. The features are everything that any business oriented person would want to own.

As you might know, WiMax is defined as

WiMAX is a wireless digital communications system, also known as IEEE 802.16, that is intended for wireless “metropolitan area networks”. WiMAX can provide broadband wireless access (BWA) up to 30 miles (50 km) for fixed stations, and 3 – 10 miles (5 – 15 km) for mobile stations. In contrast, the WiFi/802.11 wireless local area network standard is limited in most cases to only 100 – 300 feet (30 – 100m).

With WiMAX, WiFi-like data rates are easily supported, but the issue of interference is lessened. WiMAX operates on both licensed and non-licensed frequencies, providing a regulated environment and viable economic model for wireless carriers.

WiMAX can be used for wireless networking in much the same way as the more common WiFi protocol. WiMAX is a second-generation protocol that allows for more efficient bandwidth use, interference avoidance, and is intended to allow higher data rates over longer distances.

The IEEE 802.16 standard defines the technical features of the communications protocol. The WiMAX Forum offers a means of testing manufacturer’s equipment for compatibility, as well as an industry group dedicated to fostering the development and commercialization of the technology.

WiMax.com provides a focal point for consumers, service providers, manufacturers, analysts, and researchers who are interested in WiMAX technology, services, and products. Soon, WiMAX will be a very well recognized term to describe wireless Internet access throughout the world.

I want to see a real deal 2MB connection this time, please.