RP launches Internet gateway

RP launches Internet gateway

MANILA (AFP): Leading carrier Philippine Long Distance
Telephone Co. (PLDT) said Friday it has launched an Internet
gateway service which provides high-speed and cheaper worldwide
links.

PLDT assistant vice president for business solutions Nerisse
Ramos said the move was expected to boost the company's revenue
from data services because of its dominance of the local market.

Under the new service called I-Gate, PLDT will use a 45
megabits per second fiber optic link to the Palo Alto Internet
Exchange (PAIX).

Internet service providers worldwide can interconnect and
rates are 30-40 percent cheaper, Ramos told reporters.

"I-Gate also has direct links to seven other Asian countries
such as Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia,
and Taiwan. This way, Internet traffic intended for these
countries does not have to be routed to the U.S. anymore, thereby
saving bandwidth use," Ramos added.