SMAC: The ICT Path Towards a Truly Digital Government

SMAC (social, mobile, analytics and cloud) is the concept that four technologies are currently driving business innovation.

None of the four technologies can be an afterthought because it's the synergy created by social, mobile, analytics and cloud working together that creates a competitive advantage.

Social media has provided businesses with new ways to reach and interact with customers, while mobile technologies have changed the way people communicate, shop and work. Analytics allow businesses to understand how, when and where people consume certain goods and services and cloud computing provides a new way to access technology and the data a business needs to quickly respond to changing markets and solve business problems.

While each of the four technologies can impact a business individually, their convergence is proving to be a disruptive force that is creating entirely new business models for service providers. Below are most of the insights shared by Lorenzo Fernando Tandeo, PLDT's Head of Business Development for Cloud and Data Center for Enterprise, from his talk at the 2015 NICT Summit.

Based on the latest estimate, there are now about 40 million online Filipinos. Pinoys spend an average of 4 hours a day connected to the Internet. There are also more phones than the number of people in the country thus we are prominent as a mobile-equipped country already. These numbers will unsurprisingly double or triple in the next years. This is the new normal. Everyone is connected somehow and someway, and without hyping PLDT or Globe Telecom, the undebatable fact is "People connect!"

Mandatory Free Peering to Speed Up Internet Access in the Philippines

"Mandatory 'Free Peering' is another way to speed up Philippine Internet service. Its like allowing separate Internet network whether government-owned or private to interconnect with major telecommunication companies to facilitate faster exchange of data. Globe and PLDT have done it with voice. Let them do it this time with data. Government should step in and never take this issue lightly. Investing on ICT is not an EXPENSE but a necessary tool for economic development and job creation" - Rodge Tonacao

Under the memo circular of the National Telecommunications Communications (NTC), all ISPs are required to connect with the IP exchange of the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) with respect to their domestic Internet traffic.

Proponents of IP peering such as Globe Telecom have said to be erroneously comparing this to interconnection for voice calls and SMS between phone carriers, except that in this case interconnection applies to Internet traffic.

“That is comparing apples and oranges," said PLDT technology group head Roland G. Pena. “IP peering is much more complex than conventional interconnection."

Pena argues that "Unlike conventional phone systems where calls are handled using carefully planned routing tables downloaded into switching systems, the routers of Internet use a self-discovery process to determine the connectivity of the network and decide themselves where to send traffic. Rather than use direct high-usage peering or redundancy throughout the network which is the rule for telephone systems, the Internet achieves reliability via a mesh network rich in alternate routes."

Strengthening ICT Education in the Philippines

The private-public partnership the government has taken to fully utilize benefits presented by ICT in the education sector aims to build global competitiveness.

Modernizing education through uptake of the latest technology would be a win-win situation for both parties.

This move is very effective in increasing access and quality of education from primary to university level.

There are numerous areas where the private sector can come in, from infrastructure development to development of digital content to be used for training of teachers.

Private sector opportunities are not limited to multinationals alone because there are many opportunities that can be pursued by local businesses.

“Studies show that students whose teachers received training in computers performed better than others. Schools that provide teachers with professional development in computers also enjoyed higher staff morale and lower absenteeism” - Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago

Tekkie Brekkie: The Most Important Meal of the Day

Tekkie Brekkie contains overviews of discussions among ICT professionals and enthusiasts raised during breakfast, coffee, brunch, lunch, snack time and dinner breaks.

But we made emphasis on breakfast since we all know that breakfast is highly regarded as the most important meal of the day so it is but necessary to get a fulfilling plateful of facts and opinions related to ICT before we start our day. These discussions are also best when there are actual sumptuous culinary treats that we digest during the same time we take in all the knowledge.

"Tekkie" is another way to write techie which is short for technology expert or enthusiast, and "brekkie" is short for breakfast.

We are not limiting ourselves to gadgets and the usual retail products for end-users because this publication will carry very diverse topics within and beyond Information and Communication Technology.