Philippijes: PT&T links up with Australian tech giant

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Connectivity provider PT and T Corp. has signed an agreement to become the Philippine supplier of broadband products and security solutions offered by an innovator listed at the Australian Stock Exchange.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, PT and T said it has signed a partnership with Netlinkz Ltd. for a joint venture to improve Philippine connectivity.

In particular, PT and T will serve as the local provider of Netlinkz services, hoping to maximize its suite of broadband and security products to penetrate mainly underserved areas.

PT and T will lean on the partnership to connect enterprises in isolated areas to the internet. In turn, businesses in remote islands will be given access to high-speed, low-latency connectivity protected by enterprise-grade network security.

PT and T will also be licensed to sell the core solutions of Netlinkz, such as the Software-Defined Wide Area Network. The product promises business efficiency, data security and reliable internet in this all-in-one bundle, which Netlinkz has sold on a global scale.

For PT and T, the partnership struck with Netlinkz expands its connectivity portfolio, as it gears up to challenge the telco industry again now that its balance sheet has significatly improved.

PT and T president and CEO James Velasquez said the company would bank on its Netlinkz tieup to offer enterprises with an alternative option for connectivity supply.

'Together (with Netlinkz), we are poised to transform network security and connectivity across the Philippines, providing innovative solutions that will empower our clients to thrive in today's fast-paced, digital-first environment,' Velasquez said.

PT and T reported a profit of P7.9 million in the first semester, a reversal from the net loss of P27.1 million a year ago. The company, which used to compete with industry leaders, plans to broaden its network coverage and upgrade telco infrastructure around Luzon.

In April, PT and T resumed trading at the PSE following the lifting of its two-decade suspension. PT and T erased P9.3 billion in capital deficiency through debt-to-equity conversion, allowing it back on the main PSE board.

In the 1990s, PT and T used to go head-to-head with PLDT Inc. for telco subscribers, but sustained a financial meltdown in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis.