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Moms are everyday heroes!

They play different roles in the workplace and in the community. Sometimes, they would sacrifice their "me" time just to attend to the needs of her family. It's also a challenge for a modern working mom to achieve a piece of mind especially when they go to work and leave the kids at home. But these days, smart gadgets and high-speed internet can help moms control the family's safety and security.

Photo above: http://itsmegracee.blogspot.com/2016/08/pldt-home-launches-smart-watch.html

Just ask Asia’s Songbird and modern-day mom Regine Velasquez – Alcasid. Mom to four-year-old Nathaniel James, more fondly known as Nate, Regine exemplifies the modern-day Filipino mom who strikes the balance between her hectic work schedule and her role as a family woman.

“Technology helps me become a better mom,” she revealed. “Specifically, I get a lot of help from PLDT HOME.” Regine, who is also an ambassador for the brand, added, “They have a suite of products and services that are designed to give moms like me peace of mind through the power of technology. So far, super helpful talaga siya for me especially when I have to be away for work.”

Forefront of strongest connections at home

As the leader in digital innovations for the home, PLDT HOME designs its products and services to help parents like Regine effectively multi-task while ensuring the safety of their families. Two products which promote peace of mind among working moms are the Fam Cam and Smart Watch.

The Fam Cam is a home monitoring system which allows parents to check on their children remotely, and even communicate with them. The Smart Watch, a personal favorite of Nate, is a multi-functional gadget which kids can use to take photos, play music, and even record voice messages.

According to Regine, they use the Smart Watch to easily talk to Nate because he can directly answer calls using his watch when it is connected to their Telpad or a smart phone. The Alcasids also use it as a WiFi remote for the Telpad or smart phone cameras so it’s easier to take selfies or groufies wherever they are.

Regine also shared how the watch helps teach Nate to become more responsible and aware of his surroundings. Nate’s Smart Watch can come to the rescue using the anti-lost feature. He simply has to click on a button and the connected device will make a sound so it can be located. The Smart Watch will also vibrate if Nate goes more than 10 meters away from the paired device so if the Telpad or smart phone is with Mommy Regine or Daddy Ogie, it will remind him to go back to them.

“Nate really loves his Smart Watch,” Regine said. “As a parent, this is a gadget na approve sa akin kasi I can really see that it helps us bond better as a family.”

Nate Alcasid as the new PLDT Home Endorser

Following his mother’s footsteps, Nate was recently launched as the new ambassador for the Smart Watch.

“We’re very excited to have Nate on board,“ PLDT VP and Home Marketing Director Gary Dujali said. “He represents the kids of his generation—perennially curious, smart and dynamic. Together with his mom, we look forward to reaching to more families and educating them about the ways technology can help bring them closer.”

Regine added, “Siyempre, I’m super proud of my baby boy! PLDT HOME is close to our hearts and as a family, we are proof that technology can really help make our lives safer and easier.”

PLDT HOME subscribers who upgrade to a Telpad plan automatically get a free 1Mbps HOME DSL speed boost, and for only an additional P199 per month, they can already top up with a Smart Watch. The watch is also available to existing Telpad subscribers. Simply order online and it will be delivered for free. For more information, visit pldthome.com/telpad/smartwatch.

Thanks for dropping by and have a great day ahead! - Jexx

PLDT has partnered with US-based Roku, the world's leading video streaming platform, to bring the best entertainment to Filipinos right from their TV screens through access to over 3,500 viewing apps, including Netflix, YouTube, and HBO Now.

"We are seeing a growing demand for internet-delivered TV services in the country and there is no better partner for us to give Filipinos the world of entertainment than Roku which has the largest base of active streaming users in the world," PLDT FVP and Head of HOME Operations Oscar Reyes Jr. said.

Roku has nine million active accounts in 10 countries, including the US, UK, and Australia. It also has more than twice the usage of Google Chromecast, according to independent surveys and Roku’s own tracker conducted in November 2015.

"Roku's powerful platform will be a strong complement to PLDT HOME's current array of content from various providers that include iflix and Fox International Channels," Reyes pointed out.

PLDT HOME broadband subscribers currently enjoy subscription video on demand (SVOD) through their iflix accounts which include not just western but also Asian and local TV shows and films while the partnership with Fox also allowed live streaming and catch-up television of the various shows on Fox channels.

PLDT HOME has also been increasing the speed of its Fibr plans with the most recent upgrade reaching as high as 1 Gbps to satisfy the growing appetite of subscribers for bandwidth heavy apps like video streaming.

The demand for internet TV in the world has grown dramatically in the past five years, with the fastest year-on-year growth of 73% registered in 2015 with one over-the-top (OTT) box now streaming 5.5 billion hours at the end of 2015.

"In the past, operators first had to build or lease dedicated infrastructure in order to deliver TV services to the home, with streaming that is no longer the case. As a result, we see a lot of interest from all over the world for our Roku Powered program from both telecom and pay TV operators," said Andrew Ferrone, vice president pay TV at Roku. "With its fast fiber & DSL infrastructure, PLDT is in a perfect position to leverage the Roku streaming platform and quickly deploy a proven, low-cost, turn-key solution and launch an innovative TV service to its broadband customers."

According to recent surveys, video consumption via OTT boxes has been growing dramatically in the US and accounted for 58% of total views as of March last year from 44% the previous year and against 24% for PC and 17% for mobile devices.

"We foresee the Philippines eventually following this trend as more Filipinos' viewing habits involve more and more video. The partnership with Roku is consistent with PLDT HOME's objective of having the widest and best video portfolio in the Philippines," said Reyes.

Thanks for dropping by and have a great day ahead! - Jexx

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Press Release from PLDT Home