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With the new school year already commenced last October 5th, millions of elementary and secondary school students in the Philippines are in for a new and exciting digital experience in contrast to the traditional face-to-face classes that generations of Filipinos have undergone before. In response to the national need for an effective distance learning platform for more than 2.5 million students enrolled this SY 2020-2021, the country's leading and fastest-growing pay TV provider Cignal TV, with its nationwide reach and availability serving nearly 2.6 million subscribers and counting, inked a partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) to open up two channels dedicated to DepEd TV's content across Cignal and its sister mass-market pay TV brand Satlite.
"Recent restrictions in face-to-face classes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic compelled DepEd to adopt alternative learning delivery modalities for School Year 2020-2021. As cited in its Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), DepEd has identified four modalities in distance learning including television-based and radio-based instructions," said DepEd Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del B. Pascua. During the signing of the memorandum of agreement between DepEd and its partner television and radio networks, Education Secretary Leonor Briones recognized the importance of these two modalities in distance learning, especially for students who do not or yet to have access to the Internet.
Launched simultaneously during the opening of classes for the new school year, DepEd TV is available to all Cignal prepaid and postpaid subscribers on channel 149 as well as Satlite subscribers via channel 189. Even if they do not have load on their Cignal or Satlite accounts, DTH (direct-to-home) pay TV subscribers are assured they will have access to the channel. DepEd TV is also available for online streaming via Cignal's OTT (over-the-top) streaming service Cignal Play which is available for Android and iOS users upon registration through cignalplay.com.
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Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) and the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association (PCTA) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to benefit more learners as they study within the safe comforts of their own home while distance learning is being implemented. This formal partnership is set to extend the reach of Knowledge Channel to more cable-connected homes nationwide, especially in remote areas with limited to no internet connection.
Reaching more than 1.7 million households via SKY and a number of pay TV service providers across the country, Knowledge Channel aired curriculum-based video lessons since last March with its "Stay At Home, Learn At Home" program that helped students catch up with their lessons while the enhanced community quarantine is enforced in most parts of the country. This renewed collaboration between KCFI and PCTA will bring Knowledge Channel to as many learners, parents and teachers to help them with distance learning. In helping the basic education sector, PCTA is encouraging its 360 regular members and 32 affiliates covering 75% of cable-connected households nationwide not only to include Knowledge Channel in their lineup but also to put the channel in their most affordable packages.
The memorandum of understanding was officially signed by KCFI President and Managing Director Rina Lopez Bautista and PCTA president and K-CAT owner Joel Dabao. DepEd Region X Director Dr. Art Bayocot, who graced the event, emphasized the importance of multimedia learning that KCFI and PCTA can help DepEd with to bring the channel to more children.
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In support of McDonald's Philippines' McClassroom initiative, Smart Communications Inc. has provided additional Smart Bro Pocket WiFi units to participating stores for teachers who need fast and strong internet connectivity in making their distance learning lessons. Two hundred (200) of these units were turned over to the fastfood chain offering more connectivity options for teachers who will be using McClassrooms, which are party rooms inside selected McDo branches across the country converted into teachers' workstations.
Smart has also partnered with McDonald's to deploy super-fast and secured carrier-grade Smart WiFi in key McDonald's branches in Luzon and in Cebu in the coming months. Under the partnership, the telco is rolling out fiber-powered WiFi connectivity in select McDo stores to provide the best customer experience on public WiFi. Smart Bro Pocket WiFi units are powered by Smart LTE, the fastest mobile internet network in the Philippines based on data released by third-party analytics firms Ookla and OpenSignal.
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In line with its continuing efforts to make internet accessible to Filipinos especially in times of uncertainty, Globe Telecom officially launched its School Bus WiFi project in the city of Manila which is a bigger version of the telco's KonekTayo WiFi that aims to provide fast, reliable and low-cost home internet connectivity in underserved markets during the pandemic.
Using KonekTayo WiFi, Globe has deployed school bused equipped with special antennas which broadcasts the WiFi signal from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm everyday in covered areas across the city including Pasaje Del Carmen St., Remigio St., 853 Gonzalo Gil Puyat St., 924 Bilibid Viejo St., Tomas Mapua St., Alfonso Mendoza St., Dalupan St., Oroqueta St., and Basco St. The use of KonekTayo WiFi service inside the school buses will be free for the first hour to public school students and teachers in Manila who were provided 289,000 Globe prepaid SIM cards. Through the School Bus WiFi campaign, Globe also extends support to school bus operators whose main source of livelihood was put at stake because of the pandemic.
Formerly known as KapitWiFi, KonekTayo WiFi is a fast and secured community WiFi project that aims to provide households with affordable internet service. The School Bus WiFi campaign is part of KonekTayo WiFi's bigger purpose of making internet connectivity more accessible for underserved families and communities in the country. Available to subscribers of all mobile networks, KonekTayo WiFi requires no device cashouts, monthly fees and modems. Customers simply need to connect to a KonekTayo WiFi hotspot, purchase a data package of their choice and enjoy surfing all day. With the School Bus WiFi project, students and people working from home can avail of the KonekTayo WiFi service for as low as Php15 a day.
