THE BOARDROOM

When Globe Business teamed up with Zoom in November 2019, no one suspected that both companies would contend with 2020’s radical changes in the business landscape—and meet challenges head-on. “We've been thrust into this global experiment of how to work differently,” explained Magnus Falk, CIO Advisor for Zoom, during a virtual roundtable discussion with Globe Business and multi-industry C-level executives. “COVID-19 has [forced] leaders to rethink how work was done—and what their customers now needed.” Technology lies at the center of this transformation. “It’s the enabling factor in the new digital workplace,” Falk explained. The disruption caused by the pandemic, combined with key technologies like Zoom’s video communications solutions, has caused three broad trends to emerge and it’s revolutionizing both work and leisure around the world. Trend #1: Innovation is accelerating Bill Gates expressed amazement at 2020’s COVID-induced pace of innovation, “We’ve opened up maybe 12 years of progress maybe just in this last year.” The need to reduce physical contact post-pandemic, among others, has accelerated change to a surprising degree. Even sectors that are steeped in tradition have embraced new ways of doing things, as seen in a 700-year-old  British Parliament video conferencing via Zoom . In the corporate world, Zoom has helped drive the pace of innovation forward, allowing workplaces to reimagine their offices with the following tools: Virtual Receptionist: “You can walk into an office and walk up to a Virtual Receptionist panel , talk to it, [and] get welcomed by someone,” shared Falk. “The receptionist may well be in another city or country.” Digital Signage: These  automated signs can help maintain safe practices in offices by displaying cloud-based occupancy dashboards that can provide alerts regarding room usage and capacity. Zoom’s technology can also give staff guidance about the safe usage of workplace equipment to help everyone comply with safety protocols. Activate Zoom Rooms: A new Zoom product “just around the corner” will allow Zoom Rooms to sense and respond to paired smartphones. Users will be able to control the room camera, mute their audio, and more, just from their phone. “It gives you access to all the rich functionality without having to touch any shared panel, which [is] very attractive to people who are in shared offices,” Falk described. Trend #2: The Business landscape is shifting The pandemic has upended conventional corporate relationships. The new normal has altered how businesses and clients, employers and employees, deal with each other. The world is witnessing iconic brands reinvent themselves—from HSBC  adding Zoom video conferencing to their mortgage process to retailer John Lewis  launching Zoom-enabled personal shopping . The pandemic has also spurred the adoption of a new hybrid work model—one wherein employees are empowered to work on their own terms, at a time that allows them to be at their best, and in a way that allows them to fully contribute, according to Falk. A  recent JLL survey found that 75% of employees expect employers to support work-from-home policies. In response,  formal remote work policies have become more prevalent across the world. Trend #3: 5G will super-charge change The rise of 5G in the Philippines will mean higher-bandwidth connections, but that’s not the end of it. Using 5G’s increased speeds and low latency without a physical connection (Globe’s 5G uses Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output [MIMO] technology that brings speed range from 50Mbps to 200Mbps), people will begin to rethink where they work along with how they work. “Work is going to become distributed across locations, languages, and split between home and office locations,” Falk surmised. “This is going to be good for people, and for locations that were previously far away.” 5G, for starters, facilitates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Zoom Rooms to automatically create accurate transcriptions—an option you can download  on the Zoom App Marketplace . “All this innovation is allowing companies [to let workers choose] to work where, when, and how they want. And it's also applying to the customers: giving them options that they didn't have before.” Change from top to bottom “At Globe, we’ve used all sorts of video conferencing tools. Zoom is by far the best one we’ve encountered,” added Peter Maquera, Senior Vice President for Globe Business. “We started this business relationship way before the pandemic. The crisis made us realize how fortunate we are that we began early. Zoom has certainly been key to us continuing to be agile and productive.” Globe Business and Zoom are well-positioned to help businesses take advantage of big changes and momentous transitions. As an early adopter of 5G and Zoom’s cloud-based, infinitely scalable communications architecture, Globe can help you make sense of the technology fueling the present surge of innovation. A year into its partnership, Globe has already earned accolades from its collaboration with Zoom. During Zoom Partner Connect 2020, Globe was shortlisted as an APAC finalist for the Rising Star Award for its outstanding commitment to engaging and aligning with the Zoom strategy and philosophy of delivering happiness by securely unifying people’s communication needs.

Globe Telecom —through its enterprise arm Globe Business —made a historic mark as the first telco to launch network virtualization in the Philippines. Using the telecom company’s Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO), businesses across the country can now set up their Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) requirements virtually, along with a symphony of cybersecurity and communications applications. “Before NFVO came to fruition, companies were required to install multiple hardware to get their network running seamlessly. With the limitations caused by COVID-19 and the ever-rising demand for internet connectivity, it became apparent that virtualization would be the next step to revolutionize networks,” shared Peter Maquera, Senior Vice President for Globe Business. “NFVO provides businesses with stable, reliable, and scalable networks by replacing physical appliances, such as routers, firewalls, IP PBX systems, and load balancers, with virtual ones.” These virtualized network functions include SD-WAN capabilities and Virtual Firewalls (vFW). SD-WAN allows businesses to use any existing connectivity and deploy their own virtual private network to any location. vFW, on the other hand, provides companies with the ability to grant or block traffic and protect private networks against threats. NFVO makes it possible for businesses to connect to cloud resources; enhance and automate branch connectivity; manage and control incoming and outgoing network traffic; enable routing, firewall security, and virtual private network connectivity; and get subscription-based and cost-efficient business telephony services hosted in Globe data centers. “Aside from the security, real-time network visibility, and control that NFVO gives, the platform also equips businesses with a competitive edge through speed and agility,” added Maquera. “A physical network setup usually takes more than a month. With Globe’s scalable solution, service-level agreements are cut down to mere hours, if they already have existing connectivity in place, leading to more cost savings and no interruptions to services, since everything’s virtual.” Globe Business’ NFVO forms part of the telco’s plans to strengthen the triumvirate of digital transformation—connectivity, cybersecurity, and Cloud. Through a single network solution, Globe aims to empower enterprises to benefit from multiple virtualized features and functions provided by trusted global vendors. With it, businesses across industries can expand their operations and further contribute to the country’s economic recovery. Experience network reimagined with Globe Business’ robust enterprise connectivity. Explore SD-WAN and more by visiting our website . You may also talk to your Account Manager today to get started on expanding your network.