PLDT Inc. said it signed a seven-year, $300-million agreement with US software company Amdocs to upgrade and modernize the former’s information and technology systems.
“Our strategic collaboration with Amdocs is a key component of our digital transformation to enhance customer experience, engagement and product delivery,” PLDT and Smart chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.
“With this agreement in place, we can focus on our core mission of serving our customers in the best possible way through powerful, pervasive connectivity, and relevant cutting-edge digital products and services created by ourselves or with partners like Amdocs and others who are leaders in their fields,” Pangilinan said.
The managed transformation agreement among PLDT, Smart and Amdocs involves transformation services which include the development of state-of-the-art, digital capabilities for convergent sales operations, digital customer experience across multiple channels and service fulfillment and network rollout systems.
The agreement also involves managed services that cover the operation and modernization of the IT environment of PLDT and Smart encompassing application development and maintenance across critical IT components, such as customer relationship management, billing, subscription and campaign management.
“This milestone engagement will help boost our growth, and position us to take the lead in the next wave of digital innovation brought by new technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation technologies. It is a partnership in real terms,” Pangilinan said.
“And since this engagement takes the form of managed transformation services, certain manpower from our IT units would be offered career opportunities in Amdocs as regular employees. This represents a unique chance for these IT people to further build their careers in one of the leading software and services companies in the world,” he said.
Gary Miles, chief marketing officer at Amdocs, said PLDT was focused on delivering compelling customer experiences for their wide range of telecommunications and digital services across fixed line and cellular networks.
“Our digital solutions and services will enable them to further enhance customer experiences across their brands for Home, wireless and enterprise services; while improving overall efficiencies to quickly innovate and launch new services to grow their data business,” Miles said.
PLDT was advised by Allen & Overy, SyCipLaw and Deloitte Consulting Southeast Asia for the transaction.
PLDT earlier signed a $28.5-million contract with Huawei to transform its wireless service delivery platforms in a bid to further improve its customer service.
Under the 15-month agreement, Huawei will improve Smart’s online charging platforms and electronic loading for prepaid subscribers.
These projects are part of PLDT Group’s massive capital expenditure program for the continuing overhaul of its fixed and wireless networks infrastructure and its information technology systems which is expected to exceed P50 billion in 2018.