timeline

The Media Museum features the history and evolution of communication in the Philippines. It also includes luminaries in communication and mass media, media trends, and electronic photo display of communication artifacts and landmarks.

Timeline of Significant Events in Philippine Cyberage

The Internet boom came late for the Filipino people, but even if they initially “lagged” behind in the global pacing they made up for it in less than 10 years, becoming avid users of Internet and shortly after, wireless communications. As the Filipino culture discovered the ability to harness the uses of the Internet, they became addicted to it. Thus began the Cyberage of the Filipino.

 

1999

January

  • The NTC suspends Provisional Authority (PA) of PLDT’s metering scheme.

February

  • Hacking activity against local ISPs such as Sky Internet, Infocom, and Pacific Internet increases.

May

  • Digitel becomes first phone company to directly offer Net access.

July

  • GPinoyExchange, a popular online message board, launches.
  • E-Store Exchange, one of the few B2C success stories, launches.

September

  • PLDT sues Gerry Kaimo on dispute over PLDT.com.
  • Destiny launches cable Internet service anew.
  • Ayala eCenter launches.

October

  • Philweavers, a web development community, is formed.

November

  • Net registry DotPH opens up .ph to international market and hikes fees.

December

  • Union Bank of the Philippines launches Internet bank, unionbankph.com, and then successful launches EON, its youth-targeted Internet bank account.

2000

January

  • Catcha.com buys into Yehey.
  • Sky Cable offers dial-up Net access.
  • Centennial City is renamed Cyber Bay Corporation.
  • Roberto Ongpin’s group breaks from Philcom amid controversy, buys into South Seas Natural Resources to form PhilWeb.com, and becomes first Internet company in the stock exchange via a backdoor listing.

February

  • MP3Manila.com launches.
  • Extelcom announces Internet plans.
  • Sky Cable launches ZPDee, its cable Internet service.
  • Home Cable launches Now Cable Internet service.
  • PLDT launches international Internet gateway, I-Gate.
  • A Cebu ordinance banning minors from Internet cafes is passed and subsequently opposed.

March

  • Edsamail offers ISP-free e-mail.
  • Zurich Philippines first to offer insurance premium payments online.
  • Local tech stocks reach their peak, followed by a sharp drop, finally bursting the speculative bubble.

April

  • Senator Tito Sotto files bill seeking to install software filters on computers of school libraries that offer Internet access.
  • The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) launches CBCPnet.com, its kid-safe ISP.
  • NCC pushes for universal Net access.
  • Infocom offers its filtering service, Netsafe.
  • The Love Bug virus, later traced to Filipino student Onel de Guzman, wreaks worldwide havoc.

June

  • E-commerce bill passed into law.
  • The National Information Technology Council (NITC) approves the five-year Government Information Systems Plan (GISP), also known as the Philippine Government Online.

July

  • Six conglomerates announces formation of B2B online exchange, Bayantrade.
  • ABS-CBN launches its Internet portal, PinoyCentral.
  • Sage Casino launches.

August

  • Pager company Easycall Communications transforms into an ISP.
  • Senator Tito Sotto’s proposed anti-cybersquatting bill draws flak, in reaction to a certain Mario Cruz who registers several domains of names of senators.
  • Onel de Guzman is released due to lack of law.
  • Meridian Telekoms, the first Internet telecommunications company offering broadband wireless connectivity, is launched.

September

  • Systems Standards, Inc. launches PhilBX, an e-marketplace for SMEs.
  • Senator Tito Sotto proposes a service area scheme for ISPs, drawing a cool response.
  • Globe offers DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), the first telco to launch it (PLDT was first to announce but the service was still in its testing phase).
  • Informatics Holdings Philippines, Inc. launches a Web-based learning portal, PurpleTrain.com, the first e-learning vertical portal in Asia.

October

  • ELagda.com, which sought to gather a million online signatures to petition the resignation of President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, is launched.
  • DFNN gets listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange through an IPO.

November

  • Cyberactivism flourishes with sites like TAG (Transparent Accountable Governance) and anti-Erap sites.
  • eLagda.com organizers sends an e-mail petition to President Joseph Estrada to resign.
  • Asia Online realigns, becoming a full-service Internet consulting firm.
  • PLDT rolls out DSL.

December

  • BPI spins off BPI Direct Savings Bank, merging its Internet and call center operations.
  • Meridian Telekoms introduces fixed wireless broadband service.
  • DTI releases ISP guidelines for VAS providers.
  • PLDT launches Vitro, its Internet Data Center.

2001

January

  • Erap.com shuts down as web developer Designet Philippines breaks up.
  • Complaints about DotPH mount in ph-cyberview and a flame war ensues, leading to an organized opposition against the local registry.
  • Selecta Dairy Products forms alliance with The Philippine Star to form Internet firm, Philstar.com.

February

  • Telcos block VoIP guidelines.
  • NTC proposes optional metering.
  • CHED partners with Net Curricula to train the faculty of more than 100 state colleges and universities.
  • The owners of GMA Network and MediaQuest Holdings Inc. sign a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of 66.6% of the broadcast firm for P8.5 billion.
  • BSP grants authority to 10 banks to operate electronic banking transactions.
  • DBM announces its Electronic Procurement System (EPS) for online public bidding.
  • GMA Network and the Philippine Daily Inquirer forge online alliance, Inq7.net Interactive.

March

  • PLDT invests in Netopia Computer Technologies, Inc.
  • PISO complains about PLDT’s pricing for its myDSL service.
  • Inter.net acquires Philippine operations of PSINET.
  • Sky Cable and Home Cable merge.
  • Yahoo!, Inc. wins dispute against Manila-based Yahoo Computer Services (YCS) for registering the domain names "yahoo.com.ph" and "yahoo.ph" with DotPH, Inc.
  • Smart Communications launches GPRS service.

April

  • DOST proposed Alternative Communications Plan (ACP) to provide telecenters in all municipalities.
  • President Arroyo takes over ITECC chairmanship.
  • Chikka launches instant messenger service for sending SMS from PCs.This became very useful for overseas Filipinos sending messages from countries with easier access to PCs and the Internet. It also shows the predominance of SMS (short messege sending) over Internet in the Philippines. This is mainly due to the availability of service and low price of equipment (handsets versus computers).

May

  • Two former employees of THAMES International School (TIS) become the first to be charged for hacking, piracy, and theft under the E-Commerce Act.
  • Election watchdog ational Citizen's Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) makes use of Internet for Operation Quick Count.

June

  • RCBC makes Internet main delivery channel for enterprise banking services.
  • PISO takes DSL complaint vs. PLDT to NTC.

August

  • THE Philippine Multimedia Systems Inc. (PMSI) and AZ Communication Network Inc.
  • (AzCom) gear up to offer Dream VSAT.
  • Internet pioneer Willy Gan passes away.

October

  • Bell Telecommunications, a full-service telco, starts operations.
  • Government portal www.gov.ph original designers K2 Interactive left in the dark as the Presidential Management Staff hands over project to Microsoft Philippines.

2002

February

  • Top executives lead Inter.net exodus.
  • Department of Justice throws out Disini’s libel appeal.

2003

  • Photo Blogging makes use of cameras on MMS (Multi Messaging Service) cellular phones to send pictures to websites such as “Blogs”.

SOURCE: http://www.itnetcentral.com/Nethistory/html/_evolution.htm