Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services Efficient Communication

Table of Contents Connected Activities Scope Revenue Source Work Cited Connected Activities In order to ensure efficient communication SDARS has to connect three important components; the communication satellite, the uplinks and the downlinks that enable easy transmission. The communication satellites provides three orbits each covering an estimated distance from above the earth into the space and this ensures that signals are distributed evenly.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service’s Efficient Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Low orbit covers below 3100 miles above the earth, medium orbits below 12,400 miles and geostationary covering 22,237 miles. Through the use of earth-orbiting satellite the SDARS have ensured that the radio signals are received promptly by the subscribers (Callahan et al 305-306). SDARS have also installed terrestrial repeaters that ensure that the transmission signals are not disrupted by obstacles. The system also has attenuated free frequency range that prevents transmission interference by the weather. The firm offers an in-dash unit that has the ability of receiving AM, FM and also satellite transmissions. There is the FM modulator capable of receiving and retransmitting signals, and the portable plug-and-play devices which offer the subscribers convenience since it can be used in cars (Callahan et al 306). Scope The rise in the radio technology has seen ascend to the levels of offering commercial applications. The quality and the distance of transmission coverage also improved and incorporated the human voices; this ensured that a good percentage of population is reached from every region (Callahan et al 305). The vehicle industry has become one of the major customers for the satellite radio, all new vehicles scramble for installation and the radio prices are usually not considered in pricing the new vehi cles (Callahan et al 305). The SDARS provides subscribers with variety of unique channels with less time apportioned to the commercial coverage as compared to the traditional commercial coverage that took approximately fifteen minutes per programming hour. The signal coverage is widespread therefore offering subscribers the ability to listen to same station on long journeys (Callahan et al 306). There is the hardware subsidies offered by SDARS in order to offset equipment costs. There are also incentives that are offered to the dealers that enhances the retail sales. The service has of recent offered the XM satellite radio that produces a signal from two earth-station antennas. They offer variety of music, talk, sports, entertainment and news channels. Besides they provide the subscribers with the opportunity to listen to live artist performances (Callahan et al 308).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15 % OFF Learn More Revenue Source To ensure stability and continuation SDARS obtains its revenue from advertising, activation fees and subscription fees. The contribution by the XM was approximated to be between 20-25% of the total revenue. The company charges an activation fee of $9.99 that’s only for subscriptions ordered over the website. The activation fee for orders made over the phone is a bit higher rated at $ 14.99, the total activation fee was estimated to contribute between 3- 5% of total revenues. The monthly subscription fee for XM which forms a big percentage of the revenues is charged at $9.99 per month. The subscription fee has contributed between 79-88% of total revenues (Callahan et al 309). Also the addition of other channels like the premium adult channel and playboy radio saw the increase in the subscription fee in the recent past. In Sirius satellite radio 98% of the revenue is obtained from the subscription fee with less than 2% from advertising. This is since music programming commercials are free of charge (Callahan et al 310). For the enhancement of their transmissions SDARS provide the consumers with the tuners each valued between $250 – $400, antenna valued between $50- $100 and also there is a fee paid to cater for the installation services that’s between $60 – $100. Some revenue is received from the partnering companies like the GM which helps in the distribution process of the XM radios (Callahan et al 309). On the other hand The Hertz Corporation which is a car rental Company partners with Sirius satellite radio to provide radios in Ford vehicles which costs tenants an extra charge of $ 5 per day (Callahan et al 310; Feng et al 467-503). Work Cited Callahan, Cropper, Hunter, Kucker and Mitzel Angela. â€Å"Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service†. Accessed at http://www.northwinds.net/ on March 2, 2010. Feng, Froud, Johal, Haslam and Williams. â€Å"A New Business Model? The Capital Market and the New Economy†. Economy and Society, Vol. 30, No. 4, 2001: 467-503Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service’s Efficient Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay on Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service’s Efficient Communication was written and submitted by user Alessandra Dudley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

space travel essays

space travel essays Here I am alone in this cold metal spacecraft. A minute ago, my face was subjected to extreme forces of gravity. Isolated alone in this spacecraft waiting to land on the moon. Leaving my family behind to seize the opportunity of becoming the first man to land on the moon. Many space expeditions to the moon had been organized and many had failed. Men and Women from countries such as Russia and China had tried to conquer space. The deadly black abyss of space, do not be fooled and convinced by the false sense of security projected by the black abyss of space. It has claimed countless lives and many spacecraft had perished. Metal scraps littered, lingering and floating aimlessly. Now reminiscence of the great spacecrafts it used to be. Carrying brave men and women. Now here I am sitting alone staring into the infinite depths of the black abyss. What happened before I took off was heart pondering. My mind braced for the inevitable. My mind recalled what happened vividly. Houston we have a problem! I screamed into my microphone. The computer screen indicated an error. But that time it was too late. I was on the verge of take off. My rocket booster reverberated. The earsplitting rocket resonance. My heart skipped a beat. Thoughts of dying braced through my mind. Visions of y loved ones; precious memories came flooding into my mind. Am I going to die? How I wish that before I died I can say goodbye and tell them how much I loved them. During those crucial moments, silence swept through the craft. All other noise was blocked out of my mind. I was in fear. Death was imminent and inevitable. I wished that if I die it would be fast and painless. This sound jolted me out of my reverie. The reassuring sound meant that my transition from earth to space had been successful. My heart yelped in joy. I do not want to die. I have yet to discover and explore the secrets of the infinite bla ...

The Night of Sorrows

The Night of Sorrows On the night of June 30 - July 1, 1520, the Spanish conquistadors occupying Tenochtitlan decided to escape from the city, as they had been under heavy attack for several days. The Spanish tried to escape under cover of darkness, but they were spotted by locals, who rallied the Mexica warriors to attack. Although some of the Spaniards escaped, including expedition leader Hernan Cortes, many were slain by the angry natives, and many of the golden treasures of Montezuma were lost. The Spanish referred to the escape as La Noche Triste, or the Night of Sorrows.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ The Conquest of the Aztecs In 1519, conquistador Hernan Cortes landed near present-day Veracruz with about 600 men and began slowly making his way to the magnificent capital city of the Mexica (Aztec) Empire, Tenochtitlan. On his way into the Mexican heartland, Cortes learned that the Mexica controlled many vassal states, most of which were unhappy about the Mexicas tyrannical rule. Cortes also first defeated, then befriended the warlike Tlaxcalans, who would provide invaluable assistance in his conquest. On November 8, 1519, Cortes and his men entered Tenochtitlan. Before long, they took Emperor Montezuma captive, resulting in a tense stand-off with the remaining native leaders who wanted the Spaniards out. The Battle of Cempoala and the Toxcatl Massacre In early 1520, Cortes had a fairly firm hold on the city. Emperor Montezuma had proved a pliant captive and a combination of terror and indecision paralyzed other native leaders. In May, however, Cortes was forced to assemble as many soldiers as he could and leave Tenochtitlan. Governor Diego Velazquez of Cuba, wishing to reassert control over Cortes expedition, had sent a massive conquistador army under Panfilo de Narvaez to rein in Cortes. The two conquistador armies met at the Battle of Cempoala on May 28 and Cortes emerged victorious, adding Narvaez men to his own. Meanwhile, back in Tenochtitlan, Cortes had left his lieutenant Pedro de Alvarado in charge of about 160 Spanish reserves. Hearing rumors that the Mexica planned to slaughter them at the Festival of Toxcatl, Alvarado decided on a pre-emptive strike. On May 20, he ordered his men to attack the unarmed Aztec nobles assembled at the festival. Heavily armed Spanish conquistadors and their fierce Tlaxcalan allies waded into the unarmed mass, killing thousands. Needless to say, the people of Tenochtitlan were enraged by the Temple Massacre. When Cortes returned to the city on June 24, he found Alvarado and the surviving Spaniards and Tlaxcalans barricaded in the Palace of Axaycatl. Although Cortes and his men were able to join them, the city was up in arms.   The Death of Montezuma By this point, the people of Tenochtitlan had lost their respect for their Emperor, Montezuma, who had repeatedly refused to take up arms against the hated Spanish. On June 26 or 27, the Spanish dragged a reluctant Montezuma to the rooftop to appeal to his people for peace. This tactic had worked before, but now his people were having none of it. The assembled Mexica egged on by new, warlike leaders including Cuitlhuc (who would succeed Montezuma as Tlatoani, or Emperor), only jeered Montezuma before launching stones and arrows at him and the Spanish on the roof. The Europeans brought Montezuma inside, but he had been mortally wounded. He died shortly thereafter, on June 29 or 30. Preparations for Departure With Montezuma dead, the city in arms and able military leaders like Cuitlhuac clamoring for the annihilation of all of the invaders, Cortes and his captains decided to abandon the city. They knew the Mexica did not like to fight at night, so they decided to leave at midnight on the night of June 30-July 1. Cortes decided that they would leave via the Tacuba causeway to the west, and he organized the retreat. He put his best 200 men in the vanguard so that they could clear the way. He also put important noncombatants there: his interpreter Doà ±a Marina (Malinche) was guarded personally by some of Cortes best soldiers. Following the vanguard would be Cortes with the main force. They were followed by the surviving Tlaxcalan warriors with some important prisoners, including three children of Montezuma. After that, the rearguard and cavalry would be commanded by Juan Velazquez de Leà ³n and Pedro de Alvarado, two of Cortes most reliable battlefield captains. The Night of Sorrows The Spanish made it a fair way onto the Tacuba causeway before they were seen by a local woman who raised the alarm. Before long, thousands of enraged Mexica warriors were attacking the Spanish on the causeway and from their war canoes. The Spanish fought valiantly, but the scene soon deteriorated into chaos. The vanguard and Cortes main body of troops reached the western shores fairly intact, but the back half of the escape column was nearly wiped out by the Mexica. The Tlaxcalan warriors suffered great losses, as did the rearguard. Many local leaders who had allied themselves with the Spanish were killed, including Xiuhtototzin, governor of Teotihuacn. Two of Montezumas three children were killed, including his son Chimalpopoca. Juan Velazquez de Leà ³n was killed, reportedly shot full of native arrows. There were several gaps in the Tacuba causeway, and these were difficult for the Spanish to cross. The largest gap was called the Toltec Canal. So many Spaniards, Tlaxcalans, and horses died at the Toltec Canal that their dead bodies formed a bridge over the water over which others could cross. At one point, Pedro de Alvarado allegedly made a tremendous leap over one of the gaps in the causeway: this place became known as Alvarados Leap even though it likely never happened. Some Spanish soldiers close to the rearguard decided to retreat back to the city and re-occupy the fortified Palace of Axaycatl. They may have been joined there by as many as 270 conquistadors there, veterans of the Narvaez expedition, who had apparently never been told of the plans to leave that night. These Spanish held out for a couple of days before being overrun: all were killed in battle or sacrificed shortly thereafter. The Treasure of Montezuma The Spanish had been collecting wealth since long before the Night of Sorrows. They had plundered towns and cities on their way to Tenochtitlan, Montezuma had given them extravagant gifts and once they reached the capital city of the Mexica, they had looted it mercilessly. One estimate of their loot was a staggering eight tons of gold, silver, and jewels at the time of the Night of Sorrows. Before they left, Cortes had ordered the treasure melted down into portable gold bars. After he had secured the Kings fifth and his own fifth onto some horses and Tlaxcalan porters, he told the men to take whatever they wanted to carry with them as they fled the city. Many greedy conquistadors loaded themselves down with heavy gold bars, but some of the smarter ones did not. Veteran Bernal Diaz del Castillo carried only a small handful of gemstones which he knew were easy to barter with natives. The gold was put in the care of Alonso de Escobar, one of the men Cortes trusted most. In the confusion of the Night of Sorrows, many of the men abandoned their gold bars when they became a needless weight. Those who had loaded themselves with too much gold were more likely to perish in battle, drown in the lake, or be captured. Escobar disappeared in the confusion, presumably killed or captured, and thousands of pounds of Aztec gold disappeared with him. All in all, most of the loot the Spanish had captured thus far disappeared that night, down into the depths of Lake Texcoco or back into the hands of the Mexica. When the Spanish recaptured Tenochtitlan several months later, they would try in vain to locate this lost treasure. Legacy of the Night of Sorrows All in all, some 600 Spanish conquistadors and about 4,000 Tlaxcalan warriors were killed or captured on what the Spanish came to call La Noche Triste, or the Night of Sorrows. All of the captive Spaniards were sacrificed to the Aztecs gods. The Spaniards lost a great many important things, such as their cannons, most of their gunpowder, any food they still had and, of course, the treasure. The Mexica rejoiced in their victory but made a huge tactical error in not pursuing the Spanish immediately. Instead, the invaders were allowed to retreat to Tlaxcala and regroup there before beginning another assault on the city, which would fall in a matter of months, this time for good. Tradition has it that after his defeat, Cortes wept and regrouped beneath an enormous Ahuehuete tree in Tacuba Plaza. This tree stood for centuries and became known as el rbol de la noche triste or the tree of the Night of Sorrows. Many modern Mexicans favor a native-centric view of the conquest: that is to say, they see the Mexica as brave defenders of their homeland and the Spanish as unwelcome invaders. One manifestation of this is a movement in 2010 to change the name of the plaza, which is called Plaza of the Tree of the Night of Sorrows to Plaza of the Tree of the Night of Victory. The movement did not succeed, perhaps because there is not much left of the tree nowadays. Sources Diaz del Castillo, Bernal. Trans., ed. J.M. Cohen. 1576. London, Penguin Books, 1963. Print.Levy, Buddy. Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma and the Last Stand of the Aztecs. New York: Bantam, 2008.Thomas, Hugh. Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes and the Fall of Old Mexico. New York: Touchstone, 1993.

Analysis of the Monster by Eminem ft. Rihanna Essay

Analysis of the Monster by Eminem ft. Rihanna - Essay Example This "Analysis of the â€Å"Monster† by Eminem ft. Rihanna" essay analyses and identifying the arguments and thesis of the video called "The Monster" which is sung by Eminem and Rihanna. He repeatedly identifies himself to be the Monster. He even uses the reminder of his relationship with the Monster in the chorus to allude to how effectively his ego has inflated, as well as, how tormenting it can to deal with his fame at times. â€Å"†¦I think I’m getting so huge I need a shrink. I’m beginning to lose sleep; one sheep, two sheep. Going cuckoo and cooky as Kool Keith†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Line 13-15). The lyrics depict the theme of egoism and fame that makes artists thrive in the music industry. Meanwhile the monster under the bed as portrayed in the song depicts the inner voice that drives the artists in their singing.Though, it is devilish it is like a hidden power that makes an artist unique from others. It is a fact that every human being will enjoy recognition, the key source of happiness for different artists as it determines their survival that their ego develops. Once a person is established well, this ego conflicts with the natural occurring minds, therefore, delineate between the two distinct voices that are portrayed in the song. â€Å"To intervene between me and this monster†¦ And save me from myself and all this conflict†. Everyone knows how treacherous it may be in overwhelming the single-mind based voices. Therefore, it can be tricky and disturbing in sleeping as a minor ailment amongst a two or many voice environment as portrayed by Eminem.

Public-Private Partnerships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Public-Private Partnerships - Essay Example Besides, it encourages competition and promotes quality service delivery. Lastly, its application can help in a proper and full utilization of public resources (Savas, 2005). Despite its positive contributions in the country, the effective application of PPP can be affected by political interference, bureaucratic procedures in the procumbent system, poor policy formulation and implementation (LeRoux, 2007). These, if not properly checked, can be quite disastrous in the success of PPP in the country. Definitely, the information provided in this book can be of great importance to anyone who wants to venture into public administration. It imparts crucial knowledge that can help in preparing them to be informed and open-minded public administrators. First, it provides a proper understanding on the differences between PPP and PPE. Secondly, it teaches on the effectiveness of a proper application of these concepts in the management of public resources. Moreover, it teaches on the obstacles that can derail effective application of PPP. Last, but not least, the article informs on the best strategies that can be applied to address such challenges. All these can be quite invaluable to a prospecting public

President John F. Kennedys Inauguration Speech Analysis

President John F. Kennedys Inauguration Speech Analysis Abstract This paper provides a rhetorical analysis of President John F. Kennedys inauguration speech. Included is the type of text it is, where it was first spoken, and the main objective. My analysis of this speech includes his clear call to action for the American people to unite together with the rest of humanity to ensure human rights, freedom, peace, and stability for the world. Also, the larger debate included is how we as Americans, live in a somewhat utopian society where other countries do not and we need to take the responsibility to ensure this right for everyone. Kennedy utilizes all three emotional appeals, weather stated specifically or inferred, but his most used was his appeal to the emotions of the audience. Also analyzed is his successful use formal and informal style which is inferred and organization which leads to the conclusion that great admiration for this man can come from this speech as well as a call to duty that we can all take upon ourselves with the responsibilit y to carry out this great mans idealistic concepts for the world. JFK Inauguration Speech John F. Kennedys Inaugural speech was given on January 20th, 1961. He spoke to not only the citizens of the United States, but to the entire world. It was clear that his main goal was to unify the entire human race and to make the world a better place for everyone. John F. Kennedy was calling on all Americans to be the difference, to take a stand, to make the change, and to do what is morally right. There was a great reference to our country being the first to revolt against the will of greedy men, and that we are the heirs of that revolution with the duty to uphold and bring basic human rights to all human beings across the globe. His great use of logic and powerful emotions used throughout the speech brought this sense of duty, argued his call to action, and allowed his words to be quite effective in the unification of the citizens of the United States and the rest of the world together. Utopia is the world that comes to mind after reading President Kennedys inauguration speech. In his call to action, he indicated that his administration would be the beginning of change for the betterment of humanity and will need to continue on. He states to Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americansborn in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritageand unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world (1961). We as Americans believe in liberty and justice for all people; we are all descendants of the soldiers who fought in the revolutionary war to stand united in upholding such principles. Having this same background, President Kennedy brings more to the unification of the citizens of the United States. As stated previously, Kennedy further brings a connection to the audience through a civic call to duty, which is directed to everyone. He states to the audience and the world to Ask not what your country can do for youask what you can do for your country (1961). Though this is a huge responsibility to the people of the United States, he makes the acknowledgment that this is possible if each citizen puts forth the effort to make a difference. Through the effort of an entire nation combined, the United States will be able to change the world for the better. In addition to uniting the citizens of the United States as a single entity, President Kennedy then continues to unite the human race as a single entity as well. For example, he made the reference to allies whom we share similar values and cultural origins with, our sister countries, as well as the United Nations, from which he makes a pledge to the many different societies around the world that we will ensure that all humanity will be given equal human rights. He continues to develop his theme of unification by references to goals and cultures common to which we share with countries throughout the world. As a result of this, he effectively united all humans throughout the world as one. Throughout his speech, conveyance of shared backgrounds and morals are used to unite the citizens of the United States and the rest of the world to accomplish the same goals that also unite us together. Kennedy then continues to unite the world by stating that even if we overlook our similar backgrounds, we as Americans share a core set of values, of morals, of ethics as well. President Kennedy uses these values, these ethical and moral appeals in his speech to unite the country even further. He states that Now the trumpet summons us againnot as a call to bear arms, though arms we neednot as a call to battle, though embattled we are but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulationa struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself (1961). There is a stark connection made, with the presidents ability to impact the world and the audience having the very same capability to make an impact on the entire world. With this, the audience is able to accept President Kennedys call to duty which then, proceeds to credit his speech as being quite effective. Kennedy was trying to unite all Americans and all humans as they exist on this earth and to bring the audience to his call to duty. He used Americans shared backgrounds and their core values to strengthen his call to duty as well as connect the country as one. His call to action is based on the three rhetorical appeals, ethos, pathos and logos. He has appealed emotionally to the audience with patriotism, hope, and justice for all humans. Kennedy uses the contrast of feelings such as pride and fear and pity, which works very well to convey his call to action. He then utilized these negative emotions of pity felt by the audience for parts of the world that have people living in poverty which push people further into his call to duty (1961). Kennedy creates these unwanted feelings in a successful attempt to push people to rid themselves of such emotions. Then, in contrast, he continues to utilize emotional appeals by evoking pride in unifying America and the world. He keeps enforcing hi s call to duty through emotional appeal. Last, but not least, he has used reason in how he used American values and the cause and effect of the revolution in America to becoming a country who believes in liberty and justice for all. His whole speech makes sense and flows well together from point to point. Kennedys utilization of pathos, appealing to the emotions of his audience is of most importance to his inaugural speech, in which the chief aim was to unify all Americans and the world together. He states to Let us begin anewremembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate (1961).ÂÂ   Kennedy conveyed himself as a man of great integrity that the audience and the world had no choice but to trust him. From my perspective, there was not a single logical fallacy to be found in this entire speech. Also, the speech was very successful in connecting the people of different backgrounds in the world which puts great emphasis on his call to action. It was clear that he was very successful in conveying his goal of working towards providing the people of the entire world with human rights as well as peace and stability. We can conclude by stating the fact that K ennedy had a perfect vision for the world. In his closing, he states that Whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth Gods work must truly be our own (1961). His call to action showed how admirable and responsible a man he is, and proves without a doubt that we should all take responsibility for creating the world in which all are granted life, liberty, and freedom. References Kennedy, John F. (1961). John F. Kennedy Quotations, President Kennedys Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961. Retrieved from https://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/Ready-Reference/JFK-Quotations/Inaugural-Address.aspx Life of John F. Kennedy. Retrieved from https://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/Life-of-John-F-Kennedy.aspx

Privatizing Philippine Public Service Delivery

Privatization may seem like a perfect solution for deficit-plagued governments, but the morning after can bring some unpleasant surprises. As a city or country drowned in deficits and faced multiple lawsuits, city leaders saw outsourcing as a light at the end of a collapsing tunnel. But it was only a mirage. The search for financial salvation is sweeping the country as local governments grapple with waning sales and property tax revenues. The economic recession has strangled budgets, forcing layoffs and the disbanding of departments. Feeling pushed to the brink of bankruptcy, cities are trying to find effective ways to make do with less. Over the year, more public officials have turned to outside sources for help in providing services at a lower cost to the country’s provinces or cities. In theory, the idea of contracting public services to private companies to cut costs makes sense. If someone is willing to fix streets or put out fires for less money, that should be a plus for a government’s bottom line. Many provinces and local governments have identified hundreds of millions of pesos in savings by hiring outside contractors — or a neighbouring city’s services — to handle tasks like trash collection, electricity repair, and water and wastewater treatment. For me, privatization of public services is by no means a perfect solution. Some agencies don’t have the metrics in place to prove in advance that outsourcing a service will save money. Problems from poorly conceived contracts can create cost increases that surpass the costs of in-house services, and if there’s shoddy contract oversight, a government is vulnerable to corruption and profiteering. The privatization of public services can erode accountability and transparency, and drive governments deeper into debt. Governments at all levels are just desperate to balance their budgets, and they’re grasping at privatization as a panacea. But there’s evidence that it often is a very bad deal with hidden costs and consequences when you turn over public service to a for-profit company. Various governments — from small towns all the way up to provinces– have been sending public services to the private sector since the 1980s. The trend stems from the common belief that private companies can help governments save or make money by doing jobs faster and cheaper, or managing a public asset more efficiently. Sterile philosophical debates bout ‘public versus private’ are often detached from the day-to-day world of public management. Over the last several decades, in governments at all levels throughout the world, the public sector’s role has increasingly evolved from direct service provider to that of an indirect provider or broker of services; governments are relying far more on networks of public, private and non-profit organizations to deliver services. Like most countries, the Philippines telecommunications industry was once a monopoly of the Philippines Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) overseen by the Philippines government. In 1995, the government decided to privatize the industry and created the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of 1995 (RA 7925) in the hopes of creating a more level playing ground for all companies. The Act was defined as the new legal, policy, and regulatory framework in the promotion and governance of Philippine telecommunications development. The country was divided up into eleven regions, opening up the market to various competing telecommunication companies. The Act covers all telecommunications entities, protects users' rights, increases the roll-out period from five to three years, enforces the deregulation of value-added services and the complete privatization of all government telecommunications facilities by 1998. The dismantling of the monopoly and opening of the country to other telecom companies has resulted in a drastic improvement in teledensity. Local telephone service is provided by 78 private telephone companies and 4 government units. PLDT, the largest of the local telephone service providers, accounts for 67. 4% of the telephone service in the country. All the other telephone service providers combined account for 32. 76%. The government’s most successful in privatization created a permanent, centralized entity to manage and oversee the operation, from project analysis and vendor selection to contracting and procurement. For governments that forgo due diligence, choose ill-equipped contractors and fail to monitor pr ogress, however, outsourcing deals can turn into costly disasters. The problem is that outsourcing deals are really about risk. We are taking the risk of the unknown and dumping that on your supplier. We are outsourcing a problem to a company that has limited control over the root cause of the problem. The only way for a public-private partnership to work, is to drive transformation from within the agency, and that’s the hard part. Red tape usually prevents governments from making significant modifications, and private companies lack the authority to enforce real changes. When such a public-private stalemate stunts a project, it helps to have an exit strategy. Before governments hire outside contractors, it’s important to examine the cost-effectiveness. More times than not, it’s less expensive to use public workers instead of outside contractors. Take what happened in Metro Manila, the privatization of MWSS was initially welcomed by residents. Between 1997 and 2001, the two companies granted concessions for the eastern and western zones of the metropolitan area installed 238,000 new water connections, 128,000 of which were in urban poor communities. New service connections, which averaged only 17,040 per year from 1991-1995 tripled to 53,921 after privatization in 1997. Communities that used to have only limited water services found that they had water coming in 24 hours a day. Manila Water was allowed to raise its tariff six times higher than its original bid and Maynilad, which had a higher rate to begin with, was allowed to raise its rate four-fold. Even these rate increases, however, were insufficient to stabilize the situation and in March 2004, Benpres Holdings, the company in charge of Maynilad indicated it wanted to return its concession to MWSS as it was unable to pay its concession fees to the water agency. Under the original contract, Benpres had put up a performance bond of $120 million in favor of MWSS. As a compromise, Benpres forfeited $50 million of that bond but it did not have to pay its arrears in concession fees amounting to Pesos 8 billion. Moreover, Benpres was allowed to continue managing the company although its stake in its capitalization had been reduced to 2 per cent from an original 60 per cent. The Pesos 800 million that Benpres invested in Maynilad were wiped out. All in all, therefore, Benpres was losing P3. 2 billion in the fiasco. Interestingly, Manila Water, which got the eastern zone concession, has not suffered the same kinds of problems encountered by Maynilad. The main reason for this is the fact that Manila Water got a smaller zone of the metropolitan area, a relatively new area where the water infrastructure was not as badly dilapidated. Manila Water also assumed only $80 million of the debt of MWSS. When it was hit by the foreign exchange crisis, the government allowed it to raise its water rates six-fold because it had a much lower initial rate. A good outsourcing deal starts with a thorough cost-benefit analysis to see if a third party can effectively deliver services better and more cheaply than public employees. Government should hire an outsourcing consultant who can provide an independent assessment. But even with a consultant, conflicts of interest can tarnish a golden opportunity. After all, private companies may want to provide a service efficiently and well — and often do — but governments must ride herd on implementation of the contract. A company’s motivation is not the common good; it’s profit. If they can cut corners in any way, they often do. In that regard, the provider that offers the lowest bid might not be the best option. But with our country’s experience in several large-scale government outsourcing deals, we have seen first-hand that in a bidding war, the company that has a liberal interpretation for the lowest price wins, which inevitably leads to strife when high expectations meet underachievement. Anyone can bid any outsourcing deal 5 percent cheaper, but the problem is you don’t know what they cut out. When price reductions appear unrealistic, there’s no magic. They are unrealistic. Even with the proper oversight channels, policies won’t work if departments don’t participate. The laws were created to promote transparency and to ensure that agencies complete an effective cost-benefit analysis prior to procurements. But compliance has been low over the years. With these, I have come up with a generalization that the pros and cons of privatization of Philippines service delivery are as follows: PROS: 1. Government can raise funds to pay off other debts fast because of relieve from financial burden of the public sector enterprises being privatized; 2. It removes government’s monopolistic status and inability to be responsive to citizens' needs, resulting in inefficient, one-size-fits-all services. Like the above-cited case of PLDT. 3. In practice, all levels of government, seeking to reduce costs, have begun turning to the private sector to provide some of the services that are ordinarily provided by government. The spread of the privatization movement is grounded in the fundamental belief that market competition in the private sector is a more efficient way to provide these services and allows for greater citizen choice. Similar to the goal of the above-cited case of MWSS. 4. With privatization solidly on ground, costs will be reduced at the long run. 5. Public sector workers are not harmed by privatization. Displaced workers can be hired by contractors or transferred to other government positions. 6. It stops loss-making public sector enterprises from adding to government debts; 7. It gives new businesses access to investment capital that government cannot provide; CONS: 1. One of the disadvantages is that the privatized company will no longer operate in the public interest. While a state-owned company primarily serves the citizens of the state, the primary goal of a privately operated company is to make profit. It may make these profits at the expense of its customers without serving them properly. For example, it may choose the market which is most profitable to operate in and leave less wealthy customers without a service. 2. Prices may actually rise if the service was previously subsidized by the government like what happened to MWSS.. This is a common experience after a successful privatization process. This becomes imperative in a bid to provide qualitative service, improve efficiency and profitability. 3. Privatization alone may not lead to better quality or cost reduction in public service delivery. 4. Government no longer receives profits (if it was previously profitable), therefore, the revenue accruing to the government from public sector enterprises becomes shortened as a result of privatization. 5. The standard economic measures used to make privatization decisions fail to accurately assess the real costs and benefits of care. With all of the foregoing, I therefore conclude that privatization, when done right, works well. Privatization of public services is by no means a perfect solution. Privatization is not a blanket solution for the problems of poorly performing public sector enterprises. It cannot in and of itself make up totally for lack of competition, for weak capital markets, or for the absence of an appropriate regulatory framework. But where the market is basically competitive, or when a modicum of regulatory capacity is present, private ownership yields substantial benefits. A good outsourcing deal starts with a thorough cost-benefit analysis to see if a third party can effectively deliver services better and more cheaply than public employees. The success of any privatization arrangement, whichever technique is adopted, will be dependent on the sincerity of government to pursue it with unblemished policy implementation, support, co-operation and understanding of the citizenry. At the onset, privatization bites very hard, but at the long run, the benefits are multifarious and immeasurable.