IP-Converge Data Center, Inc. (IPC), the Information Technology and Telecommunications (IT&T) division of listed company IPVG Corp. (PSE: IPVG), was recently tapped by B2B electronic commerce solutions and networking facilities provider InterCommerce Network Services, Inc. to help provide server co-location services and Global Internet Access (GIA) to support its e-Customs project with the country’s Bureau of Customs (BoC).
InterCommerce’s eCustoms systems are currently hosted at IP-Converge’s telco-grade, telconeutral Internet Data Center (IDC). The facility provides a secure, highly reliable and robust network infrastructure to ensure high availability of InterCommerce’s services that were especially developed for the BoC.
InterCommerce recently earned accreditation from BoC as its first Value Added Service Provider (VASP), for Phase 1 of the BoC project that covers the system for lodgment of import declarations for consumption and warehousing.
According to InterCommerce President, Mr. Francis Lopez, "IP-Converge’s services are critical to the company, and our ongoing project with the BoC, especially since Customs requires 99.95% availability of our online service. We can serve our clients well only if our IDC provides us with the same support level we give to them."
Providing an entire suite of managed data services that include Internet data center and connectivity solutions, IPC enables IT companies with critical commitments like InterCommerce to provide their own specialized services for their respective target markets.
"The objective of the BoC project is to eliminate manual entry lodgment, which provides venue for corruption," explains Lopez. "With IPC services on board, there are no hassles in connecting to application servers, providing a fast exchange of electronic messages with BoC and remote printing of documents. In fact, an average cycle time is now less than two minutes!" He also said that automation makes the Customs clearance process transparent, thus improving collection of government revenues such as Customs duties and taxes.
InterCommerce, in cooperation with IPC, recently launched their e-Customs VASP Services at the Heritage Hotel with representatives from various import/export companies, brokerages and forwarders in attendance. The event was graced by BoC Deputy Commissioner for MISTG and Chairman of the BoCVASP Accreditation Committee (VAC), Mr. Alexander Arevalo who talked about how technological advancements such as InterCommerce’s e-Customs portal aim to help these companies make easier, faster transactions with the BoC.
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