PLDT completes fiber connection in central PH (Sabong News)

PLDT Inc. has activated its fiber optic cable (FOC) connecting the island provinces of Marinduque, Romblon, Catanduanes, Masbate, Panay, Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol, Samar and Negros to the rest of the country and the world, the telco announced April 9. PLDT’s Enhanced Resiliency of DFON Loops 4 and 5 (eRDL45) project includes more than 2,000 kilometers of submarine and inland FOC links, and makes the network more resilient and ready to support future services, such as 5G. With fiber links now connecting the island provinces, homes and businesses in the areas can avail of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services via PLDT Home. Customers of PLDT’s wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) can also look forward to improved mobile data experience, especially for customers using LTE and 5G phones. PLDT’s fiber infrastructure, which was at 743,700 kilometers as of end-2021, supports Smart’s mobile network by providing high-capacity links for its base stations. “Fiber is the future, and we’re bringing it now to more Filipinos,” says Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT and Smart Head of Technology. “As we connect more islands in our country with fiber, we are able to deliver the best digital experience for our 5G/LTE and FTTH customers,” he added. “These submarine cable links also improve our network’s resiliency by providing alternate routes for data traffic in the event of fiber breaks, so our customers are always connected,” Tamayo explained. This project is part of the PLDT Group’s sustained investments in their network. Network-related initiatives made up the bulk of the telco’s ₱89 billion spend for 2021. This brings total capex spent over the last 10 years to ₱518.5 billion. For 2022, PLDT is expected to invest between ₱76-80 billion in demand-driven capex.