PLDT submarine fiber project to enhance network resilience, fiber up more islands in VisMin, Palawan

PLDT, the Philippines' largest fully integrated telco firm, is further enhancing the reach and resiliency of its domestic fiber optic network (DFON) by laying more submarine fiber cables in the Visayas, Mindanao and Palawan region that will elevate customer experience in these areas.

More than 1,000 kilometers of submarine fiber cables are being deployed to fortify and reinforce existing fiber links in the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan.

This includes the recent deployments in Dipolog and in Siargao, where representatives of PLDT, its technology partner FiberHome and the local government recently led cable landing ceremonies to mark the milestone.

Once completed, the project will also bring fiber presence for the first time to Siargao, Socorro and Dinagat Islands, as well as Bantayan and Camotes Islands in Cebu. It will also fiber up the popular tourist areas in Coron, El Nido and San Vicente in Palawan.

Fiber presence in these areas will eventually enable PLDT to offer fiber-to-the-home services, and improve PLDT's wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart)'s mobile network services, particularly for LTE and 5G.

In addition to providing for the internet needs of homes and families, fiber connectivity is also seen to support more businesses and industries in these areas, particularly tourism.

"Our continued rollout of our fiber network across the country to connect more of our islands and our countrymen will help boost economic activity and provide more livelihood opportunities, especially in places that are still reeling from Super Typhoon Odette," said Mario G. Tamayo, Head of Technology at PLDT and Smart.

The project is also seen to enhance the resiliency of PLDT's network by providing alternate routes for data traffic, ensuring connectivity for customers.

This project is part of the PLDT Group’s sustained investments in their network. Network-related initiatives made up the bulk of the ₱89 billion spend for 2021. This brings PLDT’s total capex spent over the last 10 years to ₱518.5 billion.  Capex guidance for 2022 is at ₱85 billion.

As of end-March 2022, PLDT's fiber infrastructure was at 803,000 kilometers. This also supports Smart's mobile network, which had 76,600 total base stations nationwide, supporting its 3G, 4G/LTE and 5G customers from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, including around 7,300 5G base stations.