MANILA, Philippines – PLDT on Wednesday, May 4, announced that it is undertaking a major submarine fiber project to improve internet connectivity in Luzon and Visayas.

The specific areas that will benefit benefit are the southern Luzon provinces of Sorsogon, Quezon, Albay, and Occidental Mindoro, and some parts of Visayas including Samar and Aklan.

The project involves laying over 600 kilometers of submarine fiber optic cable to replace old links in the network’s domestic fiber optic network. New fiber routes will be added to improve network resiliency, and provide redundancies in case of route disruptions.

The project will also bring the fiber network for the first time in Lubang island in Mindoro, Semirara island in Antique and Burias in Masbate. PLDT said that with this development, it will eventually be able to bring home fiber services in those areas, as well as improve wireless connection for its mobile subsidiary Smart Communications in the islands, particularly LTE and 5G.

The project will also fortify existing aerial cables with underground inland cables, which is essential in ensuring network resiliency, particularly in typhoon-prone provinces.

PLDT’s network-related initiatives and improvements made up the bulk of its ₱89 billion spend for 2021, the company said, with total capex spent over the last 10 years at ₱518.5 billion. – Rappler.com

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