Bicol Netizens to Experience Better Internet Traffic

Legazpi City — Internet users in the Bicol Region will soon have an improved local Internet traffic quality and better Internet experience

This, after leading telecoms and digital services provider PLDT has moved to establish a bilateral IP peering arrangement with Globe Telecom that will give these benefits to the subscribers of both telco operators.

“This is a very positive development and is in line with our digital pivot. We are focused on taking effective measures to improve Internet services in the country. IP peering is one such measure. By keeping local traffic local, we improve the Internet experience of both PLDT and Globe subscribers,” Ernesto R. Alberto, PLDT executive vice president and head of enterprise, said in an emailed statement..

The other complementary effective measure, Alberto said, is local caching.

“PLDT is working with global Internet players like Google, Youtube, Facebook and Microsoft to store more popular Internet content in the Philippines so Filipinos can access this more quickly. Caching is needed because about 90 percent of Internet content frequently accessed by Filipinos come from overseas. This is one reason why PLDT is building more state-of-the-art data centers in different parts of the country,” said lawyer Ray C. Espinosa, PLDT Legal and Regulatory Group head and member of the PLDT board of directors.

Another effective measure, Espinosa said, is the utilization of radio frequencies.

“Hence, Smart is quickly integrating the newly accessed frequencies from the San Miguel telco businesses into its mobile network roll-out plan to provide additional capacity to handle the rapid growth of data traffic. Complementing this, PLDT has stepped up its investment in fiber to the home. We currently have about half a million fiber lines, with speeds of up to 1 Gbps already available in certain areas,” he added.

With the peering arrangement, PLDT and Globe will now allow direct local exchange of traffic between PLDT’s Philippine Internet Exchange (PhIX) and Globe Internet Exchange (GIX) that is destined to each other’s own broadband and mobile customers.

“The intention here is to keep local traffic within the country which should lower latency due to less hops and, thus, should result in marked improvements in fixed broadband and mobile internet services in the country,” Alberto noted.

Senator Bam Aquino witnessed the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between PLDT and Globe held in Makati Thursday.

The MOA paves the way for the initial phase of bilateral peering which is localized IP traffic exchange between the PLDT Group broadband and mobile subscribers and Globe Group subscribers, which should be completed 30 days after the execution of the MOA.

It also dictates that the two telcos will work towards executing a fuller bilateral peering agreement within 90 days after the initial phase has been accepted. (PNA) BNB/FGS/CBD/EDS