PLDT to Spend PHP2-B for Rollout of High-Speed Broadband Internet on Regular Phone Lines

PLDT will invest around PHP 2 billion for its rollout of the latest advanced hybrid technologies that will deliver faster broadband Internet through regular phone lines in buildings and residences for the next three years.

The deployment comes after the successful trials of two advanced hybrid fiber technologies GiGa Wire by KT Corporation (formerly known as Korea Telecom) and G.fast by Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. which are capable of providing data speeds per user of up to 600-700 megabits per second (Mbps) per user depending on the length of the copper loop.

PLDT Chief Revenue Officer Ernesto R. Alberto disclosed that the company will deploy Giga Wire and G. Fast solutions in more than 500 buildings split between residential and office buildings next year. Likewise, an additional 1,600 buildings are in the pipeline for 2018 and 2019.

“This new initiative is part of our broad effort to make fiber-powered, high-speed connectivity more widely available to the public. It’s part and parcel of building the ‘Gigabit Society’ – where high-bandwidth, low-latency digital services in homes, businesses, healthcare services, utilities and schools become an integral part of daily life,” PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said.

PLDT believes that hybrid technologies can deliver high-speed broadband Internet access through utilizing its extensive telephone network.

Majority of office and residential buildings are currently wired with copper, thus, it is difficult and costly to re-wire these structures with fiber.

Furthermore, majority of homes are still connected by regular phone lines. In the case of PLDT, — the number of “homes passed” – i.e., the number of homes that can be reached by PLDT’s regular phone lines – is 6 million.

“Hybrid fiber technologies break down barriers to fiber deployment. These enable us to extend more quickly super-fast broadband services to areas where fiber deployment is difficult. We side step the challenge of having to re-wire buildings,” said PLDT Chief Technology and Information Adviser Joachim W. Horn.

The deployment of hybrid fiber solutions complements very well the ongoing roll-out of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections which will enable to deliver simultaneously voice, video and data services at much higher speeds and larger capacities than DSL or cable technologies.

Currently, the number of “homes passed” by PLDT’s FTTH network is 2.5 million.

“With these two parallel and complementary roll-outs, PLDT is well-positioned to bring high-speed broadband to more areas of the country more quickly and efficiently than anyone else,” Horn said. (PNA)FPV/ABP