PLDT aims to expand fiber coverage by 80%

PLDT Inc. is targeting to expand the coverage of its fiber-powered fixed line network by around 80% by the end of the year, allowing more subscribers to access ultra-fast Internet connection via its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service.

“We are stepping up our efforts to deliver unrivalled Internet services to more homes in various parts of the country, from the Ilocos provinces in the North to Zamboanga in the South,” PLDT Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Manuel V. Pangilinan was quoted as saying.

The telco giant hopes the reach of its fiber network will cover 4.4 million homes by end-2017. As of late 2016, PLDT said its fiber network reached 2.5 million nationwide, as it aggressively rolled out fiber facilities.

The ultra-fast Internet connection will be delivered though PLDT HOME Fibr, which can offer speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). PLDT said such Internet speeds allow users to browse multiple Web sites, upload hundreds of photos and download a full-length movie in seconds.

PLDT First Vice-President and Home Operations Head Oscar Enrico A. Reyes, Jr. said PLDT Home Fibr also offers the country’s first symmetrical speed service where upload and download speeds are equal.

The areas covered by fiber-powered Internet connections include Laoag, Baguio City, Vigan City, Tuguegarao, Tarlac, Cabanatuan City, San Fernando, Puerto Princesa, El Nido in Palawan, Sorsogon, Naga, and Legazpi.

PLDT’s fiber network also covers cities of Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Cotabato, Davao, General Santos City, Koronadal, and Zamboanga.

Alongside these efforts, the telco giant is beginning to deploy hybrid fiber technologies that deliver super-fast broadband service through regular phone lines in buildings and residences. It is using KT Corporation’s hybrid fiber technology, GiGa Wire, and Huawei Technologies’ G.fast that can provide data speeds of up to 600-700 Mbps per user.

For 2017, PLDT is looking to spend less, as part of efforts to turn around its fortunes and see profits grow again amid a digital shift and intensifying competition.

The company will have lower capital expenditure for 2017, compared to last year’s P48 billion, Mr. Pangilinan said in November.