PLDT deploys 5G technology in Catanduanes

The PLDT Group is improving its network capacity in Catanduanes, firing up its fiber optic link in the province, while deploying 5G technology in Virac. Smart Communications Inc. has also “beefed up” its 4G services through the roll out of additional multi-element on wheels facilities.

“We will continue to invest and build out our network to support the needs of our customers in all areas, despite the inherent challenges of rolling out across an archipelago and connecting islands like Catanduanes,” said Mario G. Tamayo, who heads the technology group at PLDT and Smart.

he added: “In fact, following this development, our customers in Catanduanes have experienced around three to four times faster speeds using appropriate devices.”

Tamayo noted that these initiatives are part of PLDT’S program to connect island provinces to the rest of the country via inter-island submarine and inland cable systems.

They also help in improving the resiliency of the group’s network through the addition of alternate fiber routes to ensure better customer experience in the event of calamities and multiple fiber breaks.

As of end-2020, PLDT’S fiber infrastructure sits at 429,000 kilometers, while Smart’s mobile network covers 96 percent of the total Philippine population.

PLDT is spending as much as P92 billion in capital expenditures this year to further modernize its network through the deployment of additional fiber optic cables and the construction and upgrading of new and existing cell sites.