PLDT speeds up fiber optic migration

The towers that provide Time-Division Duplex Long-Term Evolution or TD-LTE coverage to Home Ultera are scheduled for decommissioning by the end of this month

Integrated telco provider PLDT Inc. said it had decommissioned nearly 185 telecom towers to transform its legacy fixed wireless service, Home Ultera, into higher speed fiber internet fixed wired and wireless service.

The towers that provide Time -Division Duplex Long-Term Evolution or TD-LTE coverage to Home Ultera are scheduled for decommissioning by the end of this month.

This means that over 3,000 subscribers of Home Ultera who are eligible for service migration will have the option to either move to higher speed fixed fiber plans or to a postpaid wireless service for the home at no additional cost and for a better customer experience.

Customers who migrate to Home Fiber will also enjoy the free installation and modem fees.

This migration initiative will cover 58 areas in the Philippines including Abra, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Basilan, Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Biliran,

Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Capiz, Cavite,

Cebu, Davao de

Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern

Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos

Sur, Iloilo, La Union, Laguna,

Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Metro Manila, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, Romblon, Sorsogon, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Zambales, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.

The decommissioning follows the tower sale announced by PLDT early this year. In April, PLDT announced a breakthrough sale and leaseback arrangement involving 5,907 telecom towers as part of its strategic transformation to further invest and improve network operations.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ABOITIZ GROUP Service pumped up The Aboitiz group and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) have launched a project to streamline the government processes and establish an infrastructure that would create a conducive environment to encourage businesses to thrive. Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Aboitiz Foundation Inc., and ARTA signed a memorandum of agreement recently for the ‘Project PinasBilis: Serbisyong publiko, pinabilis.’ At the agreement signing are (from left) ARTA Chief of Staff and Deputy Director General for Administration, Finance, and Special Programs Undersecretary Carlos Quita; ARTA Officer-In-Charge Undersecretary Ernesto Perez; Office of the Presidential Adviser on Streamlining of Government Processes Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado; ARTA Director General Secretary Jeremiah Belgica; Aboitiz Foundation Inc. president and COO Maribeth Marasigan; Aboitiz Equity Ventures Chief External Affairs Officer DJ Sta Ana and AEV First Vice President for Corporate External Relations Christopher Camba.