PLDT embarks on fiber migration program

Telecommunications and digital services provider PLDT Inc. is embarking on an 18-month fiber modernization program as part of its continuing efforts to maintain network superiority.

“Another big project that we are embarking on this month is really the nationwide fiber migration where our ADSL subscribers will be upgraded to fiber,” Smart Communications president and CEO and PLDT chief revenue officer Alfredo Panlilio said.

“So this is an 18-month program to improve service quality and level up the experience of our subscribers on fiber,” Panlilio said.

The modernization program to upgrade customers who are still using the legacy copper-based ADSL service to fiber is seen to complement PLDT’s drive to install new fiber connections.

The program will boost the internet service of customers of both PLDT Home and Enterprise to fiber speeds at no added cost.

Panlilio said, while the fiber migration plan is an 18-month program, customers would see improvement during the year.

“PLDT has the biggest fiber network infrastructure in the country. We will continue to level up our network as again, we are very focused on customer experience,” he said.

“We will remain steadfast in maintaining network superiority. So our priority is to continuously improve our nationwide network, both our fixed and mobile networks to support customers’ growing demand,” Panlilio said.

Over the past three months, PLDT’s network service teams have worked out how to operate under pandemic conditions and have been able to steadily ramp up their installation capacity back to and beyond pre-COVID levels.

In June, PLDT said new fiber broadband installations, including plan upgrades, hit a new high of nearly 60,000 connections.

PLDT has extended the reach of its fixed broadband service to cover some 7.8 million homes in the first half, while the total footprint of its fiber optic network grew by 11 percent year-on-year to about 358,700 kilometers.

“It’s not just now that we are improving our network. We have improved our network for the last many, many years and I think what we will see is there will be an acceleration. The moment the limitations are being taken away, we will see fast improvements,” PLDT chief technology and information advisor Joachim Horn said.

“Our biggest restriction at the moment is access, permission. So to be allowed to go to a site to repair, to be allowed to set up the fiber cable, it’s not only the towers, it’s the fiber connecting the towers is as important. The work is already in the pipeline. When the restrictions are reduced, we can do more,” Horn said.