PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have outlined three key imperatives for PLDT and Smart: Access, Accountability, and Aspiration in reaction to Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda’s call to close the country’s connectivity gaps by 2028.
Under Access, Eric Santiago, First Vice President and Head of Network Strategy and Engineering at PLDT and Smart noted that PLDT has deployed over 1.2 million cable kilometers of fiber, now passing approximately 19 million homes nationwide. This extensive fiber backbone is complemented by Smart’s mobile network, enabling 4G/LTE and 5G coverage of 97 percent of the population across both urban and rural areas, via use of various technologies, including microwave and signal repeaters, to connect even geographically challenging locations.
“We also have ongoing tests with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technologies, including providers like AST SpaceMobile, to provide mobile connectivity in underserved areas,” Santiago said in a statement.
Santiago also underscored the importance of reliability and redundancy, highlighting PLDT’s investments in international subsea cables, which enhance the resiliency of PLDT’s domestic fiber network. He also cited the VITRO Sta. Rosa data center, the Philippines’ largest and first AI-ready hyperscale facility, which supports next-generation digital services, edge computing, and hyperscaler projects.
“To truly be accountable, we are modernizing our entire network: from the radio access, to the core and transport layers. This allows us to adopt technologies like AI and large language models (LLM) to proactively detect faults and resolve issues quickly,” he added.
This year, further boosting the government’s vision to narrow the digital divide, PLDT is rolling out more fiber-to-the-home ports and 5G sites to expand coverage and improve customer experience. “We will continue to work closely with government and industry stakeholders to deliver cost-effective, innovative solutions that ensure no Filipino is left offline,” he said.
