PLDT, Smart seeks government help for installation and repairs on over 300 sites

PLDT along with Smart Communications identified over 300 sites needing service installations and repairs. The company says government help is needed.

File photo: PLDT and Smart logos

PLDT: Installs and repairs will be possible with PH Gov't's help

This is revealed through a letter addressed to DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año. PLDT-Smart identified areas that currently inaccessible due to COVID-19 quarantine measures. These are located in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Palawan, Ilo-ilo, Capiz, Misamis Oriental, and Zamboanga del Norte.

The PLDT Group would like to ask for assistance from the DICT, DILG, and LGUs in terms of direct access to its facilities in these areas to conduct critical works. The nationwide lockdown measures that vary in each area have hampered PLDT's performance of critical work such as service restoration, maintenance, installation works, capacity expansion, replacement, and upgrade of critical facilities.

According to PLDT, the government's assistance and cooperation, both at national and local levels, is a big factor in improving telco services. Towers are just a small part of the process since PLDT also needs to roll out 360,000 kilometers of fiber infrastructure, around 10,000 macro and microcell sites, and over 20,000 LTE base stations.

See also: PH telcos are intensifying 4G network upgrades parallel with 5G rollout

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