PLDT almost doubles its network capacity to meet PH internet needs

PLDT is now on track to serve record customer numbers by almost doubling its network capacity.

File photo: PLDT logo

Larger domestic network capacity to cater to the country's demands

According to PLDT, the company will be expanding its domestic network capacity to 92 Terabits per second from 55 Tbps by the end of the year. That is almost double compared to its current capacity and more than triple from its capacity last year which was only at 30 Tbps.

This, in turn, will provide smoother delivery of data-driven services to the country ahead of the demand.

We continuously invest in expanding our network because this ensures the best end-user experience and empowers our increasingly connected societies where our customers’ digital lifestyles rely on strong connectivity.  We are increasing this backbone capacity ahead of the demand as doing so ultimately allows us to enable our fellow Filipinos to thrive and secure a better future, said PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio

PLDT also shared that the utilization of the network has expanded dramatically as a result of growing demand for digital services and data the company has recorded a 17 percent growth in mobile data traffic to 1,579 Petabytes in the first half of the year, compared to the same period last year, according to the 267 Petabytes of mobile data was utilized in the second quarter, an increase of 11 percent above last year's monthly average.

Moreover, due to the deployment of lockdowns and health measures, PLDT Home is experiencing an increase in demand for data. Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service provider The Home expects to sign up 1 million new subscribers this year alone, as it accelerates the rollout of its FTTH service to cover more households across the country. There were 267,000 new fiber subscriptions added to PLDT Home's subscriber base in the second quarter, putting it 54 percent ahead of the nearest competitor.

Plus, with cloud computing and digital transformation taking place in many industries, PLDT Enterprise continues to support businesses' increasing demand for data. As the telco collaborates with government agencies to position the country as the next hyper-scale destination and a key data center hub in the region, data consumption growth is expected to accelerate.

Additionally, Smart 5G users' mobile data usage has increased dramatically between the first and second quarters of the year 2021, with data traffic more than tripling between the first and second quarters of 2021.

According to the company, their fiber network has grown to over 524,000 kilometers in length and has reached more than 11.3 million homes. With the addition of 4.8 million ports, it is now possible for households to work from home and study from home.

What do you guys think of the telco's upgrades?