Taking the country’s internet connectivity to the next level – this is the goal of PLDT Inc. (PLDT) as it ushered in the gigabit fiber era, with the launch of its Gigabit Fiber portfolio to the media this month.
“With Gigabit Fiber, we’re taking the internet to the next level in the Philippines,” said Jeremiah de la Cruz, Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Business – Home at PLDT. “It opens a whole new ecosystem of possibilities, where it’s not just supporting one service, but the digital lifestyle of Filipinos.”
PLDT Home’s new Gigabit Fiber plans deliver up to 10 Gbps speeds – 100 times faster than the current average broadband speed in the country. Only a handful of countries around the world have managed to tap into the unrelenting power of Gigabit-fast internet. Developed countries such as South Korea, Japan, and the United States have it, and its presence in the Philippines puts the country among an elite roster of nations in the world that are Gigabit-ready.
“PLDT Home’s innovation in its country-wide fiber infrastructure is primarily driven by how internet speed not only influences the way we communicate and consume information but also enables businesses, aids in work and education, sparks creative pursuits, and enhances people’s experiences,” said PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan.
PLDT will be progressively rolling out this service and will make it available initially in select areas in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.
Elevating customers’ digital lifestyle
To support the ever-evolving digital lifestyle of Filipinos, PLDT Home will be rolling out Gigabit Fiber in four different plans: 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, and a maximum of 10 Gbps to enable simultaneous, ultra-fast and high bandwidth online activities for everyone at home.
In addition to the ultra-fast speeds provided by PLDT Home’s Gigabit Fiber plans, customers also get to round out their fully digital lifestyle as each Gigabit Fiber plan comes with a Gigabit modem complemented with a whole-home WiFi 6 mesh system, subscriptions to IPTV and global streaming apps, and security services for personal devices at home.
Gigabit Fiber plan subscribers receive exclusive perks such as premium welcome kits and access to PLDT Home exclusive events and venues.
Future-proofing innovations
“As an analogy, 100Mbps is a small motorcycle. But 1Gbps is already a sports car. And the 10Gbps would be a supersonic jet,” said Eric Santiago, Deputy Network Head at PLDT and Smart. “That’s why 10Gbps can ultimately support telemedicine, smart cities, augmented reality, virtual reality, or extended reality, and other future technologies.”
PLDT operates the country’s most extensive fiber infrastructure, which spanned over 1.1 million kilometers as of end-September 2023.
This trailblazing initiative to bring gigabit fiber to the country is aligned with the PLDT Group’s support for the Government’s overall digitalization thrust as one of the founding members of the government-mandated Presidential Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) under the Digital Infrastructure Pillar.
It also boosts PLDT’s aspirational multi-year transformation, with elevating customer experience as one of the key priorities, as well as contribute to the Group’s endeavors to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), particularly SDG No. 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
