PLDT upgrades over 153,000 homes, businesses to fiber in ramped-up migration

The Philippines’ largest, fully integrated telco PLDT has migrated over 153,000 homes and business establishments from copper to fiber in just the first seven months of the year, ramping up its effort to upgrade copper connections to fiber since the migration program started last year. 

The initiative to upgrade or migrate copper lines to fiber connectivity is a critical part of PLDT and Smart’s sustained network rollout nationwide, to improve the quality of service provided to homes and businesses across the country. PLDT operates the country’s most extensive fiber infrastructure, now at more than 511,000 kilometers as of June. This fiber infrastructure also supports Smart’s mobile network, which covers 96% of the population from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.

Fiber connectivity provides more reliable broadband services, enabling customer access to high-speed internet for work, education, and entertainment, further improving customer experience. The fiber rollout also coincides with PLDT’s massive cleanup and recovery drive of old, worn, and sagging copper cables nationwide, which also promotes safety in communities.  

“Alongside our fiber expansion across the country, we ramped up our fiber installation and repair capabilities to continue delivering exceptional customer service,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT & Smart President & CEO. “Our network ecosystem supports our increasingly connected societies especially in the new normal where the digital lifestyle is powered by connectivity – supporting our livelihood, education, daily transactions, entertainment, and socio-economic responsibilities.”

PLDT’s clean-up drive complies with congressional bills as well as resolutions and ordinances from local government units that require utility companies to conduct preventive maintenance activities, including tidying up the country’s streets of sagging cables and tilting poles. 

PLDT and Smart’s push to provide connectivity for all is aligned with the group’s long-standing commitment to help the Philippines attain the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG #9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and SDG #11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.