PLDT: New submarine cable spanning multiple countries to improve PH internet

PLDT Inc. is boosting internet capacity in the Philippines through a new undersea cable slated for completion by the end of 2022.

PLDT announced on Thursday it joined the Asia Direct Cable (ADC) Consortium, which is connecting the Philippines, China (Hong Kong and Guangdong Province), Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam via a 9,400-kilometer submarine cable.

The new facility will join hundreds of submarine cables that line the seabed around the globe. They are the unseen backbone of the world’s internet traffic, carrying everything from emails to pictures and videos posted on social media.

PLDT said the cable would support the increasing shift to digital services such as 5G, the next-generation mobile standard, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. It will add to other international cables landing in various points across the Philippines.

“The ADC will further improve PLDT’s network resiliency by strengthening its data links to Asia and the rest of the world,” said PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president Al S. Panlilio.

“This will help PLDT address the expanding demand for more digital services for both enterprises and our individual customers,” he added.

ADC is comprised of leading communications and technology companies, including CAT, China Telecom, China Unicom, Singtel, SoftBank Corp., Tata Communications and Viettel.

The cable will feature multiple pairs of high capacity optical fibers and is designed to carry more than 140 terabits per second of traffic.

“Along with PLDT’s existing international submarine cable systems, Asia Direct Cable would complement to provide further diversity and resiliency to PLDT’s international network with the capability to boost the internet and data services that it provides to its customers,” PLDT Global CEO Kat Luna-Abelarde said.