InfiniVAN completes Siargao landing of submarine cable network

Following the landmark Subic cable loading event in July, InfiniVAN Inc., in a joint-build project with two Philippine telecom firms, completed the Siargao landing of a segment of the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) in the Municipality of Dapa, Siargao Island on Sept. 22.

InfiniVAN, a subsidiary of Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed IPS Inc., took part in the ceremonial cable -pulling event of fiber optic cables that form part of the ongoing cable laying phase of PDSCN. Five of the 24 segments have been completed to date.

The cable-pulling ceremony was witnessed by Dapa Mayor Elizabeth T. Matugas, Vice Mayor Gerry Abejo and other municipal officials along with representatives from InfiniVAN, Globe Telecom and Eastern Communications. Once completed, the $150-million joint project that spans 2,500 kilometers will provide ultra-fast and reliable connectivity across the country.

InfiniVAN chief technology officer  Alberto “Abet” Espedido said that aside from connecting major islands in the country, the project was designed to bring connectivity to tourist destination islands to further boost tourism and other industries in those places.

“We see this as an opportunity to fulfill our objective of providing connectivity to far flung areas. We hope that the project does not only provide good communications infrastructure to Siargao but also help pump-prime the island’s economy,” he said.

According to Espedido,  the fiber optic cable technology used in the country’s biggest and longest submarine cable installation is “future-proof.” This means unrepeatered 96- core fiber cables used in the project can handle large data throughputs that can be expanded through advances in terminal equipment over the next 20 to 25 years.

This InfiniVAN-initiated submarine cable project is a cost-effective solution to building a massive and extensive transmission network through a joint-build arrangement with Globe, the Philippines’ leading digital solutions platform,  and Eastern Communications, a  premier telecommunications and ICT solutions provider.

“We consider it an achievement, as a new entrant in the market, to be working with well-established partners on this project that will really make a difference in the next few years. It is gratifying to have so-called industry competitors join hands to provide a very precious resource to our countrymen and the country as a whole, in a most unselfish manner,” Espedido added.

The express and western routes connecting Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will be ready by December this year and the remaining eastern routes will be completed by April 2023.