Globe Telecom Inc., Eastern Communications and InfiniVAN yesterday started the deployment of the country’s longest submarine fiber cable network, the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN).
PDSCN, a joint project among the three companies, aims to improve both mobile and broadband connectivity and to fiberize previously unserved areas across the country’s three main island groups.
In ceremonies at Subic Bay in Zambales, executives of Globe, Eastern Communications, InfiniVAN and Japanese vendor partner Kokusai Cable Ship Co. Ltd. (KCS) gave a simple sendoff to the state-of-the-art ship Cable Infinity, the “number one high-technology cable ship in the world,” according to KCS.
The ship will ferry cables that will cover the PDSCN, which has a total cable distance of roughly 2,500 kilometers or about the same distance between Manila and Singapore.
It will be landing at several points across the country, including Sorsogon, Masbate, Marinduque, Camiguin, Siargao, Boracay and Zamboanga, for undersea laying in 24 segments over the next nine months.
“We persevered and we’re now almost there. This is the start of the cable-laying,” said Arlene Jallorina, vice president for strategic infrastructure investments for Globe Business, Enterprise Group.
“We know there may be other challenges along the way. We hope we’ll be able to work through them quickly and very much solidly as a group. We are doing this so that our customers will get equitable access to connectivity, wherever they may be in the country,” said Jallorina at the kickoff event.
Vince Tempongko, Eastern Communications co-coordinator, cited the importance of the joint effort to boost life-enabling connectivity across the country.
“What we are doing is not just for Globe, Eastern, or InfiniVAN but for the Filipino people.
Providing equitable access to mobile and internet connection in all parts of the country has been our dream, and through this cooperation, we are finally at the cusp of realizing this goal,” Tempongko said.
Segments for the submarine cable network are expected to be completed by April 2023, and fiber connections will be activated thereafter.
PDSCN is in line with the common goal of Globe, Eastern Communications and InfiniVAN to expand their coverage across the Philippines to better serve their customers.
