PLDT Inc. is joining a consortium that is building a new Asia Pacific submarine cable that will provide additional capacity for internet and digital services by 2022.
Asia Direct Cable (ADC) is a global consortium comprised of leading communications and technology companies including CAT, China Telecom, China Unicom, Singtel, SoftBank Corp., Tata Communications and Viettel selected NEC Corp. that will construct the 9,400-kilometer submarine cable expected to be completed by fourth quarter of 2022.
The new submarine cable is able to support increasingly bandwidth-intensive applications which are driven by technological advancements such as 5G (fifth generation), cloud services, the Internet-of-Things and Artificial Intelligence. It will also enhance the capabilities of PLDT’s extensive fiber cable network which already spans over 338,000 kilometers across the archipelago and links the country to key destinations in different parts of the world.
“The ADC will further improve PLDT’s network resiliency by strengthening its data links to Asia and the rest of the world. This will help PLDT to address the expanding demand for more digital services for both enterprises and our individual customers,” said Al Panlilio, PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president.
The cable will feature multiple pairs of high capacity optical fibers and is designed to carry more than 140 terabits per second (Tbps) of traffic, enabling high capacity transmission of data across the East and Southeast Asian regions. This will further enhance the expansion of communications networks in the region.
“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,” said Kat Luna-Abelarde PLDT first vice president and head of International & Carrier Business Group.
The submarine cable will connect the Philippines, China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.