The InfiniVAN-led Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) project entered Phase 2 of the longest, largest domestic subsea cable system that will provide interconnectivity to wholesale, enterprise and residential customers nationwide when completed.
Phase 2 kickoff ceremonies were held January 20 at the Naval Supply Depot Compound, Subic Bay Freeport where Infinivan representatives were joined by counterparts from joint-build partners Eastern Telecom and Globe Telecom.
The Express/Middle Route and Western Routes that successfully landed system segments from Lucena to Cebu to Cagayan de Oro and back to Dipolog, Iloilo, Boracay then to Batangas were completed by end 2022. These routes have formed the two main routes that connect Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao with multiple protection loops.
After the successful engagement with KCS, a subsidiary of Japanese telco KDDI, in Phase 1, PDSCN welcomed its new partner NTT-WE Marine (NTTWEM), a subsidiary of NTT, Japan’s largest telco, for Phase 2. NTTWEM’s Subaru vessel will be the ship used for the submarine cable implementation of Phase 2 of the project.
Phase 2 will provide the third main route between Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao via the eastern side of the country including several spur connections.
To date, the $150-million project has successfully laid and landed 15 segments of the soon-to-be longest and largest capacity domestic subsea cable system in the country.
The proponents are eyeing April 2023 as the completion date of the submarine cable laying phase. The route design of the system means that it will have easy connectivity with present and future international submarine cable landing stations, thus enabling the project proponents to extend those international submarine cable capacities for distribution to the rest of the country.
