PLDT expands high-speed internet in Rizal

PLDT INC. said the activation of its air-laser technology in Rizal is advancing, enabling data transmission across long distances.

“This solution allows us to deploy faster, at lower cost, with high-capacity links that can also serve as a resilient backup to existing networks. More importantly, it enables PLDT fiber to reach communities that are traditionally difficult to serve, bringing reliable digital access to the most remote and disadvantaged areas,” PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. Head of Network Strategy and Architecture Eric S. Santiago said in a media release on Sunday.

Last year, the Pangilinan-led telecommunications company and its subsidiary Smart announced the activation of its Google Taara laser communication sites in Talim Island, Rizal; Dipaluda, Isabela; and Bagong Pagasa, Quezon City.

Taara, developed by Google, is a technology that provides high-speed internet to far-flung and underserved areas by using beams of light, or free-space optical lasers, to transmit data.

The technology is similar to fiber optics but does not require physical cables, with each site capable of delivering up to 20 gigabits per second.

PLDT said that following the installation of the Philippines’ first Google air-laser site in Rizal, high-speed connectivity is now available, providing reliable digital access.

The company added that its investment in network upgrades is part of its commitment to bridge the digital divide while expanding access to connectivity.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group. — Ashley Erika O. Jose