PLDT builds network infrastructure in Guam

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)

PLDT Inc. has ramped up its connectivity services in the Asia-Pacific and United States with the establishment of an infrastructure facilitating internet traffic in Guam.

In a recent statement, PLDT Global Corp. announced it had expanded its global network with the creation of a physical point-of-presence (PoP) in Guam, in addition to Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Los Angeles.

A PoP is a facility housing servers and routers that are necessary in managing internet traffic.

“By expanding our network infrastructure to Guam, we are not only enhancing connectivity but also facilitating seamless communication between Asia-Pacific and the US. This empowers businesses and individuals across the region to thrive in an interconnected world,” PLDT Global president and CEO Albert Villa-Real said.

The Guam PoP provides a direct Philippines-to-Guam route through the Asia-America Gateway international submarine cable network where PLDT has ownership.

The subsea fiber cable links PLDT’s VITRO Makati data center with long-time partner GTA Teleguam’s GNC iX data center in Piti, Guam.

“Guam is standing at the crossroads of international connectivity, and together with our partner PLDT Global, we are hoping to unlock unparalleled interconnection opportunities to our ecosystem of carriers across the Asia-Pacific region,” said Roland Certeza, president and CEO of GTA TeleGuam Holdings.

Recently, PLDT Global also inked a strategic agreement with Saudi-based STC Group for the delivery of international voice service, targeting to improve call quality for Filipinos abroad.

The partnership seeks to mitigate issues such as call drops and voice distortion through deployment of advanced technologies.

STC Group offers voice wholesale traffic aggregation across its international networks comprising Europe, Africa and Asia.

According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, there were nearly 2 million overseas Filipino workers in 2022, most of whom were in Saudi Arabia.

In the first quarter, PLDT saw its net income grow by 9 percent to P9.82 billion as gross service revenues climbed 5 percent to P52.2 billion. The bulk or 83 percent of the top line was accounted for by data and broadband revenues, which improved by 5 percent to P40.5 billion. —Tyrone Jasper C. Piad INQ