ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING

MANILA –  Fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) services will soon be enjoyed in the Philippines. Later this year, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) will launch its most advanced broadband delivery platform to deliver high-speed data services to residences and condominiums.

The new platform will be able to deliver simul-taneously voice, video and data services at much higher speeds and larger capacities than DSL or cable technologies.

PLDT told APB that its decision to deploy such service is part of the telco’s commitment to offer cutting-edge communications technology and is something that will support the company’s convergent services.

FTTH uses fibre-optic technology, which transmits data via light signals sent through hair-thin strands of pure glass. Instead of the usual copper going to the homes of customers, thin fibre-optic cables will be used. “FTTH is a quantum leap forward in terms of broadband services,” said Napoleon L Nazareno, PLDT’s president and CEO.

PLDT added that the use of FTTH would simplify the delivery of various services. For instance, a customer can avail of telephone, video, audio, TV and just about any other kind of digital data service through a single FTTH connection. There is virtually no degra-dation of signals with FTTH, which is known to be future-proof because the new technologies currently being developed are based on fibre-optic technology.

Services such as 3D holographic content, HDTV and video games can be delivered via fibre to the home.

Initial tests done by PLDT have proven the capabilities of FTTH. At a demonstration facility at the PLDT’s head office, an FTTH-enabled computer posted download speed of up to 94.86Mbps and upload rate of 69.39Mbps, according to PLDT. At those speeds, it would take only one second to download a 5Mb mp3 file, three seconds for a 35Mb video clip, and only one minute to download an 800Mb movie.

Depending on how PLDT would design the product, the service could provide giga-bit speeds — not just megabit speeds — to homes.

Manuel V Pangilinan, PLDT’s chairman, tested the new technology last month by watching the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight (in SD format) via live video streaming using FTTH.

“Excellent reception. Excellent definition of the pictures,” noted Pangilinan, who also chairs the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP).

The new service will be initially marketed to high-bandwidth residential customers such as households in high-income sub-divisions and condominiums.

The FTTH pilot tests will be conducted in areas such as Bonifacio Global City, Forbes Park, Urdaneta Village, Ayala Alabang, Dasmariñas Village, Wack Wack, Ayala Heights, Valle Verde and certain areas covered by PLDT Subictel and PLDT Clarktel.

The telco said it is targeting 1,000 customers this year, with an eye to expanding 10,000 users in the future.

“FTTH represents a new level of services for our fixed line business. If we could build this extensively in all the major cities and municipalities, FTTH will redefine and reshape our fixed line business,” Pangilinan said.

 

 

 

 

 

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