Globe and its partners Eastern Communication and InfiniVAN led the mobile infrastructure deployment in the country and rolled out the longest submarine fiber cable network last month to improve mobile and broadband connectivity.
The $150-million Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN), a joint project among the three companies, will also “fiberize” previously unserved areas across the country’s three main islands.
Globe said fiber connections will be activated once the submarine cable network segments are complete by April 2023.
At a recent ceremony in Subic, Zambales, the joint partners and their Japanese vendor partner Kokusai Cable Ship Co. Ltd. (KCS) held a simple sendoff to ship Cable Infinity.
The ship will ferry cables covering the PDSCN, which has a total cable distance of roughly 2,500 kilometers or about the same distance between Manila and Singapore.
It will land at several points across the country for undersea laying, including Sorsogon, Masbate, Marinduque, Camiguin, Siargao, Boracay and Zamboanga, in 24 segments over the next nine months.
“We persevered, and we’re now almost there. This is the start of the cable laying. This is exciting, and it’s such a beautiful milestone. May we always keep the connections strong,” said Arlene Jallorina, vice president for Strategic Infrastructure Investments for Globe Business, Enterprise Group.
Eastern Communications co-coordinator Vince Tempongko cited the importance of the joint effort to boost life-enabling connectivity across the country.
“What we are doing is not just for Globe, Eastern, or InfiniVAN but for the Filipino people. Providing equitable access to mobile and internet connections in all parts of the country has been our dream. Through this cooperation, we are finally at the cusp of realizing this goal,” Tempongko said.
The deployment of the PDSCN aligns with the common goal of the three companies to expand their nationwide coverage to serve their customers better.