PLDT targets over 3,500 sites in rural internet rollout

PANGILINAN-LED PLDT Inc. said more than 3,500 sites are set to gain internet coverage under its rural connectivity expansion efforts, including in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), through coordination with government agencies.

The telecommunications company said it is intensifying efforts to expand internet connectivity in underserved and far-flung areas through coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Education and Department of the Interior and Local Government.

“Strategic collaboration with the government allows us to overcome long-standing challenges in infrastructure deployment… When public and private sectors work in sync, we can speed up connectivity rollouts and ensure that even the most remote areas benefit from the country’s digital transformation,” PLDT and Smart Head of Network Strategy and Architecture Roderick S. Santiago said in a media release on Sunday.

PLDT said the expansion forms part of its initiatives to improve connectivity in remote communities nationwide.

“PLDT aims to accelerate network deployment across the country, ensuring inclusive access to reliable connectivity to support online learning, enhance the delivery of government services and enable businesses of all sizes to participate in the digital economy,” the company said.

The company said it has worked with government agencies and industry stakeholders to streamline permitting processes in the telecommunications sector as part of efforts to address challenges in network rollout.

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, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose