PANGILINAN-LED PLDT Inc. has introduced the country’s first-ever “uninterrupted” broadband service connectivity.
“Seamless broadband connectivity is no longer a convenience but rather a necessity. It is actually similar already to our utilities of water and electricity, which we need always on, always available,” Roy Victor E. Añonuevo, vice-president and head of PLDT Home Broadband Product Management, said during a briefing on Wednesday.
PLDT Home’s “Always On” broadband service is said to be the first of its kind in the country.
Mr. Añonuevo said the add-on service for PLDT Home Fiber will cost around P299 per month.
The service provides a hybrid modem that automatically switches a customer’s connection from fiber to LTE in case of service interruption, similar to a generator set for electricity.
The service also sends automatic triggers to PLDT, notifying it of a line problem in the event of an interruption, while also giving its subscribers priority service for repairs.
“We call this ‘Always On.’ In the event of a service interruption, you don’t need to worry about losing access to the internet. Even with a severed cable, you will stay connected and pursue your online activities with minimal interruption,” said Senior Vice-President and Head of Home Business Group Jeremiah M. de la Cruz.
PLDT has allocated P75 billion to P78 billion for capital expenditures this year for mobile, port rollout, data centers, and submarine cables.
At the stock exchange on Wednesday, shares in the company closed P34, or 2.57% lower, to end at P1,290 each.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
