Sponsor 
(From left to right: PLDT SVP and Head of PLDT-Smart Enterprise Business Juan Victor Hernandez, PLDT-Smart Chief and chief technology and information advisor, PLDT Chairman and CEO Manny Pangilinan, Founder and CEO of Cisco Chucks Robbins, President Asia Pacific, Japan and China at Cisco Miyuki Suzuki, SVP, Customer Experience lead–Asia Pacific Chris Heckscher)
MANILA— A 5G-ready IP transport network for the Philippines is now underway as PLDT announces their partnership with global technology leader Cisco to transform its IP transport infrastructure into a fully automated software defined 5G-ready .
The first-phase of the 5G network will be launched in November this year, but the full transformation will take three years, according to PLDT Joachim Chief Technology and Information Advisor of PLDT.
Under this partnership, PLDT and Cisco will deploy cutting edge technology to design and build automated, highly reliable, highly scalable, software defined nest generation infrastructure using PLDTs existing fiber network to seamlessly deliver customized digital experiences to customers.
This large scale investment with Cisco is part of PLDTs broader transport network transformation project, which will be implemented over the next three years.
“This investment will raise PLDT’s fiber network to the next level. Today we mark another major milestone in PLDT’s efforts to help the country gear up for the Industrial Revolution 4.0, enabling us to move up to the next generation of digital technologies, such as 56, software-defined networking (SDN), artificial intelligence and internet of Things,” said PLDT Chairman Manuel V Pangilinan.
“At Cisco, we are committed to working with our customers to transform their infrastructure, so they can unlock growth opportunities as everything becomes connected PLDT is at the forefront of this transformation and we are proud to partner together to deliver best in class services across the Philippines,” said Chuck Robbins, Chairman and CEO, Cisco.
Implications for brands and businesses
The introduction of the 5G network will democratize businesses and enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs), explained Jovy Fernandez, Senior Vice President and Head of PLDT-Smart Enterprise Business.
This was echoed by Joachim Horn, PLDT chief technology and information advisor, who said, “We are building with Cisco one of the most modern transport networks in Asia by maximizing the capabilities of the fiber infrastructure that we have already put in place.”
The automated architecture of the network is seen to enable PLDT to manage traffic congestion, improve cybersecurity, minimize network outages, and launch new digital services faster.
“With this network tranformation program, we can empower enterprises and businesses and address their needs for speed, bandwidth and dgital services quickly and seamlessly,” Horn added.
Cisco’s Customer Experience team will play a leading role in the end-to-end design, build and deployment of the new infrastructure to extend the network’s reach, reliability and scalability R will greatly enhance experiences for PLDT’s customers and lay a solid foundation for 5G rollout.
5G on the Filipino Household
Apart from enabling businesses, Hernandez also said that the new network will trickle down to the millions of Filipino household in the country. Where as one would never imaging DSL to power a home office, 5G would make remote offices possible, seamless streaming of videos on devices and would reach the corners of the country that were not reached by the internet.
The network transformation project is also part of PLDT’s 5G efforts as it is also seen to support Internet of Things (IoT) as well as Smart City initiatives.
“This transformation program will not only increase the network’s capacity in anticipation for the a mobile dat a traffic espionage, it will also make it more intelligent and ready for the deployment of real, standalone 5G,” Horn said.
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About PLDT
PLDT is the leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines Through its main business on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE: TEL) and its American Depositary Shares are listed on the Philippine listed companies. PLDT offers a wide range of telecommunications services across the Philippines’ most extensive fiber optic backbone and fixed line, and mobile network. Visit to www.pldt.com to find out more.
