BayanTel upgrades Internet backbone with two new links

Lopez-owned Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel) has activated two new Internet backbone links equivalent to 310 megabytes per second (mbps), providing faster Internet connectivity to the US and Japan for its customers and clients.

These additional links upgraded the total international Internet capacity of BayanTel to 740 mbps, making it one of the largest Internet backbone networks in the country, company officials said.

BayanTel’s new Internet link to the US, where content for Internet predominantly comes from, connects BayanTel’s customers and clients directly to MCI’s Global Internet backbone, one of the world’s largest and most reliable Internet networks. This interconnection with MCI complements the existing US backbone links of BayanTel via Teleglobe and AT&T. The upgrade ensures congestion free access to web servers and websites hosted in the US and Europe.

The new Internet link to Japan is via NTT Global IP Network, the only global provider based in the Asian region and has the world’s largest network capacity between Asia and the US. The NTT link complements the existing Asian Internet backbone of BayanTel via Hutchison Global Communications (HGC). The expanded connection via NTT will ensure the fastest route to the web servers and websites located in Japan and other countries in the Asian region.

The expansion of BayanTel’s Internet capacity supports the fast growing demand for broadband services via digital subscriber line (DSL) in the Philippines.

"We have more than doubled our base since the start of the year and demand continues to remain strong. We are also experiencing growth in the corporate market driven by strong demand for high speed Internet access using our Metro Ethernet infrastructure," said Joevel Rivera, BayanTel vice president for product development.

Broadband or DSL penetration has steadily been increasing throughout the Philippines. The demand has been equally strong both in Metro Manila and in the provinces. The Internet is now being used beyond e-mail and some of the more popular applications are MMORPG, VoIP, video conferencing, and large file sharing such as movies and music. With the introduction of the new video iPod, DSL subscribers can download their favorite US shows a day after they have been shown in US TV. In addition, video podcasting is expected to further ignite growth for more bandwidth and consequently demand for broadband.

BayanTel said it will continue to expand its international capacity to support the demand for broadband services. Its total Internet capacity is expected to reach one gigabyte per second (gbps) by the end of the year.