Globe completes 400-km undersea cable to Palawan

MANILA, Philippines - Globe Telecom Inc. has completed the roll out of a 400-kilometer submarine fiber optic backbone in Palawan to connect the premier tourist destination with Luzon.

Globe chief technical adviser Robert Tan said the company became the first telecommunication provider to complete its rollout of a submarine fiber optic backbone in Palawan.

The undersea cable system serves as a transmission system of telecom strengthening Palawan’s connectivity with the entire country and the rest of the world.

A more reliable transmission system using fiber optic technology and dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) system, the Palawan cable system will provide high-speed Internet connection and a more dependable network for text and voice calls. 

The technology also establishes a future-proof infrastructure to meet growing bandwidth data requirements amid burgeoning preference for smartphones, enhancing network readiness for the latest telecommunications technology.

“This is a landmark development in the local telecommunications industry as Globe Telecom is the first telco provider to complete a submarine fiber optic transmission system in Palawan. The cable system will further boost network capacity and enhance reliability to support requirements of business establishments in the province,” Tan said.

He pointed out that the undersea cable system in Palawan also supports government initiatives to boost tourism in the country.

“The fiber optic technology will allow subscribers in the area to experience seamless video streaming, fast uploads of photos and videos and a much-reliable network,” he said.

The undersea cable system is designed to transmit 40 wavelengths at 40 gigabits per second capacity per fiber pair and upgradable to a 100-gigabits per second DWDM system, allowing the company to accommodate future traffic growth, Tan said.

Tan said the Palawan cable system has a total transmission capacity of 19.2 terabits per second and is powered up cell sites with fourth-generation Evolved High-Speed Packet Access or HSPA+ connectivity and supports Long Term Evolution (LTE) services.

The transmission upgrade in Palawan forms part of Globe Telecom’s $700 million network transformation initiative, involving as a component the roll-out of about 12,000 kilometers of optical fiber lines nationwide.