Smart, PLDT to probe cause of cable breaks

Smart Communications and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) are now investigating the cause of the cable breaks that have resulted to the disruption of some services.   Subscribers have complained of problems using some services of the giant telecom companies, which apparently have been affected by a cable wire breakage.

Ramon Isberto, Public Affairs Head of Smart Communications, said that fixed line and data services of the PLDT, Smart GSM’s 2G/3G/SMS services, and Smart Bro services have been temporarily disrupted in certain areas of the Visayas.

       He identified the affected places as Cebu, Negros Oriental and Occidental, Kalibo, Capiz, Bacolod, Tacloban, and Ormoc.

According to Smart Communication Regional Office Public Affairs staff Lourdes Gocotano, the reason for this disruption is because of a double fiber break or cable wire breakage in areas between the islands of Cebu and Negros and Tacloban and Ormoc.

She explained that the broken submarine cables of Smart are connected to the digital fiber optic network (DFON) of the PLDT, which serves as the receiver of the signal coming from the subscribers. Isberto assured that repair teams would be working round the clock to solve this problem.

Affected services are PLDT landlines; the call, text, and video services of Smart; and the internet line of Smart Bro. — Annie Hazel D. Basada, UP Tacloban CommArts intern/NLQ