MANILA - Telecommunications giant PLDT has launched its gigabit fiber service to residential areas amid the rising demand for faster and more reliable internet connection in the Philippines.

A media launch was held in an upscale community in Makati, one of the few pilot sites of the gigabit fiber in Metro Manila. 

PLDT Senior Vice President and PLDT Home’s head of consumer business Jeremiah de la Cruz said the next generation of fiber broadband plans are now the fastest in the country— ranging from 1 Gbps up to 10 Gbps or about 10,000 Mbps. The average home wifi speed in the Philippines is less than 100 Mbps.

The gigabit fiber plans are bundled with other services such as premium video services and cybersecurity programs. Plans range from P6,999/month for 1 Gbps up to P49,999/month for the 10 Gbps.

“When you bring in gigabit fiber, it really opens a whole new ecosystem of possibilities. Most households today don’t just have one device, they don’t just have one person streaming, and they don’t have just one service,” said De la Cruz.

He added that many new trends and services are requiring faster internet connection such as artificial intelligence, smart homes, security cameras, streaming services, and sending and downloading large data. 

He added that the 10 Gbps home connection is only available in a few countries such as Norway, South Korea, and the US.

“Continuing to invest in building up the infrastructure, building it not only to the same level as other countries but in fact even further ahead,” he added.

The service is initially available in select areas in Metro Manila, and soon will be rolled out in Cebu and Davao. To fully enjoy the high speed, mobile phones or laptops should also have 1`high specs or be capable of handling the quick fiber wifi.