PLDT announced on Monday, Sept. 1, it will fire up the country’s first three Google Taara laser communication sites, introducing a new technology designed to deliver high-speed Internet without the need for undersea or underground fiber cables.
Taara, developed by Google’s X Moonshot Factory, transmits data through beams of light across long distances, with each site capable of providing up to 20 gigabits per second. PLDT said this capacity can support thousands of Internet users.
The initial rollout includes installations on Talim Island in Rizal, Dipaluda in Isabela, and Bagong Pag-asa in Quezon City.
On Talim Island, Taara will bridge an 11.8-kilometer link across Laguna de Bay to the mainland. In Isabela, the system will cover 13 kilometers of mountainous terrain where fiber installation is difficult. In Quezon City, it will serve as an alternative route to address network redundancy and single point of failure risks.
PLDT chief operating officer and head of network Butch Jimenez said the technology is aimed at improving connectivity in underserved locations. “It makes it easier to provide fiber-like Internet to new areas,” Jimenez noted.
Erick Santiago, PLDT-Smart head of network strategy, added that the company tested the technology for over a year before deployment.
According to PLDT, Taara offers cost advantages by avoiding the expenses associated with laying fiber cables underwater or across rugged landscapes.
The company said the project forms part of a broader strategy to complement its nationwide fiber network with alternative connectivity solutions in geographically challenging areas.
