The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has been called upon by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to aid in the acceleration of the department’s National Fiber Backbone (NFB) Project.
“We are pleased to stand as a key contributor to the National Fiber Backbone Project of DICT, a transformative initiative that aims to yield tangible benefits for the Filipino people,” said NGCP President and CEO Anthony L. Almeda.
Almeda and DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy represented both parties in the signing of the lease agreement for the project.
“The signing of the Specific Site Lease Agreement will lead us closer to providing lightning-fast broadband connectivity to Filipinos,” DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy noted.
The project’s first phase successfully activated 26 nodes, spanning from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, to Roces, Quezon City, by utilizing NGCP’s dark fiber.
The next phases aimed to broaden network coverage, lengthening connectivity across various regions in the country, and extending broadband internet access to government institutions and public spaces.
The NFB would play a crucial role in advancing the goals of the National Broadband Plan, an initiative set by DICT. In order to improve internet speeds and accessibility in the country, the program aimed to expedite the deployment of fiber optic cable and wireless technology.
Furthermore, the backbone would include mapping out fiber optic cables across 23 strategic sites in Luzon.
The signed agreement also involved the implementation of a solidly built national broadband infrastructure that would permit the government to support a two-terabyte connection emerging from the eastern seaboard.
In preparation for its full operation, the department began its installation activities for Telecom Shelters within the substations of the grid operator, securing the proper housing for the Optical Transport Networking (OTN).
