The largest fully integrated telecommunications enterprise in the Philippines, PLDT, is adopting Ciena’s optical transmission technology to enhance the country’s digital infrastructure – efficiently and reliably transmitting data from the Asia Direct Submarine Cable system back to local end-users. PLDT has deployed the Ciena 6500 series platform with built-in WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) coherent optical technology for carrying local traffic from global cloud service providers.

Blums Pineda, Senior Vice President and Head of PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Group, stated that “PLDT is committed to providing world-class connectivity to users nationwide through the introduction of international bandwidth through ADC systems, thereby strengthening the digital backbone of the Philippines. With Ciena’s optical technology, we can provide faster, more flexible, and secure services, empowering the digital economy of the Philippines from individual users to enterprises and even large-scale cloud providers.”

Matt Vesperm, Vice President of Ciena Asia Pacific, said, “The Philippines is a key destination for many global cloud providers and enterprises expanding their business in Asia. Ciena’s leading optical technology provides seamless connectivity, driving the Philippines’ international trade and digital transformation.”

Ciena’s WL5e coherent optical technology enables PLDT to carry multiple terabytes of premium traffic, achieving low latency and high-capacity connections from ADC submarine cable landing stations to PLDT’s national backbone network. In addition, Ciena’s Navigator Network Control Suite (Navigator NCS) simplifies the network planning, activation, and assurance processes, further enhancing the operational efficiency of PLDT networks.

Through its corporate division PLDT Enterprise, PLDT continues to increase its digital investments to optimize business operations and drive innovation. As a manifestation of this commitment, the ADC system has been integrated into the recently put into operation VITRO Santa Rosa (VSR) – the Philippines’ first AI ready data center built and operated by VITRO Inc. In 2024, Ciena’s coherent optical technology has empowered VITRO’s Data Center Interconnect (DCI) solution, connecting VSR with VITRO’s flagship data center cluster. VITRO DCI enables enterprises to securely connect their cabinets between different VITRO sites, optimizing disaster recovery strategies and operational efficiency.