BAGUIO CITY — PLDT Inc. and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. announced Tuesday that free public Wi-Fi will be available in four primary areas in Baguio City before end of the year.
Louie Metra of PLDT, during the launch of the 2017 Consumer Welfare Month celebration here, said they are in the process of finishing the installation of fiber-optic cables that will provide the free public Wi-Fi system.
This will be initially made available at the Baguio City Hall, Burnham Park, Mines View Park and Session Road “by November or December”, he said, adding that this is part of the national government’s public Wi-Fi program.
Jose Rosete, External Affairs head of Smart Telecom, said their company supports the government’s public Wi-Fi program, especially in 5th to 6th class municipalities or those in the countryside.
He, however, explained the challenges, which include the actual laying of fiber-optic cable lines to be able to attain the level of quality.
He nonetheless assured that in the Cordillera region, a large number of fiber-optic cables had been laid, which is not the same in other northern areas in the country.
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Enabling Technologies Allan Cabanlong confirmed the problems being encountered in the Cordilleras with its peculiar terrain, making it difficult and expensive to install repeater systems that allow signal to connect the public Wi-Fi program of the government.
He assured that the DICT’s free Wi-Fi, especially in the countryside, is nearing realization. PNA-northboundasia.com