For its pioneering approach to building a sustainable, AI-ready digital future, leading integrated telco network PLDT Inc. (PLDT) was feted at the Green All-Optical Network Forum held by independent consulting firm IDATE during the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The award, which also recognized PLDT’s leading practices in home broadband network, was received by Alvin S. Ilano, Vice President for Network Facilities and Field Operations at PLDT and Smart, who also delivered a keynote presentation on PLDT’s AI-powered leap into a sustainable “DigiCo” future.
Titled “GRIT: Green. Resilient. Intelligent Technology,” Ilano’s presentation outlined the company’s strategic vision and the technological innovations that are driving its transformation from a traditional telco into a digital company.
“To operate in an archipelagic country like the Philippines, which is located in one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions, it is imperative for us at PLDT to build a resilient network that can withstand extreme challenges such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods and landslides,” Ilano said, emphasizing that resilient networks build trust and pave the way for market leadership.
Alvin S. Ilano, Vice President for Network Facilities and Field Operations at PLDT and Smart, delivers a keynote presentation on PLDT’s AI-powered leap into a sustainable “DigiCo” future. Titled “GRIT: Green. Resilient. Intelligent Technology,” Ilano’s presentation outlined the company's strategic vision and the technological innovations that are driving its transformation from a traditional telco into a digital company.
To accomplish this, PLDT is leveraging advanced automation for dynamic routing of data traffic in the event of multiple fiber cuts due to disasters, creating a self-healing backbone that determines the best available optical route in real-time.
“This multi-layer defense ensures that connectivity remains seamless for customers, even when multiple routes go down,” Ilano explained, citing technologies like Sub-Network Connection Protection (SNCP) and Wavelength Switched Optical Network (WSON) dynamic routing by technology partner Huawei as enabling these capabilities.
Establishing an AI-ready network
In addition to building a resilient network, PLDT is also future proofing its network and ensuring that it is ready for AI era.
PLDT was awarded at the Green All-Optical Network Forum held by independent consulting firm IDATE during the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona for its pioneering approach to building a sustainable, AI-ready digital future, as well as its leading practices in home broadband network. The award was received by Alvin S. Ilano, Vice President for Network Facilities and Field Operations at PLDT and Smart.
With Huawei’s Blade Optical Cross Connect (OXC) technology, PLDT is consolidating multiple racks into a single, intelligent optical layer, enabling savings in power and space, reducing site visits, and creating an ultra-low latency, inherently AI-ready metro Optical Transport Network (OTN) that can support future AI-driven applications, while significantly reducing the network's carbon footprint.
“GRIT is our compass. Green reduces our energy intensity and operating expenses. Resilience protects continuity, lives, and livelihoods. Intelligent Technology accelerates our transformation to autonomous operations. With this approach, PLDT is not just keeping up with the future, but powering it,” Ilano said.
PLDT’s investments in innovation to enhance its network are aligned with the Group’s broader thrust to deliver leveled-up services to customers nationwide. It also supports PLDT and Smart’s commitment to national development through strategic partnerships that bridge the digital divide, expand digital access and enhance the delivery of essential services.
This also contributes to the PLDT Group’s endeavors to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), particularly SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
