PLDT, Telesat make PH’s first successful broadband connection using low earth orbit satellite

PLDT and global satellite operator Telesat of Canada have successfully conducted the Philippines’ first on-orbit testing of high-speed broadband connectivity with Telesat’s Phase 1 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite.

The test, which is a first for Telesat with any operator in Southeast Asia, was from February 11 to 19 by PLDT’s Technology Strategy and Transformation Office using an 85-cm Intellian parabolic antenna stationed at the PLDT office in Greenhills, San Juan to connect to the LEO satellite.

The test showed a download speed of 100.46 Mbps and an upload of 96.72 Mbps, with a roundtrip latency of 26.53ms.

PLDT said that the successful test signals opportunities for the company and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) to use innovations in the satellite industry to expand their high-speed mobile and Internet services to more hard-to-reach communities across an archipelago like the Philippines.

“Last year, we started looking into using LEO satellites to bring high-speed connectivity directly to our customers’ smartphones in far-flung areas without broadband internet services,” said Mario G. Tamayo, Head of Technology at PLDT and Smart. “This year, with our successful test with Telesat, we are a step closer to bringing satellite connectivity innovations and services to businesses and homes in the deepest rural and remote areas of the country.”

“Compared to geo-stationary satellites which are located in space 35,000 kilometers away from the earth, Low-earth orbit satellites are significantly closer at around 500 to 2,000 kilometers above the earth’s surface, allowing the delivery of higher bandwidth with lower latency, and deeper penetration to mountains, valleys, and remote islands, for use especially by enterprises that require high-speed data for high-definition video conferencing, remote desktop connections, and remote business operations, for example. This particular test utilized Telesat’s Phase 1 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite at an altitude of 500 kilometers and we were really impressed by the results which are comparable to the speed and latency provided by a regular cell site,” said Arvin L. Siena, Head of Technology Strategy and Transformation Office at PLDT and Smart.