Globe, PLDT race to restore service in Yolanda-hit areas

The country's top two telecommunication firms are facing bottlenecks as they work to restore network coverage in central Philippines, with both companies scrambling to repair cell sites, bay stations and cables in the areas hit hardest by super typhoon Yolanda almost two weeks ago.

The PLDT Group is still working to fully restore network coverage of its wholly-owned wireless subsidiaries Smart Communications Inc. and  Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc., public affairs head Ramon Isberto told GMA News Online in a phone interview Tuesday.

“We're now at the hard part. We're literally climbing mountains to replace damaged equipment and restore transmission lines. We have been able to restore coverage in a lot of areas, but we're now at the hard part,” he said.

In a separate phone interview, Globe Telecom's head of corporate communications Ma. Yolanda Crisanto said the company has yet to set a specific target date when full network coverage will be brought back in affected areas.

“Targets are dependent on what's happening on the ground...on the assessment, if there's transportation available to ship equipment, power from gensets [generator sets],” she said.

“But there's only one single objective and that is to be able to restore fully the network,” Crisanto said.

Mobile network coverage

About 85 percent of Smart and Sun Cellular's network coverage in affected areas has been restored, PLDT's latest bulletin on Sunday showed.

“I don't think there's too much change from our last update, because we're already in areas that are really hard to reach,” Isberto said.

Mobile coverage is fully restored in cities and municipalities of Bohol, Cebu, Guimaras, Negros Oriental and Southern Leyte, according to PLDT.

Network service in Northern Samar is 95 percent up, Negros Occidental at 94 percent, Iloilo at 93 percent, Aklan at 89 percent, Samar at 86 percent, Antique at 78 percent, Capiz 71 percent, Leyte at 56 percent, Biliran at 38 percent and Eastern Samar at 24 percent.

On the other hand, Globe said it has essentially restored network coverage in the Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Southern Leyte, Iloilo and Antique provinces.

“Our network restoration progress is steadily progressing to enable our subscribers in hardest-hit areas to use our mobile services,” Robert Tan, Globe's chief technical adviser, said in a statement Tuesday.

It has also put up 30 percent of its network in Leyte; 81 percent in Northern Samar; 40 percent in Western Samar; 72 percent in Aklan; 18 percent in Capiz; and 61 percent in Antique.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, both telecommunication firms have set up free charging and calling booths in areas where network coverage have not been restored.

Last Nov. 8, Typhoon Yolanda, the strongest to make landfall on record, pummeled central Philippines, flattening coastal towns and cities, and killing thousands. — BM/VS, GMA News