First phase of Meta, PH internet project to operate by mid-2023 — DICT chief

The first phase of the internet project of the Philippine government and Meta, formerly Facebook, is expected to operate middle of next year, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan Uy said Tuesday.

"We're expecting that to go live probably by middle of next year," Uy said at a Commission on Appointments committee hearing, adding that the infrastructure for the internet project in Luzon is already in place.

The first phase will cover Laoag to Quezon City while the second phase will cover Metro Manila to the Bicol Region.

"That will be (operational) a year after the first phase comes live. So we are looking at 2024," he said.

In 2017, the Philippine government partnered with Facebook, now Meta, for the creation of a cable landing system, which aims to improve internet speeds to reach as fast as 2 terabits per second (Tbps) by connecting the country to the rest of Asia and the United States.

Under the partnership,  Meta will construct and operate a cable system that will land in the cable stations in Baler, Aurora and in Poro Point in San Fernando, La Union.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) will build the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure—two cable landing stations connected by a 250-kilometer long cable network—which will host the cable systems.

In July, DICT Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo said the National Broadband Program’s Luzon Bypass Infrastructure project is targeted to be activated next year.—AOL, GMA Integrated News