SmartBro users spared from the internet crash

The over 100,000 subscribers of Smart Communication's fixed wireless Internet connection SmartBro are spared from the ongoing country-wide Internet service inconvenience brought about by the recent Taiwan earthquake.

Smart Communications Inc., head for public affairs Ramon Isberto said the cable network that carries SmartBro international connection was not heavily affected by the earthquake calamity, unlike the five other networks that were heavily hit.

SmartBro is a "fixed wireless solution" to provide broadband Internet access. It rides on the nationwide cellular network of Smart to wirelessly deliver broadband Internet service to a subscriber's personal computer, eliminating the need for a phone line.

The "wireless" connection is established from a wireless broadband radio base station at the nearest Smart cellsite to the subscriber's home via a SmartBro antenna. Cables connect the antenna to the subscriber's PC.

He said there are six cable networks serving the international Internet connection in the Philippines, five of which are damaged by the Taiwan earthquake, the reason why Internet connection not only for PLDT and Smart, but for other providers, are currently experiencing problems.

Isberto who is also the head for public affairs of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) said about 40 percent of the total DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) subscribers of PLDT are affected by the Taiwan earthquake.

According to Isberto the full completion of the cable network repair will be completed by next month. As of now, ongoing repair is being done, and that Internet connection is not at its full capacity.

However, he said despite the earthquake, PLDT is able to provide Internet connection especially for its corporate clients, such as call centers, and other BPOs, banks, among others, because it has acquired additional capacity via an alternate route from other cable networks.

He said the company has not discounted the "lessons learned" about the crisis, saying PLDT has developed a balanced network to acquire additional capacity and new (international) cable networks are being set-up.

"The crisis had demonstrated who really has the capacity to serve the (telecommunication) equirements amid crisis," Isberto said.

He said PLDT having the most diverse network, had been able to manage the problem, saving especially its corporate customer base from losing business.

Last year, PLDT's rival company Globe Telecom also experienced network crash after its underwater cable was allegedly cut off, affecting a huge number of corporate and residential internet users, including mobile subscribers in the Visayas area.

Because of that incident, Globe's Innove Communications, the company that operates GlobeQuest has invested a sizeable amount of money to put up backup cabling, and network infrastructure to avoid similar problems from happening again.

The backup network infrastructure, will assure clients of continuous service, if similar problem may occur, said Jesus C. Romero, head for GlobeQuest Enterprise Business Group (EBG).

Because of the importance of Internet connection in businesses today, more importantly in the BPOs and call center operations, uninterrupted connection is a priority requirement. An hour of lost web connection, means huge lost of business/money.