Telco services restored in more typhoon-hit areas

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s telecommunications firms have restored their services in more areas in Visayas, a week after the region was battered by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Smart Communications and affiliate Sun Celluar have restored 84% of network coverage in cities and municipalities ravaged by the typhoon.

Mobile coverage in Palo, Leyte was restored after Smart and partner Vodafone Foundation put up an “instant network.” This network services the needs of residents and is being used for rescue and relief operations.

Smart said instant networks were set up in Borongan, Eastern Samar, where more than 1,000 text messages and 50 simultaneous calls per minute are now being sent and received.

In Tacloban City, an additional cell site was put up to expand cellular coverage at downtown area after two sites were reactivated early this week.

Smart, however, said that services in some devastated areas in Leyte and Samar have yet to be restored as access to these areas is hampered by road closures and massive power blackouts.

On the other hand, Globe has restored 70% of its services in Visayas.

Mobile services of Globe are now available in the following areas:

Leyte

• Bato
• Hilongos
• Inopacan
• Matalom
• Santa Fe
• Ormoc City
• Tacloban City 

Western Samar

• Calbayog City
• Catbalogan City
• Pagsanghan
• San Jorge
• Santa Rita
• Villareal
• Zumarraga

Globe has also restored network services in the following provinces:

• Cebu and Bohol (90%)
• Negros Occidental (95%)
• Negros Oriental (97%)
• Northern Samar (75%)
• Iloilo (75%)

– Rappler.com