WHENEVER there was a demonstration of some smart home device or appliance or a demo for the Google Voice Assistant, I would often comment how my yaya was still faster than any of them. But last week, after visiting the especially-designed PLDT Home Fast Hub, I think my yaya (even after by two cups of coffee), has found her match—Google Voice backed by PLDT Home 10,000Mbps Internet speed.
I am kidding, of course, I haven’t had a yaya since I turned 30—again kidding, though don’t we all wish we had one?
There’s fast. Then there’s 10,000 Mbps fast.
FAST (which stands for Fiber Accelerated Speed Tech) Hub is a visual representation of everything 10,000Mbps Internet speeds can offer, and the experience what it’s like to have a hyper-fast home Internet connection. What used to be a topic for science fiction—having a fully smart home where you can find the most advanced devices working seamlessly through a powerful Internet connection—PLDT Home makes that a reality.
Our exclusive tour started with a demo video asking me to scan a QR code for detailed instructions on how to test each section of the hub starting of course with a speedtest. Using the Speedtest by Ookla app installed on the iMac, we were able to get a surreal 8,126Mbps Download speed and 7,994Mbps Upload speed. Our guide explained that the maximum achievable rate is up to 8 Gbps upload/download as an approximate 20 percent is allotted for network headers to ensure good transmission.
The smart home-inspired room had about 28+ devices simultaneously connected to the Internet, including more than 20 smart lights, a desktop gaming PC, a Smart TV, PS5, Smart Mirror, robot vacuum, air purifier, and smartphones.
Once we got settled in the couch we set the mood by controlling the lights in the room, turning it up first to 100 percent brightness before asking Google Assistant to dim it down to 40 percent. I was even advised that one of the light bulbs needed to be changed. I then asked Google to turn on the air purifier and controlled the robot vacuum, again using voice commands. It just took a few seconds before both appliances started working. With these speeds, you can access the full potential of your smart home allowing you to change the thermostat, lights, audio speakers, TVs, security cameras, locks, and other appliances into a common system and control them remotely—even while away from home, through a mobile phone.
With the room swept clean and the air freshly purified, it was time to watch some Netflix. A 10,000Mbps connection lets users connect all their streaming services on multiple devices at the same time—including 4K/8K video streaming, high-res video conferencing, lag-free gaming, remote video monitoring/archiving, and live streaming on platforms such as Hitbox, Twitch, Azubu, Beam and more. No more lag and that annoying red loading circle on Netflix. I did watch Red Notice and the load times—well, there was actually no load times as the movie started as soon as I hit play.
Playtime continued with Gran Turismo on a Playstation 5, which only reminded me that I sucked at driving sims. So I quickly moved on to the Smart Work/Gaming Station, where they was Valorant installed. For gamers, Internet speed is just as crucial as skills. The 10,000Mbps speed lets you play lag-free, giving you the power to excel in every game, stream, and connect with and grow your fanbase.
For work, this translates to even more productivity to pursue the things you enjoy without interruption. You can work faster and more efficiently through virtual meetings, all while multitasking in your home-based business. If you are a content creator this means you can quickly render and upload your next trending video ahead of the others.
We ended our tour by trying out the smart mirror. Here you can watch YouTube videos, follow workout videos and see yourself in the mirror. Unfortunately, I forgot my yoga pants so we settled for taking some group photos and transferring a few files to our separate devices. Just like everything else we tried, the experience was blazing fast and there was never any lag even if there were plenty of devices connected all at the same time.
You do need the right equipment to enjoy this speed and the plan comes with the Asus ZenWifi, a powerful top-of-the-line Wifi 6 Mesh system, which will ensure that every nook and cranny of the home is blanketed with ultra-fast connectivity. The Asus ZenWifi guarantees WiFi coverage of up to 5,500 sq. ft. and can power up to 100 bandwidth-hungry devices simultaneously—ensuring your smart home devices operate with optimum performance.
The 10,000Mbps plan was announced late last year and PLDT Home is the first service provider to offer this in the Philippines. It was created for demanding users who live in smart homes and families of heavy users like competitive gamers, content creators or streamers who usually broadcast live.
Now the question that’s probably on your mind is: “How much?”
The short answer? It varies.
Currently the service is available only in Metro Manila. Those who are interested can send a request and their area will be checked for network availability. All you need to do is fill out the online form at www.pldthome.com/10000mbps. n