At home with my fur babies and PLDT Home’s fastest Wifi service

BY KATHY MORAN, The Philippine Star

Did you know we are in the seventh month of the new-normal quarantine? I read that it takes about 60 days before people start forming new habits. But being in this lockdown for so long, it's a mystery what bits of my pre-pandemic self are still with me and what has changed.

My daily life has become a mix of new and old habits. There are certain mornings when I get up at the crack of dawn and take my six dogs — two at a time — for walks in the park. Being a full-time fur mom, I also need to make some playtime with my four cats.

When I have spare time at home I skim through old and new books on the shelves at random, work from home on some days and attend the now standard Zoom meeting for press cons, going to the office on other days. But I do know that what has become new and necessary is spending lots and lots of time searching the Internet for things.

So far in this quarantine, my phone and laptop have been great witnesses to many facets of my life. From ordering food from places I used to frequent to sharing a moment with a few good friends, many aspects of our day-to-day lives now happen within the four corners of those tiny screens.

I am so happy that my fast and reliable PLDT Home Fibr internet service has allowed me to (virtually) keep my social relationships and sometimes, even escape from reality.

Just recently, I learned about the newest PLDT Home Wifi Prepaid Advance modem. So, I was curious and immediately tried one for my home — how could I not when it claims the fastest wireless internet? With everyone —myself included — seeking comfort and safety (read: stuck) in their homes, having the fastest Internet connection is one way to make sanctuary at home more bearable — even more enjoyable — during this time.

I have learned that with the home internet becoming more essential now than ever, the PLDT Home Wifi Prepaid Advance uses carrier aggregation that combines frequency channels to power LTE to deliver at faster speeds.

What’s better is that it comes with free 10 GB of data valid for seven days upon activation, which I know can be helpful for working professionals who are telecommuting and students and teachers engaged in distance learning.

Families with higher data requirements can benefit from it, too. The PLDT Home Wifi Prepaid Advance modem’s double LAN ports allow wired connection for two devices, which can be perfect for households with multiple desktops. And it needs no installation, being a plug-and-play device.

The new normal, indeed, has revolutionized the way we consume content. The buzz of many new titles is unceasing, and people of all ages have learned to navigate video-conferencing sites. This is why the demand for an accessible and affordable internet solution has increased. To supplement its new product, PLDT Home offers family-sized FamLoad packages so they can keep up with their Internet needs well within their budgets.

The FamLoad Study 599 comes with 57 GB — ideal for families with children who are studying at home. It also includes 3 GB/day for learning sites and apps such as Microsoft 365, NEO, Gabay Guro, Canvas, and Schoology.

For families fond of watching videos at home, there are packages such as the FamLoad Video or FamLoad Video Plus for as low as P199.

These FamLoads can be used to access all sites and apps, and can be purchased through GrabApp using the GrabPay wallet, Paymaya, myPLDT Smart app, or PLDT Home and Smart’s retailers.

The PLDT Home Wifi Prepaid Advance is powered by Smart LTE, the fastest mobile network in the Philippines, as certified by Ookla.

Now, that is saying a lot about the new prepaid modem of PLDT Home — because there is a lot to say about how much and how efficiently it keeps me connected.

These long months in isolation may be driving me nuts on occasion, but I’d like to think that each day I'm inching closer to the promise of better days, normal days. For now, this is where it is and staying stay safe and connected within the confines of our home and the loving glances of my fur babies as they lie beside me when I am busy on the Internet — this is what love is really all about.

Editor's note: BrandedUp is designed to provide you with insightful, inspiring and educational content created by PhilSTAR L!fe in collaboration with brands like PLDT.