Smart to upgrade cell sites in Marikina, QC

SMART Communications, Inc. is upgrading its cell sites in Marikina and Quezon City beginning this month to improve mobile data service, particularly longterm evolution (LTE) and 3G.

In a statement, the subsidiary of PLDT, Inc. said the network upgrades will be carried out gradually in various areas in the two cities in order to minimize disruption of services.

“We are doubling the number of our LTE equipment in Marikina and Quezon City, and expanding support for 3G as well,” Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT and Smart senior vice-president for Network Planning and Engineering said in a statement.

“By the end of our upgrades, we expect to improve the coverage of our 700 megahertz (MHz) and 1800 MHz frequencies in the area, which will widen and improve indoor coverage, as well as increase each cell site’s capacity to handle more calls, texts and data traffic.”

Smart has completed its LTE rollout in Metro Cebu and Metro Davao, Boracay, and Rizal province. Rollout is currently underway in Metro Manila.

The upgrades are part of the comprehensive network modernization and expansion program at the center of PLDT group’s digital pivot.

Smart began deployment of LTE sites using the 700 MHz band last year, after PLDT and Globe teamed up to buy the telecommunications assets of San Miguel Corp. for P69.1 billion.

PLDT in July last year submitted to the National Telecommunications Commission the three-year network rollout plan of Smart, saying that it will make LTE available to 95% of the country’s cities and municipalities by the end of 2018.

Smart previously said that it aims to provide LTE service to 50% of the country’s cities and municipalities by the end of the year. —