Smart expands 5G rollout to Visayas and Mindanao
Smart Communications, Inc. is rolling out its commercial 5G service to key cities in Visayas and Mindanao, becoming the first Philippine telco to launch 5G services nationwide.
Smart, which launched its 5G service commercially in July, is rolling out Smart 5G in key areas in Boracay, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao.
These areas add to the live Smart 5G sites in Makati Central Business District (CBD), Bonifacio Global City CBD, Araneta City, Mall of Asia Bay Area, North Avenue in Quezon City, Taft Avenue in Manila, Ortigas CBD, New Clark City in Pampanga, EDSA, and in strategic locations in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and the cities of Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Taguig, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Parañaque, Valenzuela, Caloocan, Navotas, San Juan, and Pasay.
“The commercial launch of 5G underscores our commitment to bring the best digital technologies to our customers across the country,” remarked Alfredo S. Panlilio, Smart President and CEO and PLDT Chief Revenue Officer.
"We are now bringing Smart 5G’s superfast data service to even more customers as we expand into Visayas and Mindanao and extend our Smart 5G service to our Prepaid customers as well,” he added.
The rollout of 5G in more areas in the country complements the deployment of Smart’s LTE network and the expansion of parent PLDT, Inc.'s fiber infrastructure.
“Combined with our fiber and 4G/LTE resources, we are providing our customers with the widest range of connectivity services," Panlilio noted.
To date, Smart’s high-speed broadband service serves 95% of the country’s population.
Supporting Smart’s mobile network is PLDT’s fiber infrastructure, the most extensive in the country at 360,000 kilometers.
The latest evolution in wireless communications, 5G offers fiber-like data speeds on mobile and ultra-low latency, which enable next-level customer experience in uploading and downloading large files, streaming high-resolution videos, playing online games, and benefitting from other cutting-edge applications.
After being initially available to Smart Signature, Infinity, and other Smart postpaid subscribers, Smart 5G is now available to Smart Prepaid subscribers in selected areas using Smart-certified 5G handsets with 5Gactivated SIMs.
Subscribers can also experience Smart 5G first-hand with the 5G-ready handsets featured at select Smart Stores in Metro Manila, including Smart Tower in Makati City, Gateway Mall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and The World Plaza in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Smart has also teamed up with smartphone manufacturers like Huawei, Samsung, realme and vivo in offering Smart 5G-certified devices at Smart Stores nationwide and on the Smart Online Store at store.smart.com.ph.