Smart Communications announced that it will start using this year the 700 MHz frequency for accelerated deployment of its 4G LTE service in the country.
The low-band 700 MHz has a longer range and provides better indoor coverage than high band frequencies. Smart gained access to this and other additional frequencies when Smart’s parent company PLDT recently acquired 50% of the telecoms business of San Miguel Corporation.
Smart’s drive to boost data coverage and capacity across the country forms a major part of its parent company, PLDT Group’s capital expenditure program. PLDT has set aside about P43 billion in total capex for 2016. It has allocated an additional US$100 million to utilize the additional frequencies now available to Smart post the acquisition.
Smart's three-year network improvement program aims to, amongst others, synergize the mobile phone networks of Smart and Sun, another subsidiary of PLDT in order to improve the coverage and service quality for subscribers of both brands. Another initiative is to expand the rollout of Smart’s 3G and 4G services.
Joachim Horn, PLDT and Smart chief technology and information advisor
Combined with other frequency bands, LTE on 700 MHz will help expand the coverage and enhance the capacity of our data network at a faster pace. Second are the devices. We have been holding discussions with device manufacturers so that more affordable LTE smartphones and tablets using 700 MHz will soon be available in the country.
