SMART Communications Inc. emerged as the service provider with the fastest mobile-Internet service in the Philippines, with a company executive attributing such feat to its ongoing network modernization program.
In a report based on actual mobile experience of OpenSignal app users, JP Morgan said Smart “leads in overall LTE download speeds and at regional levels”.
OpenSignal data are crowd-sourced from users who run their own speed tests.
At the country level, Smart recorded an average LTE download speed of 10.91 Mbps from December 2016 to February 2017. It averaged 11.76 Mbps in Metro Manila, 8.56 Mbps in South Luzon and 10.42 Mbps in the Visayas in the same period.
Aside from beating competition in the LTE arena, Smart has also improved its average LTE speeds in all areas covered by the study. Its latest figures are its highest in the last eight testing periods of OpenSignal.
Smart led in terms of average 3G download speeds at the country level with 2.22 Mbps and in Metro Manila with 3.25 Mbps.
These 3G figures are also Smart’s highest in the last eight testing periods.
“We are happy to know our subscribers are increasingly enjoying our newest and fastest LTE network. We have made intensive capital outlay to accelerate the deployment of LTE sites, because LTE significantly boosts the speed, quality and reliability of our mobile-data service,” said Joachim Horn, who sits as chief technology and information advisor at Smart.
Smart is reequipping its cell sites to use low-frequency bands, such as 700 megahertz (MHz) and 850 MHz, to provide better indoor coverage. It is also deploying high-frequency bands, like 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz, to increase the capacity of the cell sites to handle mobile-data traffic.
The carrier has committed to make LTE progressively available to 95 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities by the end of 2018.
Given this, PLDT Inc. Chief Revenue Officer Eric R. Alberto said Filipinos will soon be able to enjoy a better digital experience when using Smart’s network.
“Soon, more Filipinos from all over the country will enjoy a digital experience like never before,” he said. “Our network dominance and reliability will enable us to deliver a superior digital experience to Filipinos, whose appetite for relevant digital content is constantly growing.”
2 comments
Really? So how about in 2018? Is Smart Network is still the fastest mobile internet here in the Philippines?
My friend is using Smart Network but she has a problem in internet connection.