Smart Records More LTE, LTE-A Devices on Its Network amid Ramped Up Rollout

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) recently intensified its LTE and LTE-A roll-out. As a result, more subscribers are now using capable devices to connect to its mobile network.

Smart Records More LTE, LTE-A Devices on Its Network amid Ramped Up Rollout

The number of LTE-capable devices on Smart’s network increased by 78% year-on-year according to the telco giant. Moreover, of these LTE-capable smartphones, about one in every five is an LTE-A-capable handset.

Knowing that the quality of customer experience is not only dependent on the network but also on the devices being used, PLDT-Smart Senior Vice President for Network Planning and Engineering Mario G. Tamayo has expressed that it’s necessary that subscribers are also using capable devices that can support their network’s capabilities.

“To fully utilize the network we are rolling out – whether it’s LTE, LTE-A today or 5G in the future – it is important for customers to adopt the devices that can fully tap the network’s capabilities,” Tamayo explained.

See Also: Smart Ramps Up LTE-A Roll-out

Smart has also teamed up with various mobile manufacturers to get more affordable LTE-capable handsets out in the market. These include the Samsung J2 Core, OPPO A37, and Starmobile Play Click.

Premium smartphone models are also available in Smart including the Samsung Galaxy Note9, Huawei Mate 20, Huawei Mate 20 Pro, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max – which are all LTE-A-capable devices.

Smart Ramps Up LTE-A Roll-out (1/20/19)

Smart Communications, Inc. is speeding up its LTE-A roll-out and carrier aggregation (CA) technology on its network to enhance Smart, Sun, and TNT’s mobile internet service.

Smart Ramps Up LTE-A Roll-out

Smart revealed that 71% of its LTE sites nationwide are already on LTE-A, while 5-component carrier aggregation can also be enjoyed in Metro Manila.

In case you missed it, LTE-A features CA that allows the combination of two or more radio frequency bands to provide faster data speeds.Two-Component Carrier (2CC) aggregation comes with two frequencies, while 3CC and 4CC feature three and four bands, respectively.

In Metro Manila, some cities were already equipped with up to 5CC aggregation, allowing them to experience speeds of up to 500Mbps when using capable devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S9. Meanwhile, across the local shores, major towns and cities already have 3CC sites.

The telco giant has also activated 4x4 MIMO and 256 QAM technologies in Metro Manila. Both of these technologies focus on boosting internet speeds through more efficient use of spectrum.

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“We are continuously improving our network to provide world-class mobile internet connectivity for our customers all over the country,” Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT-Smart Senior Vice President for Network Planning and Engineering, addressed.

Currently, Smart is already covering 90% of cities and municipalities, while the company successfully completed its latest round of upgrades in Metro Manila as of the end of 2018.

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