Philippine mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and Korea's largest telecommunications company KT Corp. are joining forces to explore and develop consumer 5G use cases for Filipinos.
The two Asian telco leaders have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at pushing 5G innovation in the country.
“Smart has long been at the forefront of innovation in the Philippines. These innovations have led to widespread social and economic development over the years. In order to build a truly world-class 5G ecosystem with life-changing experiences, we will need to collaborate, learn, and partner with formidable industry leaders, such as KT,” said Katrina Luna-Abelarde, PLDT and Smart Head of the Strategic Partnerships.
"Timing is crucial in digital transformation in business. We hope that the two companies can grow to always share information regarding various DX projects, including 5G, and promote new business," said Justin Moon, KT head of Global Business Unit.
With this latest partnership, Smart has reinforced its position as the country's premier 5G network, said a press release.
According to third-party analytics firm Ookla, Smart is the country's fastest 5G Network, based on results of Speedtests taken in Q1-Q2 2021. Ookla has also cited Smart as the most reliable 5G network, after receiving the highest scores in 5G consistency and 5G availability.
"Smart also operates the widest 5G Network in the Philippines with over 4,400 sites nationwide. Smart also recently fired up its commercial 5G SA sites in Makati City, powering up one of the first 5G SA networks in the world. 5G SA technology paves the way for a variety of new industrial applications that utilize 5G’s full features," the release claimed.