Smart 5G in Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Clark Pampanga, Now Available in Some Areas - Android

On October 1, 2020, the country's leading tourist destination - Boracay - will finally be open to GCQ and MGCQ tourists of all ages.

If you're one of those who are planning to go there as a stress-reliever amidst this harrowing pandemic, please stay safe and protect yourself by following physical distancing regulations. I would also like to share with you some great news from our friends at PLDT-Smart that will surely put a smile on your face.

Today - September 28, 2020, the country's leading telecommunications and digital services network - Smart Communications - officially rolled out its 5G network in some areas in Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Clark City Pampanga, which essentially turns the Philippines into a Smart 5G nation.

Hence, if you have a 5G-enabled smartphone with a Smart 5G SIM card, then you can enjoy mobile internet speeds up to 14Gbps (based on Smart's own Speed Test in PLDT's 5G TechnoLab) in some areas of Boracay where the signal is available. Hopefully, you can get it near the beach so you can do a Facebook or Youtube Livestream of your activities there to share positivity with your viewers.


According to Mr. Alfredo Panlilio - PLDT's Chief Revenue Officer and Smart's President and CEO, "Our initial Smart 5G rollout lays the foundation of our vision to turn the Philippines into a Smart 5G country that is at par with the world’s technologically-advanced nations. With superfast speeds and ultra-low latency, Smart 5G will unlock more powerful digital services meant to further improve and simplify the life of our customer."


On the other hand, Ms. Jane J. Basas - Smart's Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Wireless Business - shared, "Our Smart 5G provision to include all our Prepaid customers could not have come at a better time because we’re also celebrating Smart GigaFest, our big way of thanking our loyal subscribers through month-long activities featuring entertainment, esports, innovations, and exclusive perks. Smart 5G fits into our narrative as a company that enables Filipinos to experience the Giga Life - that is, a digitally-empowered lifestyle with simple and easy access to all their passions."


To bring 5G to even more Filipinos across the country, Smart recently partnered with 5G smartphone manufacturers including Samsung, realme, Huawei, and vivo. These tech companies' Smart 5G-certified devices are now available at Smart Stores nationwide and you may also their 5G smartphones as bundled devices with Smart's Signature Postpaid Plans which are now powered by Smart 5G.


Smart Communications' strategy to deploy 5G nationwide is embedded in the company's network plans over the past five years. Smart started conducting 5G tests as early as 2016 and in 2018, PLDT's wireless subsidiary fired up the Philippines' first 5G base stations in Makati City with Huawei and the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga with Ericsson. In 2019, in partnership with Nokia, Smart also launched the first Smart 5G Shopping Mall in Araneta City and the first Smart 5G Campus at the Ateneo de Manila University. Smart's innovative collaborations with these global tech giants bring global use cases for the company's Enterprise customers which helped in innovating and fast-tracking their digital transformation.