Smart to double LTE capacity in two cities

The Philippines’ Smart Communications plans to upgrade its cell sites in Marikina and Quezon City in the latest phase of its network expansion and modernization program.

The PLDT subsidiary plans to double its LTE cell sites in the two areas, and aims to boost the coverage of its 700-MHz and 1800-MHz based network to both improve indoor coverage and enhance each cell site’s capacity.

Smart has to date finished its LTE rollout in major urban hubs Metro Cebu and Metro Davao, in the island resort of Boracay, and in Rizal province. Deployment is underway in Metro Manila, and the operator plans to speed up its LTE network deployment to cater to growing demand.

Smart is conducting the upgrade in stages to minimize disruption, according to PLDT and Smart SVP for network planning and engineering Mario Tamoyo.

“By continuously upgrading our networks, we are leading the way toward improving internet and digital services for Filipinos,” he said.

“From the work that we’ve already completed, our customers are already reporting much improved LTE and 3G experience. They will enjoy progressively better mobile data services in the next few months, particularly for those using LTE devices.”