Smart announces there’s no need to change your number through MNP when you switch to Smart

Switching to the country’s fastest and most reliable mobile network without having to change your number is now possible as Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) launches its Mobile Number Portability (MNP) capability starting today, Sept. 30.  

MNP, which is covered by the MNP Act or RA 11202,  enables Filipinos to retain their mobile number even when they change service providers, giving them greater freedom to choose the best network and services that suit their needs. Under MNP, customers may also switch their prepaid account to a postpaid plan and vice-versa without replacing their mobile number.  

 Make the Smart move now 

 

To switch to the Smart network, a mobile user must first secure a Unique Subscriber Code from his or her originating provider to serve as clearance, and bring it to the nearest Smart Store along with a valid ID and any proof of mobile ownership. From there, Smart shall begin processing the MNP application without any charges.  To know more about making the Smart move, mobile users may also visit x.smart/switch or head to the nearest Smart Store.  

“MNP enables more mobile users to finally make the Smart move and experience the country’s fastest mobile data network without the hassles that go with changing one’s mobile number – from having to import contacts and inform your circles, to relinking digital subscriptions and e-wallets,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.   

“It is also a game-changer for the telco industry because it pushes us to improve and raise the bar on our services, which we at Smart have been constantly doing with our aggressive network improvement efforts and 5G rollout."  

Philippines’ Fastest 5G Network  

Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis, has recognized these efforts in a new report declaring Smart as the country’s most reliable 5G mobile operator*.   

  

To clinch the award, Smart obtained the highest scores in 5G Consistency and 5G Availability based on Speedtest Intelligence data in Q2 2021. 5G Consistency is calculated based on the percentage of a provider’s users that meet minimum download and upload speeds. On the other hand, 5G Availability identifies the network whose users spend the highest percentage of their time on 5G.  

 

Smart topped 5G Consistency with a score of 89.78 percent versus Globe’s 78.15 percent. Smart also led when it comes to 5G Availability with a score of 14.67 percent versus Globe’s 11.86 percent.   

Prior to this, Ookla has also cited Smart as the Philippines’ Fastest 5G Mobile Network in Q1-Q2 2021**, with median download and upload speeds that are twice as fast as its closest rival.  The firm has also declared Smart as the Philippines' fastest mobile network for four years in a row now.  

“These awards only reinforce the superior customer experience we offer our subscribers. These also inspire us to keep getting better and faster so our customers can live the Giga Life and pursue their passions in our increasingly digitized world,” said Basas.  

 

Since it launched the country's first commercial 5G service in July last year, Smart has now fired up over 4,000 5G sites in more than 3,000 locations across the nation, making it the Philippines' first, fastest, and widest 5G network. 

  

Innovative services for subscribers  

Beyond providing fast mobile connectivity, Smart also constantly dishes out innovative services to stay ahead of subscribers’ needs.  

Those who wish to switch to a Smart Postpaid may sign up for the new Signature Plans+ starting at P999 per month, and enjoy the first postpaid lineup in the country featuring Unli 5G access plus Unli Calls & Texts to All Networks, Unli Calls to All Landline Numbers, and a 12-month mobile subscription to Netflix.   

On the other hand, new Prepaid subscribers will enjoy Giga Hello data, call, and text freebies to keep them connected from the get-go. Smart Prepaid subscribers can also enjoy unlimited access to their favorite apps with Unli GIGA offers, while TNT customers can enjoy Double GIGA Video which comes with 14 GB for more streaming on YouTube, iWantTFC, CignalPlay, and GigaPlay plus 2 GB for all sites and apps valid for 7 days. 

Smart also enables all subscribers to conveniently manage their digital lifestyle with the GigaLife App, an innovative one-stop app that allows subscribers to check their account details, monitor their subscriptions and usage, and buy promos from a comprehensive list of offers to suit every lifestyle. Subscribers may also conveniently transact on the GigaLife App using GigaPay as well as earn and accumulate GigaPoints that may be exchanged for exclusive rewards, lifestyle perks, and awesome experiences.   

Make the Smart move now! Visit x.smart/switch or head to the nearest Smart Store to know more.  

*Most Reliable 5G Mobile Network based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® 5G Availability and 5G Consistency data in Philippines Q2 2021. Ookla trademarks are used under license and reprinted with permission.   

**Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q1–Q2 2021. Ookla trademarks are used under license and reprinted with permission.   

 

SMART launches LTE-Advanced 5G to the Phils

Two years after it pioneered the deployment of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G technology in the country, wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) announced that 5G wireless technology LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), is now running in the Philippines’ largest and strongest network.

Smart switched on LTE-A at the Smart Jump Center in Mandaluyong City recently, setting the next phase of mobile communication technology beyond 4G LTE standards.

LTE-A, referred to as ‘5G’ by reports on leading global mobile operators AT&T and T-Mobile, delivers data from between 100 megabits per second (mbps) to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), or ten times faster than 3G services and more than twice as fast as 4G services.

By firing up LTE-A technology on its network, Smart joins only a handful of carriers around the world with an LTE-A network, along with leading mobile operators in South Korea, United States, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong.

“Even as our 3G and 4G networks continue to be unrivaled, Smart becomes the first operator to leap into the future and put the Philippines at par with the world’s most advanced countries in terms of mobile communications technology,” said Orlando B. Vea, founder and Chief Wireless Advisor of Smart.

With LTE-A, a 10MB file takes less than a second to download, YouTube videos no longer have to buffer, and video calls are almost lag-free. But beyond speed, LTE-A’s main feature is also its capability to allocate more network resources to users when the need arises. Smart started testing LTE-A across the country in August last year, delivering results of more than 100Mbps in Makati City, in Boracay, and in Davao City during the Kadayawan festival.

Internet for all

Ramon Isberto, Public Affairs head for Smart and its parent company the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), said that the recent development is part of the company’s multi-pronged approach in addressing the various needs for internet and data services in the market.

“The PLDT Group’s strategy has always been to create solutions that address the varying needs of all segments of our customers, to bring fixed, wireless and mobile broadband services where they really matter. They may be delivered at different speeds and volumes, using a variety of technologies, and meant to respond to a wide range of needs of the market – but all of it is aimed at bringing the benefits of the internet to every Filipino,” explained Isberto.

This strategy meant deploying a combination of Fiber-to-the-Home, Next Generation Network, Time-Division Duplex LTE, Frequency-Division Duplex LTE and vDSL to bring internet to every Filipino home, and 3G, 4G, and 5G or LTE-A for mobile subscribers, according to Isberto.

“We are able to deliver all these high-bandwidth services and applications on the strength of our transmission backbone network, which is the most extensive and most resilient in the country. Aside from allowing us to commit to speed, our unmatched network resources give us the edge in terms of efficiency and reliability,” added Isberto.

Smart’s nationwide coverage is backed by PLDT’s fiber optic cable connection which has now reached nearly 90,000 kilometers, or more than four times than competition. To further strengthen this domestic fiber optic network (DFON), PLDT also set up third legs in its fiber loops in key areas nationwide, the latest of which is the Bohol DFON project that provided redundant links between the Visayas and Mindanao.

Smart introduces "Internet of Everything" consortium

Smart Enterprise recently announced the creation of the Philippines’ first Internet of Everything (IoE) Consortium, which seeks to develop the IoE and M2M ecosystem in the country. Initial members include Samsung, InfoSys, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines (SEIPI), Meralco, Far Eastern University, Voyager Innovations, Novare Technologies, E-Sci, Cormant Technologies, Tech Mahindra, and Wipro, among others.

Wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) continues to chart the course for the next wave of technology by leading the formation of the country’s first “Internet of Everything” (IoE) consortium – a select group of industry leaders and technical partners aiming to collaboratively build machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions that will empower business through systems intelligence and interconnectivity.

The Smart IoE Consortium is the first alliance in the Philippines seeking to develop IoE solutions which would make devices and processes “smarter” and more connected. It counts among its founding members, leaders from Samsung, InfoSys, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines (SEIPI), Meralco, Far Eastern University, Voyager Innovations, Novare Technologies, E-Sci, Cormant Technologies, Tech Mahindra, and Wipro, among others.

The consortium was introduced during the launch of Smart’s latest machine-to-machine (M2M) solutions for enterprises, small and medium businesses, and hospitals.

“As an entire world is heading to the hyper-connected eventuality called Internet of Everything or IoE, every enterprise organization will benefit from the pooled expertise, massed resources, and rare insight the Smart IoE Consortium represents,” said Eric Alberto, EVP and Head for Enterprise, International, and Carrier Business Business at Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Smart.

“As an entire world is heading to the hyper-connected eventuality called Internet of Everything or IoE, every enterprise organization will benefit from the pooled expertise, massed resources, and rare insight the Smart IoE Consortium represents,” said Eric Alberto, EVP and Head for Enterprise, International, and Carrier Business Business at Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Smart.

“This consortium will therefore be a considerable resource available to all Philippine enterprises, with consortium leaders and experts hailing from areas such as the academe, government, and private sectors,” he added.

Alberto said the group would be expanding to include more representatives from banking and finance, utilities, retail and distribution, pharmaceuticals, software and hardware development and distribution, as well as hospitals and universities.

“Smart and the rest of the PLDT group are collaborating with the best people from different industries to provide relevant Internet-powered solutions to Philippine enterprises. Not only will these solutions help businesses remain competitive in today’s fast-evolving landscape, these will also enable them to improve the way Filipinos live,” said Jovy Hernandez, PLDT FVP and Smart Enterprise Sales and Marketing Head.

Aside from developing comprehensive IoE solutions for different industries, the Smart IoE Consortium will enhance existing solutions and will monitor upcoming trends in the IoE space to ensure business readiness for future developments.

Smart partners up with Deezer

Smart expands music portfolio with launch of Deezer that offers live music streaming for over 30 million songs. It was presented to the media  last July 9, 2014 with celebrities from the music industry such as Ely Buendia, Rico Blanco and many others gracing the launch.

Wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is broadening its music portfolio with the introduction of premium bundles for global music-streaming service Deezer, strengthening its foothold in the music space as it eyes to capture majority of the music listening market in the Philippines.

Ely Buendia 

The announcement of the Deezer bundles complements Smart’s homegrown music service SPINNR, which has revolutionized the music consumption habits of Filipinos by offering song downloads for as low as Php10 and music streaming for just Php2.50 per day, roughly equivalent to the value of three text messages.

Sanya Smith and Ornussa Cadness 

“Deezer completes Smart’s music portfolio as we strive to provide the complete music experience to all kinds of users,” said Charles A. Lim, EVP and Head of the Wireless Consumer Division at Smart.

“SPINNR provides the total music experience to our subscribers with streaming and downloads of all the latest and hottest songs, the most anticipated concert events, meet-and-greets with their favorite artists and exclusive access to official merchandise. Deezer, on the other hand, provides music streaming with a large catalog of 30 million songs and the widest availability in more than 100 countries around the world,” Lim added.

Rico Blanco

Vast potential

Lim said there is vast potential in the music space considering the proliferation of new types of mobile devices in the Philippines, considered the fastest-growing smartphone market in Southeast Asia by a GfK Asia study in 2012.

“With smartphone adoption still expected to jump exponentially in the coming months, more users will gain access to Internet-enabled devices capable of music streaming, and Smart is the only mobile provider that will have a full lineup of music services ready for them,” Lim added.

Siblings Elmo and Maxene Magalona partying with the crowd

Smart also has the distinct advantage in providing the best music-streaming experience to all subscribers with its highly modernized network—completed in 2012—that is capable of delivering superfast mobile Internet to all users nationwide.

Changing behavior

Even though streaming is still a relatively new way of consuming music in the Philippines, Smart’s Head of Innovation and Product Development Mellissa Limcaoco said they’re seeing more and more subscribers jumping into the music streaming bandwagon.

“Just a few years ago, music streaming was not a familiar concept among most Filipino music lovers. With SPINNR, Smart has paved the way for more fans to affordably enjoy music anytime, anywhere without worrying about the limited storage space on their mobile devices,” Limcaoco said.

She added that with the introduction of Deezer to its music portfolio, Smart expects music streaming to be more pervasive as it hopes to address the varied tastes of music fans nationwide.

“The high smartphone penetration in Philippines means that music lovers are taking their world, and their music, on the go,” said Steven Frank, Business Development Manager for Deezer in Asia Pacific. “With over 30 million tracks in our catalog, Philippine music fans can enjoy their favorite songs and discover new music from international, Asian or OPM artists with high-speed Internet connection by Smart, no matter where they are.”

Premium offers

Deezer offers, with over 30 million songs and powerful music discovery solutions, will initially be available to Smart Postpaid subscribers through Unlisurf Premium Plans starting at just P1,175  a month, bundled with the year’s latest smartphones and unlimited LTE surfing.

Users, for example, can get the Sony Xperia M2 at Unlisurf Premium Plan 1175, with unlimited mobile surfing, free calls and texts, and a Deezer Premium+ subscription already included in the package. Other phones available include the Nokia Lumia 1020 at Plan 1675; and the Sony Xperia Z2 as well as the Samsung Galaxy S5 at Plan 2175.

As an exclusive perk to early subscribers, Smart will be giving those who sign up for any of the Unlisurf Premium Plans a P175 bill rebate for six months.

Existing Postpaid subscribers, meanwhile, can take advantage of the various Deezer Music Packs that come with a free Deezer Premium+ subscription. These include Deezer Daily for Php25 (1-day Deezer access plus 25 SMS and 10MB of mobile data for Deezer streaming), Deezer Weekly for Php125 (7-day Deezer access plus 125 SMS, and 50MB of mobile data for Deezer streaming), and Deezer Monthly for P250 (30-day Deezer access plus 250 SMS, and 100MB of mobile data for Deezer streaming).

Offers for Smart Prepaid subscribers will be announced soon. For more information on Smart’s Deezer offers, visit smart.com.ph/Deezer. [END]