Smart Communications, the mobile arm of Filipino telco PLDT Inc., is teaming up with South Korea’s Samsung Electronics to accelerate the deployment of 5G Standalone (5G SA) technology in the Philippines. The pair recently activated commercial 5G SA sites in Makati City in the wake of Samsung’s successful Voice-over-New Radio (VoNR) tests at the PLDT-Smart Technolab in the city. To date, Smart has confirmed the build-out of more than 6,400 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) base stations nationwide and also launched 5G SA services in Makati in October 2021.
Commenting on the development, Mario G Tamayo, Head of Technology PLDT-Smart, said: ‘5G SA creates new opportunities for enterprises and consumers, enabling industrial automation, autonomous mobile robotics deployment, safe remote crane operations, fast response in gaming and interactive video streaming, among others.’