Smart Communications, the mobile arm of Philippines-based telecoms operator PLDT, activated 5G cell sites in two locations as it prepares to pilot 5G services to boost capacity in densely populated areas.

The two 5G sites were deployed in cooperation with Huawei at the operator’s headquarters in the Makati business district and with Ericsson at the Clark Freeport Zone, about 80km northwest of Manila.

The company said it is first to operate 5G sites in the country.
Ernesto Alberto, chief revenue officer for PLDT, said in a statement: “With 5G resources now in place, we are looking at developing 5G solutions and applications for central business district areas like Makati, which host a dense population of businesses, people and advanced devices.”

Smart recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Clark Development Corp to transform the zone into the country’s first smart 5G city.

The operator, with a 47 per cent market share by subscribes, signed an agreement with Ericsson in August to deploy a 5G pilot network in the first half of 2019. Smart said at the time its mobile network had more than 2,000 “5G-ready” sites.