Smart Communications, the mobile arm of Philippines telecoms operator PLDT, became the latest mobile player to announce it completed a video call on a 5G connection, showcasing interoperability in a multi-vendor environment.

The call was made from the operator’s headquarters in Makati City to Clark Smart 5G City in the Clark Freeport Zone, using 5G radio and core equipment from Huawei (Makati) and Ericsson (Clark). Initial tests achieved downlink speeds of up to 700Mb/s using Huawei’s kit. The operator said it was the first 5G video call in the country.

PLDT chairman and CEO Manuel Pangilinan said: “5G is real and it is now here in Makati and Clark”, adding the company is working hard with Huawei, Ericsson, and government and industrial partners in piloting 5G use cases and establishing more smart cities using the technology.

Smart Communications plans to roll out additional 5G cell sites across the Makati central business district, paving the way for pilots in densely populated areas. To deliver these services, it is also upgrading its core and transport networks, which includes using fibre backhaul to connect the network’s cell sites nationwide.

The operator in June launched its 5G Technolab, a facility for the research and development, standardisation and testing of 5G.

Last week Telstra announced what it said was Australia’s first live 5G data call using a commercial chipset on its mobile network in Gold Coast.