Smart Communications, the wireless subsidiary of PLDT, announced that it has launched 5G Standalone in Iloilo City in the region of Western Visayas, which it says marks the beginning of a broader nationwide rollout of 5G SA across the Philippines.
Smart said the 5G SA upgrade in Iloilo City not only doubles capacity for 5G customers, but also introduces new features like network slicing to enable dedicated bandwidth for data-intensive services like gaming and mission-critical business apps.
Smart also said it is working closely with partner smartphone vendors to make more 5G SA-compatible devices available in the market.
"This is not just a pilot, it's a full-blown launch of the latest tech,” said Smart chief operating officer Anastacio "Boy" R. Martirez in a statement. “I grew up in West Visayas, and I wanted this region to be one of the first to feel the full power of 5G Standalone.”
Smart first launched 5G SA in Makati City in 2021, but up to now has focused on rolling out non-standalone 5G elsewhere to expand its 5G coverage quickly.
According to a report in the Manila Bulletin last month, Smart said it plans to roll out 5G SA nationwide as part of a two-year network modernization programme.
