image by THEPHILBIZNEWS
PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) teams up anew with global communications technology company Vodafone to launch 5G roaming services in Germany, Qatar, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. This comes after their successful activation in Australia in March.
As the largest fixed and mobile network operator in Europe, Vodafone also has the biggest and fastest-growing 5G network in the continent. Vodafone also operates fixed networks in 21 countries, and have partners for mobile in 48 more.
To serve more customers, Smart continues to rollout 5G roaming services with 38 telco operators in 27 key markets – including Luxembourg with Proximus; Oman with OmanTel; and Italy with TIM.
This follows the successful rollout in Canada (Telus), United States (AT&T), Thailand (TrueMove and AIS), Switzerland (Sunrise), Denmark (TDC), Ireland (Meteor), Austria (Magenta Austria), Hong Kong (SmarTone and HKT), Israel (Pelephone), Turkey (Turkcell), Kuwait (Zain, Ooredoo, STC), Singapore (StarHub), Japan (NTT Docomo), Bahrain (Zain), Saudi Arabia (STC, Zain and Mobily), China (China Mobile and China Unicom), Vietnam (Viettel), United Arab Emirates (Etisalat and du), Taiwan (Chungwa, FarEasTone, and T-Star), and South Korea (KT Corp).
Smart prepaid and postpaid roaming customers in Germany, Qatar, and the U.K. can enjoy worry-free 5G roaming speeds using their Smart 5G SIM and 5G-capable device with Smart’s special GigaRoam plans for as low as P999. Customers overseas can visit roam.smart.com.ph or download the GigaLife App to discover and subscribe to available roaming plans in these countries.
“Our massive rollout for Smart 5G roaming supports Smart’s goal to be world-class in digital innovation and customer service. These advances are translated into carefully crafted roaming data plans to support our customers’ passions, as soon as international travel resumes. At the end of the day, making things simple through technology is at the heart of the Smart brand promise,” said Mary Alice R. Ramos, Vice President and Head of International Roaming at Smart.
Leading the country’s 5G revolution
Smart’s 5G network–the country’s first, fastest and nationwidest–now has more than 4,000 sites across the Philippines, enabled by PLDT’s most extensive fiber infrastructure, at more than 511,000 kilometers. This fiber infrastructure also supports Smart’s LTE network, which now covers 96% of the population from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi.
Smart has also been named as the country’s fastest mobile data network in the second half of 2020 by third party analytics firm Ookla. Smart also recently scored a rare sweep in the April 2021 Philippines Mobile Network Experience Awards by independent analytics firm Opensignal. The mobile services provider also received the ‘Best in Test’ award from international internet testing organization umlaut, the global benchmarking company formerly known as P3.
These efforts are also part of the PLDT and Smart’s commitment to helping the Philippines attain the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG no. 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
About Smart
Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is a wholly-owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT, Inc., the Philippines’ largest and only integrated telecommunications company. Smart serves approximately 96% of the country’s cities and municipalities with its combined 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G network*, providing mobile communications services, high-speed internet connectivity, and access to digital services and content to over 71.8 million Filipinos*, supporting the country’s growing digital economy, and providing the best customer experience for an increasingly digital Filipino lifestyle.
*as of end-March 2021