SMART Communications, Inc. is working to reduce cost barriers and increase fifth-generation (5G) adoption in the Philippines by introducing a low-cost 5G-capable phone, the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led telecommunications company said on Thursday.
The initiative aims to broaden access to 5G technology across the country, Alex O. Caeg, head of consumer wireless business at Smart, said during a press briefing.
“We are making it more available to more Filipinos. Most of our customers are still on the LTE (long-term evolution) networks, if not the legacy networks and devices,” he said.
The company has partnered with ZTE Corp., a Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer known for its 5G technology, to offer the Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G, a smartphone designed to provide 5G capabilities at a lower cost.
The Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G phone retails at P5,450, lower than the available 5G devices priced around P8,000 to P9,000 in the market.
“We have more 5G sites than any of our competitors. But unless the phones become affordable, many Filipinos will not be able to access the [5G] network,” Kristine A. Go, senior vice-president for consumer wireless individual at Smart, told BusinessWorld.
She added that, of approximately 130 million devices in the country, only 10% are capable of accessing a 5G network, which offers improved speed, coverage, and ultra-low latency.
The Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G is currently available in China, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines.
The smartphone features a 50-megapixel dual artificial intelligence camera with a bokeh lens and RAW Super Night Mode. It also includes a 6.6-inch display with a 120-hertz refresh rate and digital theater systems audio technology.
For storage, it provides up to eight gigabytes of random access memory and 128 gigabytes of read-only memory UFS 3.1, and is equipped with a 5,000 milliampere-hour battery.
Users can purchase the Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G with a Smart Prepaid Bundle that includes five gigabytes of open access data and 300 all-network texts and 30 minutes all net calls for three days.
This also includes eight gigabytes of unlimited TikTok, unlimited network text valid for seven days, once a month for three months.
The company also hinted at the possibility of releasing similar devices in partnership with ZTE or other brands in the future.
“Hopefully it’s not going to be the last, because we expect also other device companies to be rolling out more affordable 5G for the market to get populated with 5G devices, and our network is ready.
Smart is the wireless unit of PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — A.R.A. Inosante
