Melo Villareal
Smart Solutions: LTE-Advanced Evolution
Always having trouble signing in? Is this page taking too long to respond? Well, brace yourself, the future of mobile surfing is here!
As of this writing, selected Media and 17 of the country’s social media influencers are here in Boracay for the launch of Smart’s LTE-Advanced or LTE-A here in the Philippines. Being known as one of the most famous tourist destination, there was no record of online traffic since the service just hit a speed of 250Mbps.
Smart’s LTE-Advanced promises a better and much faster internet services in the country. Being to be the first one in the Philippines, LTE-Advanced will be a game changer.
Revealing the nation’s first LTE-A, Smart Communications or simply Smart will provide a considerable speed of a higher data. Comparing with the accessible and on hand LTE services, LTE-A is much faster since it uses the so-called ‘carrier aggregation.
According to Joachim Horn – PLDT and Smart Chief technology and Information Advisor, “With the introduction of our LTE-Advanced service, the next stage of development of 4th generation of mobile technology, Smart is again at the technology forefront, setting the bar higher for mobile service experience,”
Not just that, Smart is now a part of the list of network operators all over the globe where the LTE-A has been showed off and made ready for usage. Please take note that this technology is a 4.5G. Other operators using this technology are Sprint in the US, Turkcell in Turkey and Optus in Australia.
“Combined with our other network improvement initiatives for both our mobile and fixed line networks, the introduction of LTE-A will help boost internet services in the country and enable more Filipinos to enjoy and benefit from the fast-growing range of digital services that PLDT and Smart offer,” he said.
Horn also mentioned that “We are also planning ahead, in anticipation of future advances in technology. Our current investments in network facilities are already being done in a way that will enable us to be ready for 5G when it arrives sometime in 2020. For this purpose, we are working closely with NTT DoCoMo, which is one of the global pace-setters in the development of 5G,”
Traffic no more
With this great innovation technology, it allows the combination of two or more radio frequency bands by way of carrier aggregation. With this, it will provide a much bigger bandwidth and faster mobile data.
“This is like being able to put together two or more separate highways in order to create a wider highway through which vehicular traffic can flow more freely and at a much faster rate,” Horn said.
“Wireless technologies being a shared resource, the actual customer experience is typically less than the peak speeds being registered during tests. But, carrier aggregation on LTE-A, by combining the capacities of two or more frequency bands, will enable Smart to deliver to subscribers with LTE-A devices consistently higher speeds than is possible using LTE. In Boracay, we have combined three frequencies, which is a first in the country,” he explained.
How it works is very simple and easy. Given that you have an LTE-A capable devices such as Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, it will now provide a non-stop video streaming and audio listening with a better data services, too. As of now, other phone manufacturers are expected to bring in their LTE-A capable devices some other time.
Smart ran a few tests of LTE-A in 2013 – in Boracay amid the Geeks on a Beach startup gathering; in Davao City amid the Kadayawan celebration; and in Makati City. The presentation of LTE-A capable handsets from that point forward has opened the entryway for its take off.
A more extensive application
According to Mr. Horn, LTE-A is the “cutting edge” of a broader effort that will now provide a better and quality internet services for numerous Smart and Sun subscribers.
In a system joining program began a year ago, for instance, Smart and Sun have been synergizing their systems to enhance the scope and nature of organization for the subscribers of both brands utilizing 2G, 3G and LTE capable devices.
“For example, where it makes technical and marketing sense, we equip a single cell site – either of Smart or Sun – so that this can serve the subscribers of both brands,” Horn said.
As an aftereffect of this system, the successful scope for Smart and Sun subscriber increments by anywhere in the range of half to 100%. The system is relied upon to be finished by end-2016 or mid-2017.
Moreover, this was a piece of PLDT’s P43-billion capital expenditure program (capex) in 2015 and will be financed by the 2016 capex spending plan which has been set at the same level.
In this system, particular consideration is being given to upgrading 3G/HSPA/HSPA+ scope and limit in light of the fact that around 90% of Smart and Sun subscribers who go online utilize 3G handsets.
“Improving our 3G data service thus delivers immediate benefits to the largest number of people in our subscriber base. At the same time, we have been expanding the coverage of our LTE network because the number of subscribers using LTE phones is steadily rising,” Horn said.
“And now, we have also begun to deploy LTE-A. The pace of this deployment will be driven by several factors, including the rate at which subscribers start using LTE-A capable devices,” he added.
Beyond doubt, Smart’s LTE-A shows a great potential for providing a much more quality internet services on your handset and faster mobile data. So grab now your LTE-A capable devices and experience the fun and efficiency of this new tech.
