After an eight-year absence, PLDT Inc.’s mobile unit Smart Communications Inc. has re-entered the devices market with the launch of a low-cost mobile phone that supports 5G technology, enabling faster internet connectivity.
On Thursday, the telecommunications unit of the MVP Group, in cooperation with the global information and communications technology company ZTE, introduced the smart model ZTE Blade A75 5G.
The price is PHP 5,450, which is lower compared to the average 5G devices in the market that cost between PHP 8,000 and PHP 9,000.
READ: 5G is expected to accelerate digital adoption among Pinoys
This increases the chances that Smart will achieve its goal of having 12 million 5G subscribers by the end of the year.
“Price remains the biggest hurdle for many Filipinos to upgrade to a 5G smartphone. We aim to break this hurdle with the Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G, which is a real bargain given its features and specifications,” said Alex Caeg, Head of Smart Consumer Wireless Business.
The mid-range 5G mobile device has a 6.6-inch display and is equipped with a 50-megapixel camera.
According to the latest report, Smart has 60.8 million mobile subscribers, of which about 10 percent are 5G users.
Roderick Santiago, deputy network manager of PLDT and Smart, said in an interview with the Inquirer that they aim to increase the number of 5G users with the launch of the new device.
“We are being aggressive. We would like to double it. It depends on the acceptance of the devices,” he said.
In addition to selling the devices, Santiago is also trying to convert its 3.4 million existing 3G and 2G users to 5G, the company said.
Smart has combined 5G and 4G networks available to 97 percent of the population.
5G technology enables download rates of over 10 gigabits per second, making it 100 times faster than 4G.
According to a report by mobile communications company GSMA, 5G usage in the Philippines is expected to grow from just 6 percent in 2023 to 46 percent in 2030 as telecommunications companies invest in building more infrastructure. This means that nearly half of the Filipino population is expected to use 5G to access the internet.
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Due to this growth, 4G penetration is expected to fall from 80 percent to 51 percent over the same period.
