Smart Communications

Smart Communications, Inc.
Wholly owned subsidiary of PLDT
Industry Telecommunications
Founded Manila, Philippines (1991)
Headquarters 6799 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines
Key people
 Manuel V. Pangilinan,
(Chairman of the Board and President & CEO)
Products Cellular Telephony
Broadband Services
Digital Platform Services
Parent PLDT
Website www.smart.com.ph

Smart Communications, Inc., commonly referred to as Smart, is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT, Inc.,[1] a telecommunications and digital services provider based in the Philippines.[2] The company has 61.8 million subscribers[3] on its GSM network as of end-September 2016, under the brands Smart, Sun, and TNT. Smart's wireless broadband subscribers number 3.8 million under the brands Smart Bro and Sun Wireless Broadband.

Smart offers commercial wireless services through its 2G, 3G, 3.5G HSPA+, and 4G LTE networks, with LTE-A currently being deployed in key areas in the Philippines. It has recently entered the research and development phase for its 5G services.[4] Smart's terrestrial wireless telephony service is being complemented by its satellite communication services Smart Sat and Marino which also serve the global maritime industry.

The company has introduced wireless offerings such as Smart Money,[5] a mobile electronic wallet that also enables its SMS-based money remittance service Smart Padala. It has also been recognized for introducing the world's first over-the-air electronic prepaid loading service called Smart Load.[6] One of its services,[7] PasaLoad, allows its users to pass phone credits to other Smart prepaid accounts through SMS.

History

Smart logo (2011–2016)

Early history

Anticipating the liberalization of the telecommunications industry in the Philippines a group of Filipino investors led by Orlando B. Vea and David T. Fernando organized Smart (then named Smart Information Technology, Inc.) on January 24, 1991.

The company obtained its congressional franchise in April 1992 and was granted a provisional authority to operate a mobile cellular service in May 1993. In December 1993, Smart commenced commercial operations of its cellular service. By then, Smart had drawn in partners. These were: First Pacific, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate through its Philippine flagship Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone of Japan (NTT).

In compliance with the government’s telecommunications program, Smart established a local exchange service in the cities and provinces assigned to it under the “service area scheme.” The Company also obtained licenses to provide international gateway, paging and inter-carrier transmission services.[8]

2000s

On March 24, 2000, PLDT completed its share-swap acquisition of Smart, making Smart a 100%-owned PLDT subsidiary.

2010s

On February 2011,[9] Smart unveiled the Netphone, its own line of Android-compliant smartphones designed for emerging markets at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The Netphone was introduced as the world's first smartphone backed by an operator-managed platform.

On August 25, 2012,[10] Smart launched the Philippines' first 4G mobile broadband commercial service running on LTE technology. On April 13, 2016,[11] Smart introduced the first commercial LTE-A Service in Boracay, Aklan.

On June 13, 2016, Smart and its parent company PLDT unveiled their new logos and identity as part of the company's continuing digital pivot.[12]

On February 2017,[13] Smart and parent company PLDT signed a memorandum of understanding with China-based Huawei Technologies "to shape the strategic and commercial development of the 5G ecosystem in the Philippines".

Subsidiaries

[14]

  • i-Contacts Corp
  • Chikka Holdings, Ltd.
  • Wireless Card, Inc.
  • PrimeWorld, Digital Systems, Inc.
  • Wolfpac Mobile, Inc.
  • Smart Broadband, Inc.
  • Smart Money Holdings Corp.
  • Far East capital Ltd.
  • PayMaya Phils. Inc. formerly Smart e-Money, Inc.
  • Voyager Innovations, Inc.
  • Wifun, Inc.
  • PH Communications Holdings Corp.
  • Francom Holdings, Inc.
  • PLDT Communications and Energy Ventures, Inc.
  • AF Payments, Inc.

Radio frequency summary

Frequencies used by Smart Communications
FrequencyProtocolClass
900 MHz
GSM/GPRS/EDGE
2G
1800 MHz
GSM/GPRS/EDGE
2G
850 MHz
UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+
3G
900 MHz
 UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+
3G
2100 MHz
UMTS/HSDPA/HSPA+
3G
700 MHz
[15]
LTE
4G
850 MHz
LTE
4G
1800 MHz
LTE
4G
2100 MHz
LTE
4G

Slogans

YearSlogan
May 2001–June 2006SMART: Simply Amazing!
November 2004–August 2005I Love SMART
July 2006–August 2007Dahil SMART Tayo
August 2007–March 2008The Power to Lead
April–October 2011Let's Make Life Extraordinary
October 2011–March 2012In an ever-changing world, We lead you to a bold, new future.
March 2012–June 2016SMART: Live More[16]
August 2015 - June 2016Live the SMART Life
June 2016–presentWelcome Change

Sports teams

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sullivan, Nicholas P. (2007). You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World's Poor To the Global Economy. John Wiley & Sons. p. 123. ISBN 9780787994631.
  2. ↑ "About PLDT - Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company". pldt.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  3. ↑ "PLDT after 'quality subscribers' | Malaya Business Insight". www.malaya.com.ph. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  4. ↑ Marasigan, Lorenz S. "Smart-PLDT, Huawei partner to research, develop 5G in PHL | BusinessMirror". www.businessmirror.com.ph. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  5. ↑ "SMART Money | SMART Padala". smartpadala.ph. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  6. ↑ Reyes, Mary Ann Ll. "Smart captures 2 major int’l awards". philstar.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  7. ↑ "Innovations and Awards - Smart Communications". smart.com.ph. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  8. ↑ "About Smart Communication". elitefavors.net. June 14, 2010. Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  9. ↑ "The Netphone - Smart Communications". smart.com.ph. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  10. ↑ "Smart launches the Philippines' first commercial LTE service on August 25". smart.com.ph. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  11. ↑ "Smart starts deployment of LTE-Advanced mobile service". smart.com.ph. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  12. ↑ "PLDT, Smart unveil new logo in line with 'digital pivot'". PLDT. June 13, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  13. ↑ "PLDT-Smart, Huawei seal 5G partnership". Manila Bulletin Business. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  14. ↑ "Annual and Sustainability Reports | Official PLDT Website". www.pldt.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  15. ↑ "PLDT, Smart fire up first three 700 MHz-powered cell sites". smart.com.ph. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  16. ↑ "Living up to 'Live More'". smart.com.ph. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
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