SMART Communications, Inc. on Thursday said the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will support its fifth-generation (5G) deployment in the country through a training assistance.
The USTDA “awarded a grant” for training to Smart, the wireless arm of PLDT, Inc., to advance its plan “to expand 5G services to 96% of the country’s population,” the telco said in an e-mailed statement.
The US agency made the award to support the telco’s investment in equipment and services from Cisco Systems, Inc.
The training grant is expected to help the company in providing better cloud-based products and services to its customers throughout the Philippines.
“This grant builds on previous USTDA assistance that is advancing PLDT and Smart’s efforts to modernize the company’s national fiberoptic network and prepare the Philippines for the transition to 5G,” Smart said.
USTDA said it is committed to supporting “cutting-edge” information and communications technology infrastructure in the country.
“[The project] will strengthen digital connectivity and bring faster, higher quality, and more affordable digital services to the people of the Philippines,” USTDA Acting Director Vinai Thummalapally said.
Alfredo S. Panlilio, president and chief executive officer of PLDT and Smart, said: “A well-trained technical team is vital to the success of our overall digital transformation, which will enable us to elevate the experience of our customers.”
“Our people must be trained and prepared to make full use of the power of these transformative new technologies,” he added.
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. — Arjay L. Balinbin