Smart returns to the 5G phone market

After an eight-year hiatus, wireless communications company PLDT Inc. Smart Communications Inc. has returned to the devices market with the launch of an affordable 5G-enabled mobile phone for faster internet connectivity.

On Thursday, MVP Group’s telecommunications unit unveiled the Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G in collaboration with global information and communications technology company ZTE.

The device is priced at 5,450 pesos, which is lower compared to the average price of 5G devices in the market, which is 8,000-9,000 pesos.

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This increases Smart’s chances of achieving its goal of having 12 million 5G subscribers by the end of the year.

“Price remains the biggest barrier for many Filipinos looking to upgrade to a 5G smartphone. We aim to break that barrier with the Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G, which is quite a bargain considering its features and extras,” said Alex Caeg, Head of Smart Consumer Wireless.

The mid-range 5G mobile device has a 6.6-inch display and a 50-megapixel camera.

According to the latest report, Smart has 60.8 million mobile subscribers, of which about 10 percent are 5G users.

PLDT and Smart Network Deputy Head Roderick Santiago told the Inquirer that the introduction of the new device will help increase the number of 5G users.

“We’re aggressive. We’d like to double that. It depends on how popular the devices are,” he said.

Santiago explained that in addition to selling devices, the company is also trying to convince 3.4 million current 3G and 2G users to use the 5G network.

Smart has combined 5G and 4G networks, providing access to 97 percent of the population.

5G technology enables data download speeds of over 10 gigabits per second, which is 100 times faster than 4G networks.

According to a report by mobile data analytics firm GSMA, 5G adoption in the Philippines is expected to grow from just 6 percent in 2023 to 46 percent in 2030 as telecom operators invest in building more infrastructure. This means that almost half of the Filipino population is expected to use 5G to access the internet.

With this growth, 4G penetration is expected to decline from 80 percent to 51 percent over the same period.