Ericsson Wins Philippines 3G Upgrade Contract

Ericsson has won a contract to upgrade the Philippine GSM network, SMART with WCDMA infrastructure. With this deployment, SMART is the first operator in Southeast Asia to launch a HSPA network in the 850MHz band. The network uses lower frequencies, which improve the quality of the radio signals, extending coverage and enabling rapid deployment.

Orlando Vea, Chief Wireless Adviser of SMART, says: "We are launching a more versatile network that will put the power of the internet in the pocket of Filipinos wherever they go. This partnership with Ericsson will enable us to offer our customers exciting services and true mobility that add up to an enhanced communications experience."

Under the agreement, Ericsson is the main supplier of the common GSM/WCDMA/HSPA packet core-data network, including the Service Aware Charging and Control solution which allows mobile broadband fair-usage policies. Ericsson is also one of the main suppliers of the radio access network and provides SMART with services such as network design, network deployment, competence development and systems integration.

Rajendra Pangrekar, President of Ericsson Philippines, says. "This contract represents a milestone for Ericsson by enabling us to launch a commercial HSPA project in the Philippines with one of the largest mobile operators in the region. It reinforces Ericsson's technology leadership and will provide SMART with the fastest mobile broadband speeds available in the country."

Posted to the site on 7th July 2009