In the press briefing of Smart Prepaid LTE on August 16, 2013 at the Jump Center, Jose Roste of the Public Affairs Group mentioned that they are already testing the ultra speed LTE-A with the Huawei Engineers. The current LTE speed in the Philippines is up to 42Mbps, the Ultra Speed LTE will reach up to 200Mbps.
Today at the Kadayawan Festival in Davao, Smart has showed initial speed test results of the ultra speed LTE-A.
It is called LTE Advanced, a mobile broadband technology which can deliver data rates in excess of 200 mega bytes per second (mbps), up to a possible 700mbps.
Some countries like South Korea, the United Kingdom, and various South American countries have already rolled out LTE Advanced, this connectivity allows users to download data at speeds twice as fast as 4G networks and 10 times faster than 3G services. LTE Advanced is also called LTE-A.
Currently Smart offers LTE services to Postpaid subscribers, BRO (pocket WiFi) subscribers (prepaid and postpaid) and recently they started offering LTE to the Prepaid mobile phones. LTE prepaid bundles is priced at 50 (one day LTE ulimited), 299 (7-days unlimited LTE) and 995 (30days unlimited LTE).
Furthermore, SMART’s unlimited LTE promo is until August 31, 2013 only.
Current models of Huawei LTE pocket WiFi available to reach 100Mbps includes Huawei E589, and E5776.
Here’s the official press release:
Smart tests new Huawei ultra-high-speed mobile broadband
[14 August 2013] Mobile leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has now attained double the data speed of current fourth-generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in recent trials using ‘LTE-Advanced’. Smart has begun testing LTE Advanced, a mobile broadband technology which can deliver data rates in excess of 200 mega bytes per second (mbps), up to a possible 700mbps.
Mobile leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has now attained double the data speed of current fourth-generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in recent trials using ‘LTE-Advanced’. Smart has begun testing LTE Advanced, a mobile broadband technology which can deliver data rates in excess of 200 mega bytes per second (mbps), up to a possible 700mbps.Currently deployed by operators in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and various South American countries, LTE Advanced connectivity allows users to download data at speeds twice as fast as 4G networks and 10 times faster than 3G services.
“LTE Advanced is the next step forward for mobile broadband, and we look forward to many new possible applications of this ultra-fast technology that will benefit Filipinos and keep the Philippines abreast with the most technologically advanced countries in the world,” said Smart co-founder and Chief Wireless Advisor Orlando B. Vea.
Smart recently conducted tests of LTE Advanced in cooperation with network equipment provider Huawei. The test facilities were able to achieve break-neck speeds of up to 209 mbps, over twice the 100 mbps top speed of LTE.
“These tests demonstrate the readiness of the Smart network infrastructure to meet the demands of technologies that go beyond LTE,” said PLDT and Smart Technology Group Head Rolando G. Peña.
In the test setup, LTE Advanced was also deployed over WiFi, enabling devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops to experience extremely high speeds by logging on to the local wireless network.
“Just as we have seen how quickly Filipinos took to LTE after getting a taste of its high speeds and lag-free mobile broadband, so do we foresee the rapid acceptance of LTE Advanced, once all the right elements are in place,” added Vea.
The widespread adoption of LTE Advanced is expected to help bring down the cost of network equipment and customer terminals significantly.
“The good news is we have transformed our network in the past two years. LTE Advanced will work hand-in-glove with our extensive and robust fiber-powered network which, as we speak, we continue to expand and strengthen,” Peña added.
With over 71,000 kilometers of total fiber footprint, inclusive of 7,200 kilometers of international submarine fiber, and over 4,000 kilometers of domestic submarine fiber, Smart, together with parent company PLDT, boasts of the Philippines’ most extensive fiber network.
Unlike traditional copper wires which use electricity to transmit data, fiber uses pulses of light allowing for quick and lossless uploads and downloads.
“By combining high-speed wireless access technologies like LTE Advanced with PLDT and Smart’s extensive fiber optic network, we can provide customers with an unmatched broadband experience well into the future,” Vea said.
Photo Credit: Smart Facebook.
E5776 can reach upto 150mbps depending on the provider ;).