PLDT and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc (Smart) are reinforcing their fixed and mobile network to better support activities during the country’s historic hosting of the world’s biggest basketball tournament, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 (FIBAWC).
In addition to boosting Smart LTE and 5G networks at FIBA Basketball World Cup venues, including Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, and the Philippine Arena in Bulacan in partnership with technology partners Huawei and Ericsson, the PLDT group is also establishing a Command Center at Smart Tower and mobilizing dedicated teams to monitor network performance during the event, which runs from Aug 25 to Sept 10.
In anticipation of basketball fans sharing their experiences at the games, Smart has improved download and upload speeds as well as latency at the venues, with initial speedtests yielding download speeds as fast as 1Gbps on Smart 5G.
Aside from the game venues, Smart has also boosted connectivity at the venue of the FIBA World Congress at Sofitel, at the hotels of delegates and international media guests, and at the venues of the practice games.
Smart has also rolled out additional Multi-Element on Wheels (MEOW) facilities to further enhance network coverage and capacity in key areas.
“With Smart as the FIBA Basketball World Cup’s global partner, the entire PLDT group continues to work hard to enhance our fixed and mobile network to ensure the country’s smooth hosting of the much-anticipated games,” said Eric S. Santiago, PLDT and Smart Network Head.
“Whether it is to support the needs of the audience attending the games at the venues, or to enable our subscribers to stream the games and follow the tournament via the Smart Livestream App, our network is ready to help provide an overall enhanced FIBA hosting, best experienced with a Smart SIM,” Santiago added.
Smart’s initiatives to bring the best basketball experiences closer to more Filipinos are powered by the Philippines’ fastest and best mobile network, as cited by global network analytics firm Ookla for three consecutive reporting periods – in Q1-Q2 2022, Q3-Q4 2022, and Q1-Q2 2023. To know more, visit https://smart.com.ph/Pages/smartfiba
As a staunch supporter of sports, Smart and its parent company PLDT Inc have also been active in sports development — from grassroots to the national level. The telcos are part of various groups working tirelessly to help nurture athletes, build training grounds, and bring international sporting events closer to Filipinos whether live or online. The MVP Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to this endeavor, has also been supporting 17 national sports agencies to support athletes who represent the Philippines in global tournaments.
