Future engineers from Mapua University in Manila tested upcoming cutting-edge digital technology at the PLDT, Smart TechnoLab. The facility situated at the Smart Tower in Makati City acts as a laboratory where PLDT and Smart try out game-changing communication solutions that are envisioned to improve customer experience.

“As technology leaders and advocates, PLDT and Smart leverage innovations that will deliver superior experience for our customers as well as enable an excellent and efficient network. The PLDT and Smart TechnoLab enables us to test and evaluate these technologies, and their capabilities, in a controlled environment without disrupting operations,” said Joseph Lennart Olaivar, Assistant Vice President and Head of Network Innovations Lab and Special Projects at PLDT and Smart.

PLDT and Smart are currently testing Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN), Network Disaggregation, and Extended Reality.

“I really enjoyed my visit to the PLDT, Smart TechnoLab. I am glad that I was able to experience some of the technologies that I only see on television. I am most curious about Internet of Things and how this innovation can be further integrated into our daily lives,” said Remigio Gabriel Ringor, a fourth-year ECE student and President of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines – Mapua University Chapter (IECEP-MUC).

The visit is part of the Technical Committee Week of the IECEP-MUC and was made exclusive to their members who are taking up ECE. The 40 ECE students were also welcomed by PLDT and Smart engineers who are graduates of Mapua University themselves.

“In the past, there were limited opportunities for ECE graduates in the country. Now, as technologies evolve, our role as Electronics Engineers have also expanded especially in the telecommunications industry,” said Ariel Medina, Vice President and Head of Network Service Operations, who is also a product of the university.

"In my 28 years in the industry, I've found that Filipinos are recognized as a strong brand both locally and internationally. I encourage you to keep challenging yourself because what you know today might become obsolete tomorrow," advised Radames Vittorio Zalameda, Mapua alumnus and Vice President for Network Optimization at PLDT.

Mapua has been a partner of the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP) since 2009. Mapua’s Team YOLO was one of the finalists in the inaugural run of PLDT and Smart’s Innovation Generation in 2020. The Mapuan squad developed a mobile application that automatically counts the number of people entering an establishment using its own security cameras.

Underscoring the value of promoting STEM education in the country, SWEEP and its initiatives to welcome students to the PLDT-Smart TechnoLab are aligned with the PLDT Group's much broader program for inclusive learning, and are also aimed at helping the country achieve UNSDG 4: Quality Education.