Consistent and reliable 5G connectivity has provided the necessary boost to the Filipino 5G experience.   

Among those who have benefited from 5G is 38-year-old Rex Diangco, whose work in faith-based media has required him to livestream his coverage of various religious activities. Diangco says upgrading to a 5G smartphone in March this year has helped him do his work faster. 

"Smart 5G has really helped a lot. Since mababa ang ping at mataas ang upload speed, nakakapag-live ako in full HD without interruption at napansin ko rin na mas maiksi ang delay ng video feed ng live ko compared sa previous 4G network. (Smart's 5G service has allowed me to go live in full HD without interruption. I have also noticed an even shorter delay on my video feed, compared to when I was still on 4G/LTE)," he says, adding that high-speed connectivity from 5G has also allowed him to upload and send weekly content to their Manila-based editor, as well as attend regular Zoom meetings with officemates in Quezon City. Diangco is based in the island province of Romblon, about 270 kilometers south of the capital. 

In the Philippines, leading mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has been recognized as the Most Reliable 5G Mobile Operator for Q2 2021* in the country according to Ookla®, the global leader in internet testing and analysis. 

To achieve this feat, Smart beat its nearest competitor to obtain the highest scores in 5G Consistency and 5G Availability. 

In addition to being the most reliable, Smart is also the country's fastest and widest 5G network with more than 4,000 sites across the country. 

As earlier reported by Ookla®, Smart is also the fastest 5G network for the period Q1-Q2 2021, and the country's fastest mobile network for the fourth year in a row, based on analysis by Ookla of tests taken with Speedtest® covering the first half of 2021**.

Aside from the Ookla recognition, Smart also scored a rare sweep in Opensignal's April 2021 Philippines Mobile Network Experience Awards***, beating the competition across all metrics in three essential aspects of service: Coverage (4G Coverage Experience, 4G Availability), Speed (Download and Upload Speed) and Experience (Games, Video and Voice app).   

This level of performance is supported by parent company PLDT's fiber network, which is the country's most extensive at more than 524,000 kilometers as of end-June.  

PLDT and Smart’s relentless push to provide connectivity for all is aligned with the group’s long-standing commitment to help the Philippines attain the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG #9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.