MOBILE leader Smart Communications has completed a vital link with the Sun Cellular network, allowing the smaller firm to benefit from the former’s extensive fiber-optic backbone nationwide.
The completed interconnection project aims to “dramatically lessen, if not eliminate” service downtimes for Sun Cellular subscribers.
In a statement, Smart said it had completed its P71-million interconnection project with Sun.
“The establishment of this resiliency, or ‘fail-safe’ infrastructure, gives Sun Cellular subscribers more reliable broadband connections,” said Rolando Peña, Smart Technology Group head. “The increased interconnection will also dramatically lessen, if not eliminate, service down times.”
Together with parent Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), Smart established 16 links—each with a capacity of 10 gigabits per second—connecting strategic Smart and Sun Cellular cell sites using high capacity fiber optic cables.
Unlike traditional copper wiring and microwave radios that transmit data through electric and radio signals, fiber optics uses pulses of light beamed through thin wires of glass.
“This enables us to pass on the savings to our subscribers while … giving them better services,” Peña said.
The Smart-Sun Cellular interconnection project is also capable of providing high bandwidth services such as 4G High Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+), 3G HSPA, and 2G voice, and text messaging.
In late October, Smart also completed linking its Metro Manila cell sites to parent company, PLDT’s fiber optic network.
Smart, PLDT, and Sun boast of an unmatched network of 54,000 kilometers of fiber optic cabling in looped configuration nationwide.
The link between the two networks is a result of the PLDT group’s acquisition of Digitel Telecommunications Philippines, operator of the Sun Cellular network, last year.
Together, the two networks accounted for about 67 million mobile users at the end of the first half of 2012. The PLDT group enjoys a market share of 63 percent in mobile phones, 65 percent for fixed-line services and 63 percent for broadband Internet.