In a statement, Smart said it has deployed the Antenna-Integrated Radio (AIR) solution, making the telco the first in Southeast Asia to adopt the technology from Ericsson.
The advanced AIR solution ensures efficient and smooth introduction of elements of GSM, 3G/WCDMA and fourth-generation (4G) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technologies into Smart’s existing networks, by simplifying and reducing installation lead times while increasing coverage.
With the solution in place, Smart’s wireless network allows subscribers to keep abreast with the rest of the world in a more efficient and timely manner.
Rolando G. Peña, head of technology at Smart and parent Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co (PLDT), said deployment of the AIR solution once again puts Smart ahead of its peers in the region.
"We expect the vast improvement in coverage and swiftness of installation times to greatly benefit our subscribers, especially as we see increasing usage of mobile Internet in our network," he said.
PLDT said mobile Internet usage continues to grow strongly among mobile subscribers of its wireless brands Smart and Sun Cellular, with mobile Internet revenues increasing by 49 percent year-on-year at end-June.
The increasing use of mobile data is the result of PLDT’s network upgrade, the telco said, citing it network at least 9,835 cell sites, 15,116 cellular/mobile broadband base stations, and 2,898 fixed wireless broadband-enabled base stations, supported by over 71,000 kilometers of fiber optic cabling, serving over 73.4 million subscribers.
“Network solutions like AIR allow our already supercharged infrastructure to become even more future-proof, and able to serve the demands of present and more advanced technologies, such as LTE-Advanced,” said Peña.
With at least 1,000 LTE sites across almost 180 cities and municipalities including the entire Metro Manila, Smart recently tested LTE-Advanced.
Deployed by operators in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and in South America, LTE-Advanced is a next-generation mobile broadband technology that can deliver data rates in excess of 200-700 megabits per second (mbps), based on trials done in Metro Manila and Davao City.
According to is Peña, “the successful trials prove the readiness of the Smart network for the most advanced technologies, and the AIR solution can only serve to further strengthen this network.”
To date, Ericsson has commercially deployed the AIR solution for both Smart’s GSM and LTE networks, with tests showing an improvement of as much as 73 percent in 3G coverage when using AIR.
Ericsson’s AIR has fewer units and fewer interconnections compared to traditional site solutions, allowing a new standard or a new frequency band to be introduced easily.
Elie Hanna, president and country manager for Ericsson Philippines and Pacific Islands, said the market is experiencing a tremendous take off in mobile broadband and user expectations for speed and coverage are increasing the demands placed on networks.
“In order to cope with future capacity demands, Ericsson has a clearly defined small cell strategy that the AIR architecture is part of. When comparing 3G AIR with traditional 3G Radio Base Stations, there is a marked improvement in 3G coverage when using AIR. In addition, AIR simplifies and reduces installation lead times," Hanna added.
The innovative integration of the antenna unit into the radio unit is the first of its kind in the global telecommunications industry. Compact design and a multi-standard solution ensure the highly efficient and smooth introduction of new technologies in both 3G and 4G. A new standard or a new frequency band can easily be introduced by simply adding AIR and swapping the existing antenna.
