Due to its gaining popularity worldwide, Smart Communications Inc. sees that Filipino mobile phone users will shift to smartphones or Internet-capable handsets in large numbers over the next two to three years.
The cellular firm currently provides Internet access to over 8.3 million subscribers all over the country.
The number is expected to even grow in the future with the surge in popularity of smartphones and tablets.
There are no available data on Philippine smartphones users but globally, sales of these phones rose by 72 percent in 2010 to over 300 million units and accounted for nearly 20 percent percent of total mobile phone sales, according to Gartner, a leading global IT research and advisory company. In a recent report, the research firm IDC said smartphone sales are expected to grow faster in 2011 as vendors make available more mid-range to entry-level handsets.
With such encouraging numbers, Smart said it is now taking the lead in promoting this transition by introducing affordable smartphones and tablets led by its Netphone, and low-cost Internet service packages in the next few months.
According to Smart president Napoleon Nazareno, the shift to smartphones is a global trend. “[During the] Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, smartphones, tablets and mobile data service took center stage. This is happening because feature-rich smartphones are becoming more affordable and mobile phone networks more powerful and data-capable,” he said.
Orlando B. Vea, chief wireless adviser, said the company will further beef up its cellular data network in anticipation of the growing volume of mobile data. The Philippine Long Distance Group is expected to raise its capital expenditures above P30 billion this year, with much of the increase going into fortifying Smart’s cellular network including that of mobile broadband.
Anticipating the rise of mobile data traffic, Smart is both expanding and upgrading its broadband and cellular networks. The expansion program covers Smart’s 3G/HSPA mobile broadband and WiMax networks.
(Lenie Lectura)
