3G offerings from Smart

SMART Communications Inc. will soon offer new 3G (third-generation) services that involve more complex applications following the grant of additional frequencies to the cellular firm. Smart, to date, has cornered a total of 25 Megahertz (MHz) of frequency spectrum.

Officials told the BusinessMirror in an interview last week that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has granted Smart’s request for an additional 10 MHz of frequency band, specifically the 825-835/870-880 MHz band.

These are the very same frequencies which subsidiary Pilipino Telephone Corp. (Piltel) has been holding on to for many years now.

Piltel is no longer operating its AMPS (advance mobile-phone system technology) network and is just using the GSM (global system for mobile communications) infrastructure of Smart for its Talk ‘N Text brand. Piltel had been paying Smart the corresponding spectrum users’ fee (SUF) for this purpose.

“The NTC favorably considers the request and assigns frequency band 825-835/870-880 MHz to Smart,” a portion of NTC’s letter to Smart stated.

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