Residents and tourists traveling to Baguio City can look forward to more areas with fast, free and reliable connectivity as PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) expands its Wi-Fi coverage in Baguio this year.
PLDT and Smart recently signed an agreement with Mayor Benjamin Magalong to roll out fiber-powered, carrier-grade Smart Wi-Fi to cover more sites across Baguio City, including Mines View Park, Burnham Park reservation, Baguio City Public Market, Malcolm Square, Wright Park, Baguio Convention Center, Baguio General Hospital, and additional sites in Session Road.
Smart Wi-Fi is currently up in heavy foot-traffic areas in the city like the City Hall, The Camp, the National Bureau of Investigation regional office, Partas bus terminal, and Saint Louis University.
The rollout of Smart Wi-Fi in Baguio complements the ongoing expansion of Smart’s LTE network and PLDT’s fiber-to-the-home services in the city and the rest of the country.
Signing the contract with Magalong were Smart Wi-Fi head Regina P. Pineda and PLDT Enterprise CRM head Dennis G. Magbatoc.
Smart also turned over Smart Infocast, a Web-based text message broadcast solution that can enable the city government to send out news broadcasts and other critical information to its employees via text message. The platform will also allow Baguio citizens to send feedback to the mayor.
Around 1.8 million tourists visit Baguio every year, according to the City Planning and Development Office. Majority of them are local travelers who troop to Baguio to enjoy the city’s famed cool temperature and tourist sites.
Baguio City is also home to over 345,000 residents, many of whom are young, and for whom access to fast connectivity, whether via Wi-Fi or LTE, is crucial.
“This year, Baguio City will be undergoing transformation and rehabilitation, and connectivity infrastructure would be a vital component of it,” said Magalong. “We are happy to have PLDT and Smart as Baguio City’s partners in this endeavor to uplift the quality of life in the city.”
“By improving connectivity and expanding the footprint of our fiber-powered Smart Wi-Fi service in Baguio City, we are boosting the tourism industry, as well as local businesses operating in one of the country’s premier tourist destinations,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president and CEO.
The partnership with Baguio City is the latest in Smart Wi-Fi’s ramped-up expansion campaign, which has recently covered cities across the country, including Manila, San Juan, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, and San Fernando in Pampanga.
For more information, visit http://www.smart.com.ph/smartwifi. – Press release
April 30, 2024
