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Manila Bulletin devider Technews devider PLDT boosts Baguio rehab, tourism with Smart WiFi expansion

PLDT boosts Baguio rehab, tourism with Smart WiFi expansion

Published Jan 20, 2020 12:00 am
BaguioWiFi1 Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong with PLDT Enterprise AVP Dennis Magbatoc and Smart WiFi Head Ina Pineda fired up Smart WiFi at the City Hall and signed an agreement to deploy Smart WiFi in more areas. 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) expand Smart WiFi coverage in the City of Pines this year. PLDT and Smart recently signed an agreement with Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to roll-out fiber-powered, carrier-grade Smart WiFi 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 on Session Road. Smart WiFi is currently up in heavy foot-traffic areas in the city, including the City Hall of Baguio, The Camp, the National Bureau of Investigation Regional Office in Upper Session Road, Partas Bus Terminal and Saint Louis University. This rollout of Smart WiFi in Baguio City 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 Mayor Magalong were Smart WiFi Head Regina P. Pineda and PLDT Enterprise CRM Head Dennis G. Magbatoc. In the same ceremony, Smart also turned over Smart Infocast, a web-based text message broadcast solution that can enable the Baguio City LGU 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 Mayor Magalong. Close to 2 million tourists Around 1.8 million tourists visit the Summer Capital of the Philippines 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 Mayor 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 WiFi 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. “Better connectivity means Baguio City residents and visitors can stay connected with family and friends while shopping on Session Road, share their photos and videos while sightseeing in Mines View and Burnham Park, or stay updated while transacting at the City Hall, NBI or Baguio General Hospital,” Panlilio added. Passengers at the Partas Bus Terminal can likewise check their hotel reservations online, while students at Saint Louis University can use carrier-grade Smart WiFi for research and other academic requirements. This partnership with Baguio City is the latest in Smart WiFi’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, to name a few.
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