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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider Smart to reclaim top position in PH mobile market

Smart to reclaim top position in PH mobile market

Published Aug 15, 2023 04:56 am

After registering 99 percent of its active users, Smart Communications Inc. now aspires to recapture its leadership position in mobile subscribers, said PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio.

Significantly, Smart was the only provider to gain SIM share during the SIM Registration campaign.

Compared to end-2022, when Smart had 39.5 percent of all SIMs in the market, Smart ended the SIM registration campaign with 46.1 percent of SIMs.

"We are also the only telco that hit the Government's initial target of 70 percent, reaching close to 80 percent," he pointed out.

The final SIM registration figures from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) showed Smart has narrowed the gap in terms of market share and subscribers with Globe, its nearest competitor, from over 20 million to just 1.2 million.

Among the active subscribers who registered their SIMs, Smart realized growth in average revenue per user (ARPU). 

The telco also noted an actual increase in the number of new subscribers after the SIM registration deadline. 

Smart vowed to continue driving activations and delivering more value-for-money offers to retain subscribers and boost ARPU further.

Smart continues to improve its network as well, acknowledging that ultimately, consumers choose the better telco with the better network experience.

"It takes a while to gain ground and it is going to be a long, drawn-out battle," Panlilio acknowledged.

"We will continue to push, to innovate and to look at growth areas. We cannot stand still, especially in the telco space," he stressed.

As of end-June 2023, Smart covered 97 percent of the population with its 3G, 4G/LTE and 5G networks. 

It is supported by PLDT's fiber infrastructure, the country's most extensive at over 1.1 million kilometers, including domestic and international fiber.

 

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