Data traffic on PLDT’s wireless unit Smart Communications Inc’s. (Smart) 5G network has sustained its growth in the first quarter of the year, on the back of Smart’s fortified mobile network and competitive data offers.

First-quarter data traffic on Smart’s 5G network grew by 65% quarter-on-quarter as the number of unique 5G devices on the network grew by 35% from end-2021 to more than 1.58 million.

Apart from offers catering to prepaid customers’ changing needs and enabling them to experience 5G such as Giga Video 5G and Giga Video 5G+, Smart’s Signature Plans+ also offered unlimited 5G with Netflix to drive 5G adoption.

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“Following headwinds in the first quarter due to Typhoon Odette and the Omicron surge, we are now seeing encouraging signs of recovery as the economy reopens, with our new offers and 5G adoption driving data usage,” said Jane Basas, SVP and head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

To support data traffic growth, Smart increased to 76,600 its total base stations nationwide as of end-March 2022, providing 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G to customers across the country, including around 7,300 5G base stations. Supporting Smart’s mobile network is PLDT’s fiber infrastructure, which was at 803,000 kilometers as of end-March 2022.