Smart activates cell cite at Rody’s former hometown

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Smart Communications Inc. has fired up its second 700-megahertz frequency cell site in Matina, where president-elect Rodrigo Duterte has been a resident for more than two decades.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan announced the activation of the cell site in a tweet last Tuesday. Smart is the wireless arm of PLDT.

“Our second 700-megahertz cell site (is) up already! In Davao City at Ecoland, Matina,” Pangilinan said in his Twitter post.

The PLDT chairman said the activation of the facility would enable download speeds of 101 megabytes per second.

Duterte, who served as mayor of this city for 22 years, is a resident of Doña Luisa Village in Ecoland, Matina here. Foreign envoys and well-wishers flocked to the area after Duterte topped the presidential election, prompting authorities to tighten security measures.

The 71-year-old Duterte is not tech savvy but his camp maintains an official Twitter account @RRD_Davao. His victory has also been attributed to his supporters who extensively used social networking sites to promote his advocacy.

The telecommunication firm’s first 700-megahertz cell site is located in Tanay, Rizal. The third 700-mhz cell site, which would allow a download speed of 101.31 megabytes per second, was fired up at Manggahan in Pasig.

“That’s only three base stations which are 700 megahertz enabled so far. We will build more than 200 in key sites nationwide by yearend,” Pangilinan said.

The activation of the cell sites is part of Smart’s three-year program that aims to provide faster, reliable and affordable Internet service.

Early this month, Duterte said he would give telecommunication firms a chance to improve their services or he would open the industry to foreign companies.

“It is one facet of our life. I am not quite satisfied because of connectivity problem,” he said.

“I was just saying if you can’t improve your services, I would agree to the (entry) of foreign players,” he added.

Smart is a subsidiary of PLDT, whose multimedia arm Mediaquest Holdings Inc. has a majority stake in The Philippine Star.