PLDT and Smart Communications are enhancing its fixed and mobile network to support the Philippines’ historic hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 (FIBAWC), the world’s biggest basketball tournament.
Smart, a global partner of FIBAWC, improved Smart LTE and 5G networks at the game venues, including Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, and the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, in partnership with technology partners Huawei and Ericsson.
Smart has also established a Command Center at Smart Tower and mobilized dedicated teams to monitor network performance during the event, which runs from August 25 to September 10.
The network enhancement aims to provide a better experience for basketball fans who will attend the games and share their moments online. Initial speedtests at the venues showed download speeds as fast as 1Gbps on Smart 5G.
Smart has also boosted connectivity at the venue of the FIBA World Congress at Sofitel, at the hotels of delegates and international media guests, and at the venues of the practice games.
To further increase network coverage and capacity in key areas, Smart has also rolled out additional Multi-Element on Wheels (MEOW) facilities.
“With Smart as the FIBA Basketball World Cup’s global partner, the entire PLDT group continues to work hard to enhance our fixed and mobile network to ensure the country’s smooth hosting of the much-anticipated games,” said Eric S. Santiago, PLDT and Smart Network Head.
“Whether it is to support the needs of the audience attending the games at the venues, or to enable our subscribers to stream the games and follow the tournament via the Smart Livestream App, our network is ready to help provide an overall enhanced FIBA hosting, best experienced with a Smart SIM,” Santiago added.
As a staunch supporter of sports, Smart and its parent company PLDT have also been active in sports development – from grassroots to the national level. The telcos are part of various groups working tirelessly to help nurture athletes, build training grounds, and bring international sporting events closer to Filipinos whether live or online. The MVP Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to this endeavor, has also been supporting 17 national sports agencies to support athletes who represent the Philippines in global tournaments.
Smart’s initiatives to bring the best basketball experiences closer to more Filipinos are powered by the Philippines’ fastest and best mobile network. To know more, visit https://smart.com.ph/Pages/smartfiba
