Next to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Clark International Airport inside the Clark Special Economic Zone in Mabalacat, Pampanga receives thousands of passengers going and coming from international and local destinations for business and leisure. While waiting for departure or arrival of love ones sometimes we need to go online to check out emails, snap photos and upload it online or just let the time pass by. And in line with the campaign of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to modernize airports and others means of transportation, SMART and PLDT join them in the campaign to provide free WIFI connection that passengers can check their emails or share their photos via social media as they wait for their flight.
The free WIFI from SMART has bandwidth of up to 1 gigabit per second or up to 200 Mbps connection. According to SMART and PLDT VP & Head of Enterprise and Customer Operations Management Finina Torres said that the WIFI in small airports can accommodate up to 3, 000 concurrent users while big airports like NAIA up to 6, 000. With the free SMART WIFI, users will get to enjoy a seamless digital experience whether surfing the web for their favorite sites, or keeping connected with home and office while traveling.
An initial investment of P1 billion has been earmarked this year for the first phase of the nationwide deployment of SMART WIFI, which will have a minimum backhaul of 1 gigabit. Higher bandwidth will be allocated for bigger transport hubs and sites. The deployment is backed by the group’s robust and resilient wireless and fixed-line network infrastructure.
DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade commends SMART and PLDT in making this effort in taking part of the modernization process of Philippine airports. During the partnership launch the PLDT EVP & President and CEO Eric Alberto and DOTr Undersecretary for Air Bobby Lim are also present.
Aside from CIA, the service is already available in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City; Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental; Bacolod-Silay International Airport in Silay City; Iloilo International Airport in Iloilo City; Roxas Airport in Roxas City; and Zamboanga Airport in Zamboanga City. Soon, Smart Wifi will also be reinforced in all four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as well as in the airports of Cebu, Dumaguete, Kalibo, Caticlan, General Santos, and Laoag.
