The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a grant to Smart Communications for training to advance Smart’s plan to expand 5G services to 96% of the Philippines’ population.
USTDA made the award to support Smart’s investment in equipment and services from Cisco Systems.
“This grant demonstrates USTDA’s commitment to supporting cutting-edge information and communications technology infrastructure in the Philippines, while promoting innovative solutions from US companies,” said Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director.
“We are proud to partner with Smart and Cisco on this project, which will strengthen digital connectivity and bring faster, higher quality and more affordable digital services to the people of the Philippines.”
USTDA’s training grant will help Smart, a subsidiary of the Philippines’ largest, fully integrated telecommunications company PLDT, deliver better cloud-based products and services to its customers across the country. This grant builds on previous USTDA assistance that is advancing PLDT and Smart’s efforts to modernize the company’s national fiber optic network and prepare the Philippines for the transition to 5G.
“We are excited to witness the continuous development of the Philippines’ digital infrastructure through projects such as this one,” said Chargé d’Affaires ad Interim, Heather Variava. “Many Filipinos will benefit from the increased range of Smart’s services, which will reach more unserved and underserved areas in the country.”
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