SMART Broadband Inc. (SBI), a subsidiary of Smart Communications Inc., was given the go ahead of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) last week to operate a more advanced technology involving data communications in far-flung areas that would cost the cellular firm P341.25 million.Smart, the NTC said, is financially fit to finance the proposed project, particularly the establishment of a data leased channel circuit network service in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Sultan Kudarat, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Island and Shariff Kabunsuan.
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The frequency bandwidths are essential to SBI’s planned deployment of WiMax, or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. WiMax is a telecommunications technology aimed at providing wireless data over long distances in a variety of ways, from point-to-point links to full mobile cellular type access.
SBI had told the NTC that there are various services that it could offer to the public using WiMax technology operating on the 700MHz. Among the basic services include broadband Internet, voice over Internet protocol, text messaging, and electronic messaging. More...
