Smart taps UAE firms for 5G roaming service

MANILA, Philippines — PLDT wireless arm Smart Communications Inc. is boosting its 5G roaming availability as it teams up with the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s two mobile telco brands Etisalat Group and du.

Smart said its partnership with the largest mobile operators in UAE would enable its prepaid and postpaid subscribers to enjoy worry-free 5G service while they are in the country.

“This is part of Smart’s commitment to deliver superior customer service. The United Arab Emirates is among the top roaming destinations for Smart mobile subscribers,” Smart vice president for international roaming and consumer business Alice Ramos said.

Smart said customers with a 5G-capable SIM and a 5G-certified device can experience 5G roaming speeds when they subscribe to its special GigaRoam UAE Plan.

Etisalat, one of the leading market players in the global telco industry, logged the world’s fastest 5G download speed at 9.1 Gigabits per second in December last year.

du, meanwhile, is also heavily investing on its 5G rollout. It is backed by the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co. PJSC, the second largest telco operator in UAE.

Smart’s 5G roaming service launch in UAE with Etisalat and du follows the recent partnerships with Taiwan’s FarEasTone and South Korea’s KT Corp.