Smart levels up data roaming experience w/ live demo of Nokia's core SaaS Edge Technology

Smart and Nokia complete Southeast Asia's first live local breakout demo, improving data roaming speed and latency for Filipino travelers abroad.

Smart x Nokia

Smart, Nokia completes live demo of local breakout tech to improve data roaming

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), the wireless subsidiary of PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and the Philippines' leading mobile services provider, has completed a live demonstration aimed at improving the outbound data roaming experience of Filipino travelers, in partnership with technology provider Nokia.

The trial, conducted earlier this year at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, routed subscriber data traffic through the nearest point-of-presence in Europe instead of routing it back to the Philippines. This process, known as local breakout (LBO), resulted in lower latency, faster browsing, and improved app responsiveness, producing a smoother overall data roaming experience.

The test, described as a first for a telco operator in Southeast Asia, made use of Nokia's Core SaaS Edge for Roaming solution. The technology allows operators to offer a local-quality roaming experience while maintaining control over policy, charging, and subscriber services from their home network.

Smart's continuous investments in exploring innovations such as this local breakout technology is part of our broader commitment to always deliver exceptional services to our customers, wherever they may be—not just in the Philippines, but across the world, said Menardo G. Jimenez Jr., PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Head of Network at PLDT and Smart, adding that the successful demonstration illustrates the real potential of this technology to enable Smart subscribers to roam as if they are on a local network, while still using their Smart SIMs.

Solutions like Core SaaS Edge are advancing connectivity by unlocking better roaming experiences for people worldwide. Working with telecommunication service providers like Smart—innovators that are willing to push the boundaries of tomorrow—helps us take important steps to a brighter future, said Henrique Vale, Vice President, Asia-Pacific region, Core Software at Nokia.

The initiative is part of PLDT and Smart's broader push into next-generation technologies, which the companies say reflects the PLDT Group's commitment to providing improved customer experiences for Filipinos at home and abroad. The Group has linked these efforts to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, as well as to the Philippine government's digitalization agenda.

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