Filipino wireless provider implements cross-network connectivity

Converged connectivity across 3G and Wi-Fi networks will soon be available to subscribers of the market leading wireless operator in the Philippines. Smart Communications has implemented Greenpacket’s Intouch Connection Management Platform (ICMP), allowing it to deploy services using existing SIM-based technologies and Wi-Fi infrastructures on both Smart-owned and partner-networks without infrastructure upgrades. The solution enables seamless connectivity across 3G and WiFi access networks, thus providing a strategy for alleviate network congestion by offloading data to less expensive and less congested WiFi access networks. Additionally, the ICMP is customised to support Smart’s new targeted advertisement push services. The Philippines has one of the highest internet penetrations by population globally at about 30%, providing huge potential for mobile broadband. However, with increased data usage, operators are seeing the decoupling of data traffic and revenues on their networks. Kelvin Lee, Senior General Manager of Greenpacket said, “A growing number of operators consider data offloading to be the more viable solution to resolve the network congestion by offloading data traffic onto complementary Wi-Fi networks without altering their existing infrastructure compared to network expansion and thus, benefiting from more capacity at lower cost per bit. By converging multi-network access technologies, consumers can have the best service experience from their operators.”