Smart eyes growth through 5G expansion and personalized offers

PLDT Inc. is looking to continued 5G adoption, increasing device availability, and personalized digital offers to support the growth of its wireless business through Smart Communications Inc.

The company said it has been strengthening its ability to deliver customized services to subscribers by using analytics and artificial intelligence-driven insights to better understand customer needs and usage patterns.

“We have been leveraging our hyper-personalization capabilities which enable us to provide our customers the right service at the right price points at the right time,” said Lloyd Manaloto, Smart co-officer-in-charge.

PLDT Chief Operating Officer Menardo “Butch” G. Jimenez said personalized offers have become an important capability for the wireless business as customer needs become more diverse.

“We used to just be able to offer one package for the whole Philippines. Now, we can pinpoint the specific data requirements of our customers based on analytics, know what kind of package or service our customers need, and offer it to them,” Jimenez said.

As part of this strategy, TNT recently launched its “For You Po” campaign, which recommends mobile promos tailored to individual subscriber needs through the Smart App. The service uses Smart’s analytics and AI-driven insights to suggest relevant data, call, and text packages based on customer usage patterns.

According to PLDT, one in every five Smart subscribers is now using a 5G-capable device as adoption continues to accelerate. The company attributed the growth to the wider availability of affordable 5G smartphones, ongoing network optimization, and targeted 5G rollouts.

As of end-March 2026, Smart reported 44.1 million active data users. The company also said 5G traffic grew by 68 percent compared to the same period last year, reflecting increasing usage of data-intensive applications and digital services.

Smart said it continues to expand use cases for next-generation connectivity, including plans to introduce AI-powered smart glasses through its exclusive partnership with Rokid.

The company recently became the first and only Philippine telecommunications provider to offer Rokid AI glasses bundled with a Smart Postpaid plan, marking its entry into the emerging AI wearables segment.

The move reflects a broader industry trend in which telecommunications providers are exploring new connected devices and AI-enabled technologies beyond traditional mobile services.

Despite challenges facing the telecommunications sector, Jimenez said the company remains focused on innovation and adapting to changing customer demands.

“While we see the challenges, we are not allowed to use these challenges as an excuse. We’re required—and that’s in our DNA—to be able to look at these challenges and weather this storm,” he said.