Smart unveils 'most affordable' 5G phone | ABS-CBN

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Smart unveils 'most affordable' 5G phone

Smart unveils 'most affordable' 5G phone

Jekki Pascual,

ABS-CBN News

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Updated Aug 22, 2024 09:55 PM PHT

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Smart unveils most affordable 5G phone worth P5,450 with 50MP camera, 128GB ROM etc. Jekki Pascual, ABS-CBN NewsSmart unveils most affordable 5G phone worth P5,450 with 50MP camera, 128GB ROM etc.  Jekki Pascual, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Telecommunications firm Smart has unveiled Thursday what it described as the most affordable 5G device in the country today.

The telco giant presented to the media the Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G which is priced at P5,450.

Telco officials said this is the first time the device was launched in Southeast Asia and this is also exclusive to Smart in the Philippines. The telco also announced that it may be launching more affordable 5G devices in the near future.

Lloyd Manaloto, First Vice President for Strategy and Corporate Brand, said the company hopes more Filipinos will buy 5G phones so they can experience the 5G network, which offers faster internet connection, improved latency, among other benefits. 

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By offering a lower-priced 5G phone, they are optimistic that consumers will consider now buying a 5G device.

“We are democratizing 5G by providing a phone that’s affordable, may financing, meron kang services na 5G bundled with the phone- prepaid, postpaid,” said Manaloto.

He said that despite the low price of the phone, it still packs premium features such as a 50-megapixel camera with RAW super night mode, 6.6” HD+ 120Hz display, 128 GB RAM storage, and more.

Manaloto added that aside from the lower price, Smart branches also offer device financing with partner banks, which can benefit some customers. For postpaid, the phone is free for Plan 999.

Telco officials said this is a good time to have this phone in the country where livestreaming, gaming, video content are growing. There are also new technologies that require faster internet like artificial intelligence and more.

“Who will be using 5G? Live sharers, live streamers. Dati nasa loob lang sila ng studio, ngayon they can do things outside where 5G is available. That will be a game changer regards to usage,” said Manaloto.




Alex Caeg, Head for Consumer Business of Smart, added “Our bold step to further accelerate 5G adoption in our market. 5G is a global wireless technology standard and we are making it more available to more Filipinos even if most of our customers are still on the LTE if not the legacy network.”

Telco officials said they continue to expand their 5G network across the country as they hope more customers will buy a 5G phone to be able to utilize the 5G network. Currently, they said about 10 percent of devices in the country are on 5G with majority having 4G or LTE.

They hope to double the number of 5G phones in the coming years with prices of such devices on the downtrend.

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TNVS drivers call on LTFRB anew to enforce rule on mandatory discounts

TNVS drivers call on LTFRB anew to enforce rule on mandatory discounts

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

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Grab signs in a mall in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/FileGrab signs in a mall in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — A group of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers appealed to regulators anew on Wednesday to make ride-hailing firms shoulder the full cost of the mandatory 20-percent discount for senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), and students.

“Ang mga driver/operator po, maliit lang ang kinikita nyan. Bakit kailangan pang ipapasan ang mga discount na ito?” said Laban TNVS President Jun De Leon during a rally outside the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office in Quezon City.

“Non-negotiable na po sa atin ang mandatory discounts. Dapat po, 100 percent, sagutin ito ng Transport Network Company (TNC),” he added.

LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz earlier said that based on Memorandum Circular 2015-016-A, TNCs should absorb these passenger discounts as part of the conditions of acquiring a franchise.

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But some TNCs continue to pass it on to their partner drivers, or at least split the cost with them in the case of dominant player Grab Philippines— on the basis of a different LTFRB memo issued in 2018 which states that public utility operators and drivers should grant the discount.

In a previous interview with ABS-CBN News in December, Guadiz said that provision only applies to public utility jeepneys and buses.

In an effort to clear up the confusion, he said the LTFRB would issue a new order that would also lay down standards on how these discounts should be applied so as not to inconvenience passengers from vulnerable groups.

Up to now, though, the LTFRB has yet to issue any order.

“The issue boils down to sino ang magkukuha or aako nung discount na yan, is it the TNC like Grab? Or is it the operator, yung may-ari ng sasakyan, or is it the driver?” said Guadiz during his latest press conference on Tuesday.

Laban TNVS expressed frustration over this, saying the LTFRB is seemingly changing its initial stance.

“Hindi ko alam kung bakit biglang nagbago ang ihip ng hangin sa sinasabi ni Chairman Guadiz… Ang sinasabi po nila ay pag-aaralan nila ito. Ano pa ba ang dapat pag-aralan? Maliwanag po sa Memorandum Circular, hindi na po dapat palitan,” insisted De Leon.

New entrants in the four-wheeled ride-hailing market, Lalamove and Pure Ride, are also waiting for an LTFRB memo so they can ensure proper compliance.

Lalamove, which launched Lalamove Ride in early February, told ABS-CBN News that, at least for now, it is shouldering majority of the passenger discount while implementing a lower commission rate for drivers.

“In the absence of a memorandum circular, minabuti na po naming magtake ng initiative na majority share si Lalamove, 60% ng discounts are shouldered by Lalamove and then 40% are shouldered by the drivers,” said Lalamove Philippines Managing Director Djon Nacario.

“But please take note, 2% commission lang yung ino-offer namin… At the end of the day, 98% nung fare yung maiuuwi ng ating partner drivers,” he added, saying the firm has one of, if not, the lowest commission rate in the industry.

Nacario also said that should the LTFRB order them to absorb the full cost of the discount, Lalamove would also be prepared to comply.

Meanwhile, Pure Ride, which began operations last February 14, is proposing a 50-50 share with drivers once its 10 percent commission rate takes effect.

“Kunyari sa start we got 0 commission. Ibig sabihin, wala naman kaming nakuha, so the entire 20% would be on the driver which is fair enough. Now when we start getting 10%, dapat 10% lang din yung magiging cover namin (sa discount),” said Pure Ride Chief Operating Officer Edison Go Tan during the firm’s pre-launch media briefing in Makati last February 11.

“Pero siyempre kung sasabihin ng LTFRB talagang icha-charge nila sa TNC, wala kaming magagawa,” assured Tan.

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