Smart Communications Inc., the wireless unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., expects to double the number of its broadband subscribers this year, with the rollout of its HSPA (High Speech Packet Access) network.

The HSPA network would enable Smart to provide wireless broadband with a speed of up to 5.8 megabits per second. The new service is expected to double its 1 million subscribers by the end of 2009.

"At the rate our current offerings are doing, 2 million subscribers is a good target. We certainly hope we can hit that target," said Orlando Vega, chief wireless advisor of Smart.
 
Smart has tapped Ericsson to build its HSPA network as it aims to corner a substantial share of the potential broadband market of 20 million Filipinos in 5 years.
 
"HSPA will revolutionize the wireless broadband, the way GSM did to the mobile phone industry in the Philippines," Ericsson Philippines president and country manager Rajendra Pangrekar told reporters Thursday.
 
"Internet access is evolving just like mobile phone," added Magnus Cal, vice president of Ericsson Philippines.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom has tapped Intel Corp. to roll out its commercial wimax services in the country through Globe Broadband.
 
Wimax, or worldwide interoperability for microwave access, is a technology designed to enable the deployment of wireless broadband access as a cost-efficient alternative to cable and DSL.
 
"Around the world, service providers and governments are deploying 4G (fourth generation) wimax networks to help bridge the digital divide and bring affordable, high-speed mobile broadband to their citizens. Wimax is the right technology, available at the right time for countries to accelerate broadband and aid in economic recovery," Intel vice president and general manager for Asia Pacific said.
 
Merchi Orlina, head of Globe's Consumer Broadband Business Group, said the potential market for wimax in the Philippines consists of about 4 million households or a total of 20 million individuals.

Globe has initially deployed wimax in Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, and Cagayan de Oro.