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Free Wi-Fi deal with Smart boosts Iloilo‘s ‘smart city’ goal

By Perla Lena

October 29, 2019, 6:52 pm

<p><strong>GOOGLE STATION:</strong> Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas (center) on behalf of the city government signs an agreement with Smart Communications Inc. for the free Wi-Fi services via Google Station in selected key public areas in the city on Monday (Oct. 28, 2019). Iloilo City joins the 600 sites in the Philippines identified by Smart for the free Wi-Fi stations. <em>(PNA photo by Perla G. Lena)</em></p>

GOOGLE STATION: Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas (center) on behalf of the city government signs an agreement with Smart Communications Inc. for the free Wi-Fi services via Google Station in selected key public areas in the city on Monday (Oct. 28, 2019). Iloilo City joins the 600 sites in the Philippines identified by Smart for the free Wi-Fi stations. (PNA photo by Perla G. Lena)

ILOILO CITY -- The city government on Monday entered into an agreement with Smart Communications Inc. (Smart), a wireless subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), for the deployment of free Wi-Fi services via Google Station in selected public areas in the metropolis.

“We want Iloilo City to be a smart city. Who else will partner with Iloilo City but Smart and PLDT. I am certain that it is the residents of Iloilo, including all of us, who will enjoy the free Wi-Fi,” said Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas in his message.

The Google Stations will be rolled out in the Iloilo City Hall, the Esplanade, La Paz and Mandurriao plazas, as well as in the Cultural Heritage Tourism Zones of Jaro Plaza Complex, Molo Plaza Complex, and Plaza Libertad Complex.

Arturo S. Carandang, senior manager of the PLDT Enterprise explained that Google Station is a free Wi-Fi project of Google and Smart.

This highly urbanized city is one of the 600 sites in the Philippines identified for the project.

As the signing of the agreement was ongoing, engineers of the firm tried to have the Wi-Fi connection activated at the City Hall and the Plaza Libertad.

Jimmy V. Chua, assistant vice president and head of the PLDT Enterprise One Visayas said they are happy to support the advocacy of the city mayor as they hoped to equip Ilonggos with “world-class Wi-Fi”.

“The access points that we are using are industry grade. We guarantee the stability of this internet,” he said.

He added that they looked forward to collaborate with other projects of the city government in the future.

The Smart-powered WiFi service is already available in other government offices in the country.

The nationwide rollout of Google Station complements Smart’s ongoing network expansion and modernization program across the Philippines. (PNA)


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