DITO Telecommunity Corp. said Wednesday it is in talks with phone manufacturers to increase the number of 4G- and 5G-compatible phones.
“While we do understand the excitement and desire of our countrymen to avail of our services, certain older phone models would really not be able to maximize the full potential of the next-gen technology DITO has to offer – like providing high-definition voice calls,” DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said.
“We are continuously working with handset manufacturers to certify and test more DITO-ready phones with 4G VoLTE and 5G technology, so that more Filipinos can experience fast, affordable and reliable connectivity with DITO," he said.
Tamano said given the limited frequencies provided by the government, it was a strategic decision to do a leapfrog in terms of technology and just focus on 4G and 5G.
"This not only serves to deliver on the company’s commitments but more importantly, to assure that the overall network experience brings forward the latest, most advanced digital solutions," he said.
Tamano said that in terms of coverage, DITO network now covers more than the mandated 37 percent of the population.
“We are very happy to see the results of the hard work the entire DITO team has put in, as we have gone beyond the network coverage mandated by the government on our first year. However, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that there is still a long journey ahead of us. We cannot guarantee service in areas which are not yet officially covered by DITO,” Tamano said.
He said that despite the great inroads in speed that DITO delivered to the majority of subscribers, there were pocket areas within the covered cities and municipalities that may experience challenges in service as DITO continues to make network enhancements.
“We at DITO wish to inform the Filipino public that network optimization continues to happen in DITO-covered areas, as well as continuous expansion in other areas to bolster our coverage and capacity, and ultimately ensure that signal and speed live up to the expectation and demand,” he said.
“We also seek everyone’s understanding and patience as we are doing all we can to ensure that every Filipino enjoys the connectivity they truly deserve,” Tamano said.