Smart Communications, Inc., the wireless arm of PLDT Inc., ended 2025 on a stronger note after posting 5% quarter-on-quarter revenue growth in Q4, signaling a recovery from softer performance earlier in the year.
Smart rebounds with higher ARPU and growing 5G adoption
The improvement comes after a 2% revenue decline in Q1 2025, as Smart shifted toward value-led growth through targeted customer initiatives and continued network investments.
Q4 growth was driven by higher Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), fueled by personalized digital offers. Smart Prepaid saw a 5% sequential ARPU increase, while TNT recorded a 3% uplift.
Subscriber numbers also improved, with 606,079 net additions in Q4. Churn remained steady at 2.5% by end-2025.
Network upgrades and expanding 5G adoption further boosted performance. Smart’s network supported 11.2 million 5G-latched devices by year-end, up 35% year-on-year. More affordable 5G smartphones helped drive an 88% surge in 5G data traffic.
Fixed Wireless Access revenues grew 22% year-on-year to ₱1.8 billion, driven by rising demand for affordable 5G routers.
Smart also earned the “Best Mobile Latency” award from Ookla based on first-half 2025 data, highlighting improvements in network responsiveness for activities like livestreaming, mobile gaming, video calls, and mobile payments.
“Our 2025 results reflect solid progress in strengthening customer value while sustaining investments in network quality. We exited the year with improving momentum,” said Lloyd R. Manaloto, FVP and co-officer-in-charge of Smart.
Smart also said accelerating 5G usage and rising device penetration are beginning to unlock new sources of data demand.
“As 5G adoption continues to scale, our focus remains on delivering reliable, high-quality connectivity for Filipinos while supporting the country’s growing digital economy,” Garrovillo said.
Smart remains optimistic about its 2026 growth outlook, backed by continued network investments and expanding digital services.
