SMART Communications Inc., the wireless arm of PLDT Inc., has successfully tested the country’s first disaggregated optical transport network at the PLDT-Smart Technolab in Makati, marking a step toward a more flexible and vendor-neutral telecom infrastructure.
The breakthrough in network disaggregation allows telecommunications companies to source hardware and software from different suppliers, potentially improving service delivery, reducing operational costs, and accelerating rollout of new technologies. According to Smart, the test validates the potential of optical transport disaggregation technologies to support a fully disaggregated and cost-efficient network.
“This milestone builds on the momentum of the previous IP transport disaggregation proof-of-concept conducted in 2023,” said Debbie Hu, first vice president and head of Wireless Network at Smart. “It supports our goal of a fully disaggregated, cost-efficient network architecture and paves the way for an open, end-to-end transport infrastructure that’s future-ready, scalable, and vendor-neutral.”
Unlike traditional, vertically integrated networks that rely on a single supplier for both hardware and software, disaggregated systems use interoperable components from various vendors. This model enhances network agility, promotes innovation, and prevents vendor lock-in.
PLDT and Smart have been exploring open and disaggregated architectures across their network segments, including prior initiatives like Open RAN and Cloud-Native Core technologies. Executives say that by decoupling software from proprietary hardware, Smart is working toward a more adaptable and scalable infrastructure.
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