"The provision of mobile communications in the province will contribute to Basilan’s economic growth," said Rolando Peña, Smart’s Network Services Division head.
"This is part of our commitment in making mobile communications technology available all over the country," he added.
Basilan’s six municipalities that are now covered by Smart’s signal are Lamitan, Lantawan, Maluso, Sumisip, Tipo-tipo, and Tuburan.
Smart put up its first cellsite in Isabela City in January 2003. Since 2001, the PLDT Group, of which Smart is a wireless subsidiary, has been working with the local government’s provincial telephone system in upgrading the provincial landline system and linking it to the Mindanao mainland and the rest of the Philippines.
Located just south of the Zamboanga Peninsula, the island-province is surrounded by the Basilan Strait on the north, the Moro Gulf on the east, the Sulu Sea on the west and the Celebes Sea on the south.
Its mostly agricultural land and rich seas is home to around 332,828 inhabitants of unique and diverse cultures, including the Yakans who are considered natives of the island.
The province is in the middle of the western sub-triangle of the East ASEAN Growth corridor composed of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Its geographic location and its political history have contributed to the delay in infrastructure developments.
However, efforts are being undertaken by the provincial government with the support of the national government, development agencies and the civil sector to accelerate the socio-economic growth of the province.
Part of these efforts is providing access to modern communications, including cellular coverage.
Previously, the main mode of communications in the province was via two-way radio. With Smart’s extensive coverage in the area, Basilan is now just a phone call or a text message away.
Seamless coverage via the Smart network is now also being enjoyed along the trade routes of the two main trading ports of Isabela City and Zamboanga City in mainland Mindanao.
Expected to benefit from the service are traders and merchants of the province’s three main agricultural products – carrageenan, coconut, and rubber.
Other value-added services can now also be enjoyed by Basilan residents. Among these are mobile commerce and money transfers via Smart Money and Smart Padala.
Smart is the leading wireless services provider in the Philippines with over 20.8 million subscribers on its network as of end-June 2005 under the brands Smart Gold, Smart Buddy, Smart Infinity, Addict Mobile, Smart Kid, Smart Aces, as well as its subsidiary Piltel’s Talk N Text prepaid brand.
Its nationwide digital communications GSM network and infrastructure now covers 98 percent of the country’s population.