Smart Backs EdgePoint’s Deployment of Solarized Cell Towers in Off-Grid Areas

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), the wireless arm of PLDT Inc. (PLDT), is partnering with independent tower company EdgePoint Towers Inc. (EdgePoint) in its rollout of solar-powered telecommunication towers across the country, starting with 20 Smart-leased sites in off-grid areas.

As part of its ongoing efforts to integrate sustainability into its partnerships with tower companies, Smart is looking to optimize EdgePoint’s solarization initiative to boost energy security and resilience of network operations and scale up connectivity availability in the country’s underserved areas.

PLDT Chief Operating Officer and Network Head Menardo Jimenez, Jr. underscored the importance of this measure amid the volatility of global oil prices and supply, lowering operational exposure to price surges and reducing reliance on fossil fuel.

By replacing diesel with solar energy as the main power source for telco towers, Smart and EdgePoint are fortifying operations in areas where electricity supply is inconsistent in order to keep services up even during prolonged outages, severe weather — helping ensure that customers stay connected when it matters most. This move is also expected to reduce the costs of transporting fuel to power up facilities in remote areas.

“Ensuring reliable connectivity is our foremost priority, especially in communities where power supply is unstable. Solarizing these towers significantly improves uptime and service continuity by giving our equipment a more dependable energy source for our network,” said Jimenez.

This initiative also supports the PLDT Group’s decarbonization roadmap, which aims to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 from a 2019 baseline.

Across the solarized towers, installed solar capacity exceeds 181-kilowatt peak, complemented by installed battery capacity of over 20,000 ampere-hours. This transition is expected to reduce reliance on diesel, reducing consumption by approximately 198,000 liters annually and avoiding around 545 tons of carbon emissions each year.

PLDT and Smart Chief Sustainability Officer Melissa Vergel de Dios highlighted how the initiative contributes to broader initiatives to embed sustainability into PLDT and Smart’s network operations.

“For us, sustainability is not separate from network performance—it strengthens it. By shifting to cleaner energy sources, we reduce emissions while making our network more reliable and future-ready. Our partnership with EdgePoint accelerates our progress toward building a low-carbon and resilient digital infrastructure,” said Vergel de Dios.

“We are proud to power up Smart’s sites with solar infrastructure and to continuously work alongside the company in strengthening sustainability across its network operations,” said EdgePoint CEO Suresh Sidhu. “As demand for connectivity continues to grow, it is critical that infrastructure evolves in a way that is both resilient and environmentally responsible. Our goal is to deliver dependable, energy-efficient tower solutions that not only help operators like Smart expand reliable connectivity to underserved and remote communities but also significantly reduce the environmental footprint of network operations. By integrating renewable energy sources into our infrastructure, we are lowering carbon emissions and decreasing reliance on traditional power sources while remaining committed to innovation and operational excellence.”

In August 2025, EdgePoint joined PLDT and Smart’s supplier workshop, which aimed at cascading the group’s policy on biodiversity conservation and strengthening integration of sustainability into network rollout and supply chain operations.

Smart and EdgePoint continue to collaborate on expanding the adoption of solar-powered solutions and energy-efficient processes in support of the UN SDGs 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and 13: Climate Action.