In the interest of public safety and security, and upon the instructions of the National Telecommunications Commission and the Philippine National Police, we are temporarily shutting down mobile phone services of Smart, TNT, and Sun in Cebu City, specifically in the areas along the route of the following activities:
· The Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of the Sto. Niño and the Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño on Saturday, January 14.
· The Sinulog Festival Grand Parade on Sunday, January 15.
We will restore our mobile phone services as soon as we are given the go-signal by the authorities. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT MOBILE PHONE SERVICE SHUTDOWNS
The Process
The process is initiated by the Philippine National Police and other security agencies. They file a formal request with the NTC for the temporary suspension of mobile phone services in specific areas. If the request is approved, NTC sends a written order to telecom operators to implement the service shutdown.
On Signal Jammers
Smart does not have signal jamming equipment. We do not conduct signal jamming activities.
Why are some places far from the shutdown areas also affected?
To suspend service in defined areas, we switch off cell sites serving these places. However, the signal of some cell sites in areas farther away may, for various technical reasons, also reach the shutdown zone. For example, some cell sites in higher elevations. We are thus compelled to shut down these cell sites as well.