Smart Communications, Inc. through its Vice President for External Relations Mr. Wo Rosete issued a network advisory on December 26 that as of 3:00 p.m., about 86% of Smart’s cell sites in the 14 provinces in South Luzon affected by Typhoon Nina were operating, providing voice and SMS services.
Disruption of services was heavily concentrated in the areas hardest hit by the storm. These are the provinces of:
-Catanduanes, where services were disrupted this morning after the radio transmission link to the island province was damaged);
-Marinduque, where half of the cell sites were operating; and
-Albay, Camarines Sur and Romblon, where about 60% of facilities were operational.
Smart engineering teams have been dispatched to the affected areas and are working overtime to repair damaged facilities. Full restoration of services will however in part depend on the availability of commercial power.