With WiMax already in full--yet incomplete--implementation in the country, telcos are looking to the next wave of mobile Internet, to be powered by LTE (Long-Term Evolution).

To date, Globe and Smart have started their respective LTE tests in the country. "We began the trial of LTE technology early this year in partnership with NEC Corporation & ZTE. Following the lab tests in May at the Globe 3G LTE test bed at the Valero Technopark in Makati, we conducted field trials in Quezon City as part of Phase 1 of this project," Estrada shares.

Smart, meanwhile, has undergone pilot testing of its LTE network in Metro Manila and in Iloilo beginning November 2009. "While many of today's needs can be handled by HSPA networks, we anticipate an explosive demand for even greater bandwidth as more users connect to the web and richer content proliferates. LTE can deliver enhanced broadband capabilities and provide the capacity to support the expected demand for connectivity," notes Orlando Vea, chief wireless advisor, Smart.

Reantaso, meanwhile, said LTE being part of Wi-Tribe's roadmap is but a natural progression in most telecom firms around the world.

The problem with deploying LTE for now, according to telcos, is its commercial viability. "For LTE, there are many factors that will influence when Globe can make this technology available to customers. The first one is in terms of the market itself and the services it needs," Estrada says.