MANILA — Major telco PLDT Inc. has begun building the infrastructure needed to deploy fifth generation (5G) technology in the Clark Freeport Zone, which the company’s management said is part of efforts to deliver fast and affordable mobile services to customers.
This, as PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications have signed an agreement with the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) to launch Clark as its first Smart 5G City in the country.
“Smart is the first mobile network company that will deploy 5G in the country,” PLDT Senior Vice President and Head of Enterprise Juan Victor Hernandez said during its media launch held Monday in Clark.
PLDT and Smart will build its first 5G cell site in the city this month in partnership with international information technology firm Ericsson, it was announced.
The telco is eyeing to deploy twenty-five 5G cell sites across Clark within the next six months.
“5G services can be utilized in various sectors such as transport, energy, health care, residential areas, among others,” according to PLDT chief technology and information adviser Joachim Horn.
Among the features of 5G technology are enhanced mobile broadband connectivity, high speed wireless services and capability to transmit data with minimal delays.
With its capability to deliver extremely high speeds coupled with low latency, 5G provides opportunities for Internet of Things (IoT) applications for Filipinos, as well as smart applications for the transport sector, traffic management, manufacturing, airport and mall operations, logistics and warehousing, retail, customer support, and smart homes, among others.
“Through this pilot deployment, we will be able to test 5G’s capabilities using a live network and develop solutions that will serve the future needs of industries and government, such as autonomous vehicles, connected fleets, and smart buildings and factories,” PLDT and Smart Chief Revenue Officer Ernesto Alberto said.
PLDT expects mobile phones with 5G capability to be available in the country within the second half of next year.
“We are expecting a shift among mobile providers to 5G within the next three to five years,” according to Alberto.
The PLDT official said it will be rolling out 5G on high density areas that focus on improving operations of enterprises.
For his part, CDC President and CEO Noel Manankil said the technology will benefit businesses and communities not only in Clark but the whole country as well.
“We are glad that Clark was chosen to serve as the location for the very first 5G wireless platform in the Philippines. This, we believe, will not only be of benefit to Clark locators but also the many industries, various businesses and communities in the country as well,” Manankil said.
“This undertaking forms part of the vision to help create communities that are smart, technology focused, something that would help keep our country in the right cadence into the future,” he added.
The 5G rollout is part of PLDT’s capital expenditure for 2018, amounting to PHP 58 billion which include allocations for the deployment of its fiber broadband service, in line with the of expansion of its mobile network by providing high-capacity links for cellular base stations.
Smart has been testing 5G since 2016, when it achieved speeds of 2.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) using 100 MHz with latency of just 1 millisecond over a ‘live’ network which is the first in the country.
As part of its 5G preparations, the mobile network provider likewise launched last June its 5G Technolab, the company’s flagship facility for the research and development, standardization, and testing of 5G, which is designed to be a sustainable environment for innovative services. (Aerol John Pateña/PNA)
