Nokia sees PHL making rapid progress toward 5G

MULTINATIONAL telecommunications company Nokia Corp. said on Wednesday fifth-generation (5G) technology rollouts continue to gain momentum in the Philippines despite the pandemic crisis.

“Even with the socio-economic challenges caused by the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) situation, 5G adoption across Southeast Asia continues to gain momentum. This is evidenced by the Philippines as one of Southeast Asia’s first countries to roll out 5G — meaning that the nation’s industries, enterprises and people are especially poised to tap into the growth and innovation prospects that the next generation of connectivity holds,” Carlos Reyes, Nokia’s head in Philippines, said at a virtual briefing.

In his presentation, Mr. Reyes said that some of the major industries that would be highly impacted by 5G are ports, mining, and smart cities.

Philippine telecommunications companies are currently accelerating the rollout of their 5G services across the country.

Nokia has partnered with DITO Telecommunity Corp. for the delivery of 5G services to customers in Mindanao.

It also signed a memorandum of understanding with NOW Corp. to roll out a 5G standalone network and explore new opportunities in industrial and manufacturing use cases.

Nokia said it also has a 5G deal with Globe Telecom, Inc.

5G is set to be a game changer for the Philippines’s industries and enterprises. It represents a significant evolution over current LTE solutions, as this next generation in connectivity will empower organizations to achieve the new levels of reliability, security, multi-user capacity performance, and mobility needed for them to make the best utility out of Industry 4.0 technologies and applications,” Mr. Reyes explained.

“5G also builds on LTE vertical differentiating capabilities — with crucial enhancements specifically relevant for industry — to enable it to unlock unprecedented productivity gains and connect all elements of industries and enterprises,” he added.

Nokia currently has 20 commercial 5G deals in Asia-Pacific and Japan.

It is also working with the Philippines’ Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. for the internet service provider’s “ultra-broadband” services.

“Nokia is also collaborating with mobile operator PLDT and its subsidiary Smart Communications to launch enterprise-specific Internet of Things (IoT) services across the country and the deployment of comprehensive service orchestration and assurance solutions across PLDT’s and Smart Communication’s nationwide network,” the company added. — Arjay L. Balinbin