Fifth generation (5G) network technologies will continue to grow in terms in the Southeast Asian region despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
This is according to network gear maker Nokia who said in a virtual roundtable conference that enterprises at an advanced level of 5G adoption are growing faster than their peers, with more than 10% increase in productivity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Citing its 5G Readiness Report, Nokia also said that while 86% of decision-makers said they have some form of 5G strategy, only 15% are currently investing in its implementation
“5G will bring a quantum leap in low latency and ultra-reliability connectivity that was impossible with previous technologies. Such is the promise of its transformation that, even with the socio-economic challenges caused by the ongoing Covid-19 situation, 5G adoption across Southeast Asia continues to gain momentum,” Carlos Reyes, head of Nokia’s Philippine office said.
“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,” he added.
Nokia said that 5G will be particularly transformative for the Philippines’ asset-heavy industries, namely those that were not able to join the initial “digital revolution” but are now tasked to prepare for the oncoming Industry 4.0 by digitalizing their processes and driving automation.
To achieve new, unprecedented levels of digital transformation, Nokia said that such industries will need to facilitate connections between sensors, machines and workers, all of which require mission-critical, wireless networking solutions.
Speaking of the Philippines, Reyes said “5G will boost the nation’s digital transformation efforts and help it achieve sustainable growth during Industry 4.0.”
“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,” Reyes said.
“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.”
Local telcos are set to use 5G for enterprise-driven services such as AI, Internet of Things, and drones, among others.
Reyes said outside of enterprises, today’s consumers are also demanding services that can only be enhanced via 5G. These include gaming, virtual reality, smart stadiums, etc.
The executive further said Nokia’s Philippine office will continue to expand and in the short term, the company aims to strengthen the organization and align teams to clients.
“The pandemic makes it challenging for 5G deployment. Rollout is not easy, but the next 5 years will be fundamental for 5G,” he said.
