Swedish network gear maker Ericsson staged last Sept. 17 its “Imagine Live 2024 Roadshow” in the Philippines to emphasize the importance of 5G technology for the country’s digital economy.
Ericsson said 5G technology offers faster data rates, with peak data download rates of 20 Gbps and peak upload rates of 10Gbps. This speed also reduces latency by minimizing data travel time across networks, enabling real-time 5G applications.
In terms of data management, 5G can handle higher data volumes and efficiently cover a massive number of connections using deployed radio sites and spectrum. Upgrading 4G sites will lead to a 10-fold increase in capacity and 30% energy savings.
According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, there were 1.9 billion 5G connections globally by the end of the second quarter of 2024, and it is projected to reach 5.6 billion in 2029, accounting for 60% of all mobile connections.
The Philippines lags behind in 5G adoption, with only 13 million (9%) of total mobile subscribers having access to 5G.
Andres Vicente, head of Ericsson Southeast Asia, Oceania, and India, sees this as an area for improvement and a strong potential for better coverage, consumer experience, and digitalization through 5G adoption.
He identified four value pools to be explored in the country, benefiting enterprise, public sectors, and consumers. These include leveraging existing use cases, expanding into adjacent profit pools, differentiated connectivity solutions, and open programmable networks for ecosystem growth.
Vicente emphasized that the time to invest in 5G is now, and Ericsson, being a 5G performance leader and handling 50% of the world’s 5G traffic outside of China, is ready to provide its expertise.
Paul Joseph V. Mercado, undersecretary for special concerns of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), expressed the DICT’s support for digitalization in the Philippines, stating that it is no longer an ambition but an essential component of national progress.
Mercado highlighted DICT’s projects that would benefit from 5G technology, including the National Fiber Backbone, Free Wi-Fi Program, and the eGov PH application.
He shared that DICT has conducted 1,027 information and communication technology (ICT) training sessions, attended by 113,599 participants, to address the skill gap in the country.
This has contributed to the growth of the Information Technology – Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry, generating $40 billion in revenue and creating 1.84 million jobs this year.
