Globe Telecom has conducted field tests of 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) technology using Nokia’s Fixed Wireless Access system, recording download speeds as high as 4.3 Gbps in Zamboanga City.
In tests held at the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 headquarters in Naval Station Rio Hondo, the company reached 4.3 Gbps at a distance of 2.1 kilometers. A separate test nearly 9 kilometers away still registered almost 1 Gbps. The Philippine Marines are the first reported government users of the setup for base-level connectivity.
Nokia provided the mmWave equipment and Wi-Fi 7 support used in the trials. Globe said its early mmWave installations are currently active in Zamboanga City, Quezon City, and parts of Rizal.
The company said it intends to expand deployment as more compatible devices enter the market. According to Globe, the technology may be used in enterprise operations, government communications, and fixed wireless broadband in areas where laying fiber remains difficult.
Lt. Col. Nepthalie C. Papa of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 and Globe executive Gerhard Tan both noted that the tests were aimed at improving connectivity in remote and high-risk environments.
