#5G in the Philippines

Nokia recently announced that NOW Telecom selected Bell Labs Consulting, part of Nokia, to create a nationwide network design for 5G Standalone (SA) and design and plan for a national broadband network in the Philippines. Standalone 5G is 5G that is distributed through the 5G New Radio access network. This means that this 5G does not use or essentially replaces the 5G coverage that relies on the current 4G LTE network infrastructure to provide a connection, hence the term "standalone." As part of the agreement, Nokia will design and implement a pilot 5G network at multiple sites in Metro Manila. This initiative is facilitated by the grant received by NOW Telecom from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to support the development of 5G mobile and fixed wireless networks in the country. Nokia says that the development of the 5G Standalone network design aims to "address the growing demand for reliable and secure digital services" in the country. Last year, Metro Manila's 5G speeds ranked among the worst in the Asia Pacific region, as analyzed by independent analytics and wireless company Opensignal. The Philippines remains among the slowest countries in transitioning away from 3G networks, with most mobile users still relying on older devices that do not support newer voice technologies. Read more in our articles including "Nokia, NOW Telecom to develop 5G Standalone network design in the Philippines" and "PH among slowest countries in shift away from 3G".