TM says 5G SA will not reach 50% of APAC in three years

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Operators; 19 October 2023; 10111 views

LIVE FROM FUTURENET ASIA 2023: Telekom Malaysia VP of business innovation and technology Azni Ramlan (pictured, middle) said 5G standalone (SA) coverage will not reach 50% of the Asia-Pacific region in the next three years, adding that operators in the region are still getting to grips with the value of next generation 5G.

Speaking on a panel on the topic of standalone 5G aand discussing the technology's potential for growth in the region, Ramlan said: “We are in the initial stage of realising the value of 5G SA. Three years for 50% of the market - in my personal point of view it may take longer than three years because it requires investment to be done by the whole industry and of course telecom operators.”

Telstra's Head of Product and Technology Operations Joanna Knox concurred, adding that Australia will be one of the few markets in APAC to actually achieve this feat in the next three years.

Ramlan noted that the benefits of 5G SA have long been lauded over the past few years, but stressed that operators must first understand customer needs in order to design solutions based on 5G technology.

She gave the example of an unnamed company to which Telekom Malaysia supplied a private 5G network. This enabled the company to implement sensors and full HD CCTV to enable it to centralise its operations, cutting down costs and man hours. AI is also employed to digest the data gathered from the sensors and camera to enable them to make proactive decisions in their business.