Page 84 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

KT Readies SME 5G Test Beds

South Korean operator KT detailed plans trial new services on a research version of billion ($24.3 million) and be completed
to cooperate with the government to build its network. In a translated statement, the in 2023. KT established a taskforce in
5G testing facilities at four sites to allow operator said the 5G convergence service July to lead its backing for a KRW100
small- and medium-sized companies to test bed project is expected to cost KRW28.5 trillion government economic stimulus
program. Yoon-young Park, head of the
taskforce, said KT will create a commercial
standards-based 5G network environment
in which companies can research and
contribute to the industry, with a focus on
services including connected cars, drones,
smart factories and media streaming. Each
research facility will be equipped with a 5G
network running on the 3.5GHz and 28GHz
bands with multi-access edge computing,
mirroring its nationwide commercial
deployment. The core node and base
stations at the sites are linked with the
Korea Advanced Research Network. The
KT Economic Management Research
Institute estimates the socioeconomic
value of 5G commercialization will reach
about KRW42 trillion by 2030.

Experts Warn Of Open RAN Fragmentation

Mobile industry experts cautioned Alliance are working on the approach. He the risk of “making the interoperability
fragmentation and proprietary creep stressed it is “very important to get to one problem become significant enough that
could hamper open RAN’s potential, standard that is clearly interoperable”. we don’t get the widespread adoption that
and called for a single set of standards Mavenir SVP of business development we absolutely need”. Even with standards,
to avoid future interoperability issues John Baker added “we’ve got to make AT&T assistant VP of member technical
as deployments grow. During a Federal sure that open specifications are full staff for access analytics and systems
Communications Commission (FCC) product specifications”, rather than Laurie Bigler flagged integration as a key
forum, Reliance Jio president Mathew simple frameworks which could allow challenge as open RAN deployments grow.
Oommen argued for adoption of a proprietary technologies to “creep back “You really don’t find the issues with the
“common reference definition”, noting into” networks. IBM telecoms CTO Craig specs until you actually try to integrate
several different organizations including Farrell warned loose application of open the equipment of two different vendors
the Telecom Infra Project and Open RAN RAN standards among vendors carries together.”

PLDT’s Smart Kicks off Nationwide 5G Rollout

Smart Communications, the mobile arm of ‘The commercial launch of 5G underscores Pampanga. Further, it has also launched
telecoms giant PLDT Inc., has begun the our commitment to bring the best digital 5G in ‘strategic locations’ in the provinces
nationwide rollout of its fifth-generation technologies to our customers across the of Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and the cities
mobile network, launched in July this year, country’. Smart’s 5G network is currently of Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Taguig,
confirming that 5G deployments will take live in Makati Central Business District Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Paranaque,
place in Boracay, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao (CBD), Bonifacio Global City CBD, Araneta Valenzuela, Caloocan, Navotas, San Juan
– key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao. City, Mall of Asia Bay Area, North Avenue and Pasay.
Alfredo S Panlilio, Smart president and in Quezon City, Taft Avenue in Manila,
CEO and PLDT chief revenue officer, noted: Ortigas CBD, Edsa, and New Clark City in

84 SEP-OCT 2020