Telecommunications giant PLDT Inc.’s wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. is partnering with Washington DC-based Omnispace LLC to explore the possibility of harnessing space-based 5G technology using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.
In a statement on Thursday, PLDT-Smart said its pioneering foray into satellite-powered communication is “part of a broader initiative to deliver world-class customer services across the country,” complementing the nationwide rollout of its fiber infrastructure and wireless networks based on 4G and 5G technologies.
“This collaboration with Omnispace will allow our companies to work together to define use cases for the Philippine market,” said Arvin Siena, head of PLDT’s Technology Strategy and Transformation Office.
PLDT-Smart said among the possible use cases of satellite-powered communications in its network include enabling 5G connectivity in remote areas, incorporating internet of things (IoT) and sensors for use in monitoring weather disturbances and natural calamities, and augmenting network coverage for disaster relief, maritime and telematics for vessels and equipment.
“This is also part of PLDT’s broader initiatives to future-proof our services, including Smart 5G. This includes exploring opportunities to team up with companies like Omnispace, to test the interoperability of our network with their 3GPP-compliant 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN), which will support the 5G ecosystem of the future,” Siena said.
The 3GPP or 3rd Generation Partnership Project is a partnership of telecommunications standard development organizations that develop standards and protocols for mobile communications systems.
“We are excited to announce this collaborative agreement with Smart Communications, which shares our vision of delivering reliable mobile connectivity to consumer, government and enterprise users, everywhere,” said Brian Pemberton, Omnispace chief commercial officer.
“Together with Smart, we seek to bridge the digital divide, while also providing the communications infrastructure to power the development of the Filipino economy of the future,” added Pemberton.
PLDT-Smart’s foray into satellite-powered communications coincides with the entry of American billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink into the Philippine market.
Starlink announced it will launch its Low Earth Orbit satellite internet services by December this year with deployment expected within the first quarter of 2023.
Starlink Internet Services Philippines Inc., SpaceX’s wholly-owned Filipino subsidiary, received the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) approval earlier this year as a value-added service (VAS) provider.
The said service offers high-speed, low-latency satellite internet service with a download speed of between 100 Mbps and 200 Mbps. —Ted Cordero/KBK, GMA News
PLDT-Smart, Omnispace to explore space-based 5G, LEO satellites
Source: News Panda Philippines
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