MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The world’s most sought after Internet technology is finally in the Philippines as Globe successfully completed the first-ever 5G video call in the country with AIS Thailand through its 5G Mobile Network.
The conversation lasted more than three minutes and was made recently after Globe received the technical call from AIS when the mobile operator tested its own 5G network in Bangkok last Friday, February 21.
Alan Garchitorena, Globe Director for Technology Enablement & Services Planning, took the call from Hui Weng Cheong, President of AIS, as the Bangkok-based company ran its first 5G video call test. AIS is the leading mobile phone network provider and mobile operator of Thailand. It is also a key local and regional associate of Singtel in Southeast Asia.
The call went on without a glitch with zero lag and practically ushered in a new era of mobile experience for both Globe and AIS.
“It went very smoothly. Superb. My appreciation for the support from the Globe Team,” Hui said after the call was made.
AIS has officially acquired its new 5G spectrum the same day it made the call to Globe. 5G is an extremely powerful technology and promises amazing new features. Leading telcos all over the world have been pivoting to 5G technology in the last few years to keep up with customers’ demand for better and elevated mobile experience..
For its part, Garchitorena said that this is solid proof of Globe’s readiness for mobile 5G. “This technology will deliver a new era of digital use for AR, VR, Internet of Things (IoT), industrial applications and much more in the Philippines,” he added.
Globe launched its 5G Fixed Wireless access in June last year to make the Philippines the third country in Asia to have 5G technology. Japan and South Korea were the first two countries in the continent to introduce 5G to consumers.
Globe recently launched the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G, the first 5G capable smartphone in the Philippines. The company is targeting to turn areas within major central business districts (CBDs) to 5G mobile capable sites within the year.
In its 2020 report released by Hootsuite’s “We Are Social”, internet penetration in the Philippines is at 67% which is relatively high compared to other countries. The latest figures show remarkable improvement in internet access and penetration in the country.
The same report also showed that Filipinos spend the most time on the internet in the world with an average of nine hours and 45 minutes a day. The country also registered the longest daily average time logging on the internet using mobile phones with at least five hours and 11 minutes.
