Nokia, NOW Telecom and USTDA Accelerate 5G Development in the Philippines

Nokia announced that NOW Telecom has selected Bell Labs Consulting, part of Nokia to create a nationwide network design for 5G Standalone (SA) and design and planning for a national broadband network. As part of the agreement, Nokia will also 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. While the consulting work will start next month, the POC will be carried out in July this year.

The network planning and design by Nokia will help NOW Telecom acquire investment to deploy the country’s first 5G Standalone (SA) network and provide differentiated services.

With Nokia’s support in network designing and planning, as well as its automation software to manage the operation of the network, NOW Telecom will be able to address the growing demand for reliable and secure digital services from both household and enterprise customers. NOW Telecom plans to offer Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) 5G services to connect the unconnected and provide superior network speed and latency improvement.

Enoh T. Ebong, Director of USTDA, said: “This grant demonstrates USTDA’s ongoing commitment to support the development of quality digital infrastructure and increasing access to affordable connectivity in the Philippines. At the same time, this project will expand opportunities for U.S. companies and trusted technology partners to deliver next-generation network solutions in one of the region’s fastest-growing telecommunications markets.”

Mel Velasco Velarde, Chairman and CEO of NOW Telecom, said: “A robust and reliable 5G network will play a crucial role in promoting social and financial mobility and spurring economic growth of the country. Nokia’s proven expertise and the collaboration with USTDA will help us provide a world-class 5G network experience to our people.” 

Stefan Wilhelm, Head of Bell Labs Consulting at Nokia, said: “We are excited that our expertise will make a critical contribution to the development of digital infrastructure in the country. The study by our Bell Labs Consulting will provide NOW Telecom with the required analysis, designs and plans for the phased implementation of the 5G SA network.”