PLDT defers commercial launch of 5G

MANILA, Philippines — Telecommunications and digital services provider PLDT Inc. is deferring the commercial launch of its 5G services to the latter part of the year following the disruptions brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president Alfredo Panlilio said the pandemic has affected the whole supply chain across all industries.

“Maybe it will be deferred to a later date. But it would be something that we will still get into,” Panlilio said.

The company was earlier targeting to launch its 5G service in the second quarter, initially in select areas.

PLDT’s network rollout has been hampered by the limited mobility because of the enhanced community quarantine imposed in Luzon.

PLDT has been testing 5G “on a proof of concept basis” with technology providers such as China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE, Finland’s Nokia, Cisco Systems of the US and Sweden’s Ericsson.

Through the company’s wireless arm Smart, PLDT has fired up the country’s first 5G base stations in Makati and Pampanga in 2018, transforming Makati City and Clark Freeport Zone into the country’s first Smart 5G Cities.

PLDT said it is best positioned to deploy 5G in the country given its fixed and wireless infrastructure, powered by the country’s most extensive fiber network.