U.S. gov’t provides $2M grant for PH’s 5G deployment

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The United States government is providing Philippine-based telecommunications firm NOW Telecom Company, Inc. with a US$2.15 million grant for a feasibility study on the development of reliable and secure nationwide 5G mobile and broadband networks in the Philippines. 

NOW Telecom will be working with New Jersey-based Bell Labs Consulting, part of Bell Labs, the research arm of Nokia, to conduct the study.

“This 5G grant demonstrates the U.S. commitment to developing quality digital infrastructure and increasing access to affordable connectivity in the Philippines,” Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink said.

DICT Undersecretary Nuestro said, “The open innovation platform that this partnership seeks to give will enable the broader Philippine society to take a leap towards a connected future.  We welcome these opportunities that will improve the lives of Filipinos.”

Under the USTDA grant, the feasibility study will provide NOW Telecom with the necessary analysis, designs, and plans for the phased implementation of the project. It will also include the establishment of a 5G pilot network at multiple sites in Metro Manila to validate network performance, test 5G use cases, and provide data to inform larger scale deployment.

This project aims to support the digital transformation of the Philippines by helping to meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth, reliable, and secure digital services from households and industry in the Philippines.