MTel Chairman and CEO Michael Choi Tak Meng said Monday that the government should release details on the city’s future 5G licences so that the local sector can prepare itself for the upgrade as other jurisdiction will launch the service this year.
Choi said that as some jurisdictions are commercialising 5G, or “fifth generation mobile networks”, this year, the local government should release details on its plans to launch 5G and the regulations for the operating licences so that the sector can prepare for the change.
Choi pointed out that his company has already teamed up with science development institutes for research on using fibre optic technology for 5G deployment. According to Choi, Macau could be ready for 5G next year or in 2020.
Currently, the coverage of MTel’s fibre optic network is 82 percent on the peninsula, 87 percent in Taipa and 77 percent in Coloane, according to Choi.
Based on its current fixed line telecom operating licence, network coverage must reach 99 percent by the end of this year.
According to The Macau Post Daily Choi said that the network coverage in Coloane would reach 99 percent after the third quarter this year, followed by Taipa and the peninsula.
According to Choi, the company currently has nearly 6,000 customers.
