CTM Network Services Vice President Declan Leong Pui Hong told reporters on Monday that the progress of setting up the city’s 5G internet network was “ideal”, adding that Macao would have full indoor and outdoor 5G coverage by the end of December.
Leong made the remarks on the sidelines of the opening of the Pui Ching Middle School Smart Solution Research and Development Lab.
Leong said that the company finished setting up 5G outdoor coverage in June, while Shenzhen in August was the nation’s first city to achieve full outdoor and indoor coverage. Leong added that Macao was keeping up with the progress and aligning its development with the most advanced 5G technology cities in the world.
When asked whether the government has already approved the company’s 5G licence, Leong said he understood that the government needed to follow certain procedures before handing out the licence. He also said he believed the government would grant the company a 5G licence soon.
According to Leong, 5G internet’s per unit transmission would be cheaper than 4G because of its special characteristics. However, he added that 5G would use more electricity and therefore his company was communicating with the government to negotiate a better price for the general public. He also said that the price would be announced after the government granted his company the licence.
When asked what the benefits of having 5G in classrooms were, Leong noted that schools now have a lot of subjects related to information technology (IT). He also said that 5G means faster internet, which can help pupils to develop more complicated applications.
Leong also pointed out that his company would be working with other industries, such as gaming businesses, banks, and the education sector. He pointed out that Pui Ching Middle School is one of the companies’ first collaborations in the education sector, adding that in the future, CTM would continue to work with different schools to enhance their classroom and distance learning environment.
Pui Ching 5G smart lab
During the opening ceremony of the school’s “5G Smart Solution Research and Development Laboratory”, Pui Ching Middle School Principal Kou Kam Fai said in a speech that the lab features a virtual reality (VR) application that can give users a virtual tour of the collections in the school’s Chinese Culture Museum, adding that it gives pupils the opportunity to study Chinese cultural heritage with the help of 5G technology and VR goggles.
Kou said that the lab also includes a centre for the pupils to learn more about service robots and underwater robots. He pointed out that the lab “took advantage of the ultra-high-speed, low-latency and high-connectivity features of the 5G network to conduct various research projects”.
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
PHOTO © The Macau Post Daily/Prisca Tang
