As we step into the 5G era, not only do we require the devices to support the new network standard, but the structure and ecosystem as well that’ll allow Malaysians a seamless transition to faster broadband.
With that in mind, Celcom today launched the country’s first 5G Live Cluster Field Trial to push the development of 5G networking in the country. The six-month trial tests the implementation and usage of 5G in real-life environments. An area of 1.22-square kilometres surrounding Celcom’s office in PJ, including Seksyen 14, Crystal Crown Hotel, MBPJ Tower and Taman Jaya LRT will be blanketed by 5G network, made available via MIMO 64T64R using C-band and mmWave tech.
During a speed demo showcased at the event, the network boasts data throughputs of nearly 6Gbps along with a 10ms latency. Celcom also claims that their 5G tech will allow for clearer voice calls, lower set up times for calls and more. With faster throughputs now it also means that video streaming in 4K and gaming is more efficient.
Of course, this sounds fine in theory, but it still needs to be seen how well the network performs in mass usage. But then again, the trial will allow Celcom to gather learn the user experiences, use cases, network optimization and more to better equip the public with improved networks come the time for mass 5G implementation.