Following to the 5G network commercial launch of Advanced Info Service (AIS) and True Corporation in the areas of city, hospitals, department stores and industrial estates early this year, the network speed did not fully reach its capacity because it was the non-standalone (NSA) 5G network.
Both AIS and True are ready to provide 5G SA (standalone) network by the fourth quarter making them have full speed capacity and have more business opportunities providing cloud-based gaming, AR/VR content and Internet of Things (IoT), machines with remote controllers at the lowest latency. The SA’s latency is less than 10ms., compared to the NSA (less than 15ms) and 4G (less than 30ms).
Piroon Paireepairit, head of 5G working group at True said the network of True is ready to support 5G SA by October this year making the network become fully efficient especially the interactive and massive IoT along with expansion the customer groups from corporates, industry sector, education, retail, healthcare to consumers.
Becoming a new technology definitely needs to create the ecosystem, apart from the network is a variety of 5G devices at affordable prices, not just smartphones. The trial mobile data at no extra charge from existing packages with a wide range of applications will create a new experience to customers.
True has developed the content for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) such as the 360-degree angle perspective content for tourism and movies, working with a cloud-based gaming business partner. True has also created a marketplace for its partners and developers to sell their content directly to True’s customers based on a profit-sharing model.
The price of AR/VR headsets is still expensive, but smartphones at lower than 10,000 baht will be available and there will be 5G Apple iOS for high-end customer groups.
Wasit Wattanasap, AIS Senior Vice President of Nationwide Operations and Support said the 5G SA network coverage expansion throughout 77 provinces is another key milestone of network innovation, a great benefit to the industry sector of Thailand.
The innovation development of 5G network relies on the qualification of 5G SA because of efficiency in terms of speed, low latency, IoT integration, and 5G Network Slicing which is a logical network serving a defined purpose.
At present, AIS 5G network is available in the EEC industrial estate supporting the goods transportation and U-Tapao airport which will be gearing for a smart airport.
