The installation of a 5G network for full outdoor coverage will be completed at the end of this month and introduce a string of new technologies, CTM Network Services Vice President Declan Leong Pui Hong said yesterday.
Leong made the comments after letting reporters experience the superfast speed of its 5G network around the Ruins of Saint Paul’s, a back alley in the city centre and near S. Domingos Church.
Leong said that the full outdoor coverage marks the completion of the first phase of the construction of its 5G network, and the start of the second phase, which includes enhancing indoor coverage with the introduction of new technologies such as network, slicing, edge computing, low-latency, massive connectivity among others over the next 12 months.
‘Macau 1st in Asia’
“As far as I know, we’re going to be the first [city] in Asia to have full outdoor coverage,” Leong said.
With so many base stations in the city, a reporter asked Leong if they would have an impact on people’s health. Leong replied that there are regulations in place that monitor the health and safety standards when this equipment is used, pointing out that the equipment CTM is using is from the biggest factory in the world, and all of its equipment has passed all the necessary health regulation evaluations and certifications. He did not identify the factory.
Leong reassured the public that CTM would also carry out health impact tests, pointing out that since Macau is a relatively small city with a high population density the distance between base stations is very close so that the usage rate of each base station would be very low, lower than health impact limits.
“Radiation won’t be a matter of concern,” Leong insisted.
However, since the company is yet to be granted a 5G licence and is still awaiting arrangements on spectrum details, Leong said that CTM was not yet able to set the respective prices and tariffs, but was already carrying out research on the city’s expected demand and development as a basis.
According to CTM’s information, with sufficient spectrum resources, the theoretical speed of CTM 5G network could reach 2.6 Gbps, while the average speed of the network would stand at 300 Mbps.
Leong yesterday conducted a speed test with the media in the city centre that showed the downlink exceeded 1.2Gbps in the area between the Ruins of St Paul’s and Largo do Senado, and it took less than 10 seconds to download a 1GB video by using CTM’s 5G network.
CTM Network Services Vice President Declan Leong Pui Hong shows reporters 5G network speed test results in one of the back alleys near the Ruins of St Paul’s yesterday. Photo: Monica Leong
