CTM and China Telecom (Macau) have won the licenses to operate 5G in the city. The first step is taken, now that they have finally been awarded. Analysts suggest that the 5G network will lead the transformation in crucial areas. However, they point out that the Macau government seems unable to create concrete regulations that will allow the full potential of this technology to be exploited
Although 5G licenses in Macau have been under discussion for some time, they have only now been finalized, with the development plan for the telecommunications market and the industry’s application of 5G technology still unclear.
According to the vice president of the Macau Synergy Association, Johnson Ian, the government still has no regulations to support telecommunications development or urban planning.
He points out that this technology is not new and that Macau is a few years behind its neighbors, such as Hong Kong.
Also read: Macau launches public tender for 5G licenses
However, the licensing process was delayed due to problems with CTM’s network, and in the end, licenses were only granted to two operators out of the four that participated in the contest, directly affecting consumer choices.
“In the end, the loser is the government, the city and its entire population. It looks like it will be a bumpy road.” Agnes Lam, a professor at the University of Macau’s Department of Communication, tells PLATAFORMA that the number of operators participating in the tender was lower than expected, as was all the market enthusiasm during the contest.
The professor points out that 5G technology is mostly used to support other industries and there is a lot that can be done with this network infrastructure.
Also read: CTM and China Telecom secure 5G service licenses
But questions, “How to do it? With fewer carriers and reduced competition, what will happen to prices? There are still many uncertainties, we are just at the beginning.”
PENDING REGULATIONS
For Agnes Lam, the development of the 5G network and its related industries depends on future economic recovery, with the need for specific regulations to be implemented by the Government.
She says there is great anticipation for the potential of this technology worldwide, and its uses in future development in Macau, including urban construction, new industries, and more.
Also read: 5G phones may interfere with aircraft: French regulator
“Without a concrete construction plan, the pace will always be slow. However, planning in Macau still seems to me to be very much conditioned by the epidemic. I even question whether the government has a clear plan to implement in the future. After the licenses are granted, what should be done next?
For the researcher, the Government should be clear about the main focuses of the 5G network, namely, the industries that can be created, its use in research, and especially its practical applications in the everyday life of the population.
“I believe that the Government needs to devote more time to this practical side. Everything that attends our lives is capable of creating an industry, but I don’t think we have reached that stage yet. The 5G network will not just be used for watching online videos. If that were the case, the current 4G would be fast enough. There is still a lot to do and it has to be as fast as possible.”
So, a computer science worker, points out to PLATFORM that the strengths of the 5G network are its stability and speed, so it is ideal for the development of autonomous driving vehicles, telemedicine and the Internet of Things.
Also read: China has 180 million 5G device connections
“One such example includes the autonomous driving of high-speed trains. 5G technology can also help control traffic, without the need for on-site police to control it, as is currently the case in Macau.”
He adds that the 5G network will help drive the digital transformation of various industries, such as medicine.
As an example, he highlights Ali Health, a subsidiary of Chinese tech giant, Alibaba, whose smart healthcare helps professionals diagnose patients remotely.
However, he says he is not aware of any concrete government measures to develop these areas.
Also read: China says that US lies about 5G and has dirty cybersecurity record
“We have the 5G ‘base’, but what about its future?”.
The industry professional also confesses that many people confuse the 5G network with other computing concepts and cites the metaverse phenomenon as an example.
“To develop a metaverse, internet speed is not the most important thing, but the connection between virtual assets and the real world. Macau doesn’t even mention this aspect. They think that the metaverse is just wearing some glasses and having an avatar online. All this is already possible with the 4G network, it is not related to 5G technology”.
PART OF A WHOLE
Johnson Ian points out that although Macau is not a city known for its technological innovation – it only enjoys the technology – with the 5G network it is connected to the world. The analyst points out that although 5G is a great help for telemedicine, there are several unsolved problems, including ways to cooperate with other areas and data transfer.
Therefore, he believes that should Macau develop these smart industries, the main issue will not be the use of 4G or 5G, but rather the government’s way of thinking. Taking the frequent failures of health codes in recent years as an example, Ian points out that the Government’s application of information technology still needs to be improved.
Also read: Uncertainty continues to surround Macau’s projected gaming revenue target for 2023
He also emphasizes that there is a shortage of human resources in the city to develop 5G and its applications. To attract these professionals, it is necessary to know whether Macau has attractive industries and whether the Government is willing to do so. Another issue will be employment.
So believes that with the development of technology some intensive manual jobs will be replaced, but for this a new generation of talent in telecommunications and artificial intelligence has to be created.
