edotco Group, the Malaysia-based regional end-to-end integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company, recently debuted the first 5G private network at the Langkawi International Airport (LIA) in Langkawi, Kedah.
Video below (hosted by Facebook):
In collaboration with US-based Peatalk Corporation, edotco installed a fully operating 5G network based on 3.5 GHz C-band spectrum to provide coverage inside Langkawi International Airport. In addition, the wireless backhaul solution from Peatalk also includes millimetre wave transmission technology operating in the 70GHz band for over more than 10km without loss of signal integrity.
A backhaul refers to transmitting a signal from a remote site or network to another site, usually in a line of sight. This signal is capable of transmitting high bandwidth at very fast speeds. A backhaul may include wired, fiber optic and wireless components.
Dr. Andy Huynh, the Group COO of Peatalk, told MalaysianWireless that the mmWave Air Fiber backhaul solution deployed at the Langkawi International Airport is transmitted over a total wireless range of around 18km. One part of the signal is transmitted about 10km to a tower located on top of Gunung Raya. This tower is connected to another fiber-connected tower located at Bukit Penarak in Kuah, with an estimated distance of 8km. Dr. Andy Huynh said that this AirFiber technology is capable of providing up to a 40Gbps backhaul throughput and very low latency regardless of weather conditions.
The live edotco 5G network enabled the demonstration of four smart airport use cases in real time, including asset management via smart devices installed on airport trolleys, air quality monitoring, seamless facial recognition for enhanced real-time safety and security as well as significantly increased public WiFi speed at the airport with Internet speeds of up to 1.5Gbps.
In addition, the success of this implementation using alternative technology vendors opens the way for Malaysia to adopt 5G extensively as an enterprise connectivity solution for major industries, edotco said. The company believes that private networks, essentially a standalone deployment of 5G for a location typically for industrial use, will be a major component of the 5G story.
“Today, Malaysia stands at the forefront of next generation connectivity. edotco, together with Peatalk, is pioneering the country’s first 5G private network at Langkawi International Airport. Through the various applications demonstrated, it is clear that 5G has the ability to improve operational efficiencies that will open further opportunities for various industries. At the same time, it will advance our nation’s digital ambitions as we track towards our 2030 Shared Prosperity Vision,” said Wan Zainal Adileen, edotco Chief Regional Officer for ASEAN South.
Wan Zainal Adileen added “The demonstration reflects edotco’s capabilities and ability to pave the way for a robust 5G ecosystem across industries. Applications deployed by the infrastructure has proven to increase speed and lower latency of 5G networks, further enabling improved productivity and operational efficiencies across the board.”
edotco Malaysia is one of eight companies currently participating in the 5G Demonstration Project (5GDP) undertaken by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) that covers nine verticals across six states in Malaysia.
