Smart Communications, the second largest mobile operator in the Philippines, announced it is collaborating with Nokia to pilot standalone (SA) 5G services for the education sector.

Under a newly-signed MoU, the companies will work together to identify real-world and enterprise-led 5G applications for use in schools and universities, Smart Communication’s parent company PLDT said in a statement.

The work will be performed through the combined capabilities of the operator’s 5G Technolab in the city of Makati and the Nokia Technology Centre in Quezon City.

Ernesto Alberto, the Smart Communications’ chief revenue officer, said it and PLDT are “excited to work with Nokia and academe in realising our 5G vision”.

Jae Won, head of Asia Pacific and Japan at Nokia, said the 5G SA deployment goes beyond speed, enabling Industry 4.0 services such as real-time remote control of robotics and autonomous driving of transport vehicles, with technologies including network slicing helping to deliver ultra-reliable and low-latency communications.

Smart Communications, with a 44 per cent market share by subscribers, also is working with Ericsson and Huawei on 5G trials.

The operator launched its 5G Technolab facility in June 2018, to handle R&D, standardisation and testing of 5G.