Two decades ago, I was a budding tech journalist writing about how to synchronize my Palm Pilot with website RSS feeds using AvantGo. The Internet was at a kilobyte pace back in the day, and I remember it took me 10 minutes trying to synchronize my favorite websites into my handheld device. It was text only and in monochrome.
So much has changed in 20 years. We’re now in the age of gigabit fiber, WiFi 7, the Internet of Things, and now, a world first – true 5G tech that employs a technology called RedCap. I was surprised to discover that the Philippines is actually the first country in the world to have launched RedCap – which is short for “reduced capacity.” It sounds negative but engineers weren’t always the best marketers. Simply put, 5G tech isn’t just about speeds. It’s also about efficiency. ‘Reduced Capacity’ means allotting the appropriate bandwidth to the corresponding device.
RedCap uncapped
I was a guest panelist at the DITO fireside chat that preempted this RedCap debut and I mentioned how despite only having four people in our household, I have more than 30 connected devices – smart watches, smart boilers, air conditioners, smart plugs, robot vacuums, and a combination of Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire Stick. Not all of these devices need the maximum 5G bandwidth and speed. A true 5G network reduces the capacity of connection to these devices that merely turn on and off or sync less than 1MB of data. That way, the 5G bandwidth is preserved and can be used to power other things such as playing video games online, streaming, and downloading files.
Why would you have an 18-wheeler truck deliver a tiny package from Lazada? It’s the same principle. By reducing the capacity of your Internet connectivity to your IoT devices at home, you get to save bandwidth for the heavy stuff.
So what exactly is the product? It seems that this RedCap tech can only exist in a true 5G native network, that DITO lays claim to since they do not have any legacy hardware (cell towers with 2G, 3G, etc). At first, when I opened the box containing the plug-and-play router, I was expecting typical hardware similar to a mobile hotspot. It is after all grabbing mobile data signals. But when I turned it around, I was pleasantly surprised to discover four RJ45 LAN ports. Oh the possibilities! As a networking nerd, I am able to position this router at the highest point of my home and build a WiFi 6 mesh network around it, powering the entire home!
The need for speed
I remember years ago I was having a conversation with former Senator Bam Aquino and he told me that the means to faster Internet won’t be through a bill – but for more competition. It has been statistically proven that countries with several telco operators have more affordable and faster speeds. DITO’s entry into the market as a young telco is quite disruptive as they’re taking advantage of new technology that legacy networks cannot yet handle.
