By Carlos Reyes
THE NEXT frontier of the human experience has long been tipped to be that highly anticipated intersection between the physical and digital realms: the metaverse. Broadly defined as an immersive digital networked experience, the metaverse promises to comprehensively augment our interactions and generate new opportunities through seamless, real-time virtual interaction and the rise of a virtual ecosystem.
As one of the fastest-growing digital economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, it is no surprise that the Philippines has signaled a strong interest in the metaverse. Surveys have shown that Filipinos are the “most interested” in virtual worlds globally — with 2,421 searches related to the metaverse per 1,000 people — and have a highly positive outlook on the metaverse. Yet, while most references to the metaverse focus on consumer applications, it also offers equally boundless potential for Philippine enterprises and communication service providers (CSPs), and their clients, that are open to exploring this new space.
METAVERSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTERPRISES
Industrial and enterprise applications of the metaverse span a wide range. For instance, BMW has built a digital twin of its electric vehicle (EV) facility in Hungary, which is still under construction. This allows BMW to test for, identify and solve potential issues with the factory in the metaverse, helping to minimize risk and reduce both costs and time-to-market. In a similar vein, these digital twins could greatly streamline and accelerate operations for Philippine enterprises with dispersed facilities across the archipelago.
In a study we conducted with EY, enterprises saw the highest potential in the use of extended reality for training to onboard and upskill the workforce. For instance, 3D simulations of on-the-job situations in the metaverse can be useful to practice real-time response under pressure, especially for technical or customer-facing roles. At the same time, enterprise metaverses are also expected to be able to bridge the gap between operational headquarters and the factory shop floor by linking up with the industrial metaverse — greatly improving collaboration between sectors.
We also found that early metaverse adopters were reporting more benefits than those who were still in the planning phase, most notably in capital expenditure reduction (15%), sustainability (10%), and safety improvement (9%). Notably, 80% among them believed that the metaverse would significantly impact the way they do business. So, it stands to reason that Philippine enterprises should prioritize early adoption of metaverse technologies to reap its full benefits.
HOW CSPS CAN SUPPORT THE METAVERSE CHARGE
The metaverse is built on the foundations of four distinct building blocks: devices, platforms, applications, and — most importantly — connectivity. The more immersive the metaverse experience, the greater the degree of connectivity speed and bandwidth required — which next-generation connectivity networks such as 5G, 5G-Advanced, and even 6G are designed to provide. However, metaverse development relies on these technologies already being in place, which underlines the critical role of CSPs in advancing the Philippines’ metaverse play by laying the connectivity groundwork.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, access to the Internet is still Manila-centric, and only 56.1% of households in the country have Internet access. Not only is it imperative for CSPs to bring Filipinos across the country online, but they must also ensure that the connectivity infrastructure can cope with the demands of emerging technologies such as the metaverse. For instance, there have been plans announced to create a nationwide network design for 5G Standalone, as well as design and plan a national broadband network. A pilot 5G network is also expected to be launched at various sites across Metro Manila.
With the metaverse already generating significant data traffic on networks and expected to expand data usage by over 20 times in this decade, CSPs must optimize their networks for speed, resilience and capacity to prepare for the explosive traffic growth that will inevitably accompany mainstream metaverse adoption. This also extends to Wi-Fi networks, particularly given that wireless virtual reality and augmented reality devices are likely to be the main access terminals for this new experience.
STANDING AT THE CUSP OF A NEW METAVERSE AGE
While most references to the metaverse focus on consumer applications such as virtual concerts and immersive entertainment, it can also offer unparalleled advantages for both CSPs and enterprises. CSPs are in the driver’s seat to shape the metaverse trajectory in the Philippines, especially given that latency and access will significantly affect the viability of mainstream metaverse adoption. Meanwhile, Philippine enterprises can already begin exploring how the metaverse’s features can transform their business and operations.
The Philippines’ various digital-friendly policies and progressive collaborations have already identified it as a suitable environment for the metaverse to flourish. With the proper infrastructure and supportive initiatives in place, the Philippines is well-positioned to be a global trailblazer in leveraging the full benefits of the metaverse for long-term social and economic growth — reinforcing its reputation as a forward-looking digital economy leader, in ASEAN and beyond.
Carlos Reyes, head of Nokia Philippines.
Opportunities within the metaverse for Philippine enterprises and CSPs
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