AS one of the earliest countries in Southeast Asia to take a lead in the 5G deployment race, the Philippines is now ready to ramp up its digital transformation by transitioning to the next industrial age — Industry 4.0. As such, standalone systems — systems that are entirely 5G-based and do not rely on the previous generation's network architecture — would become increasingly important as the Philippines moves toward Industry 4.0, in which industry becomes increasingly connected. According to McKinsey and Company, Industry 4.0 is expected to deliver between $216 billion and $627 billion in value among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member economies, including the Philippines.

In an exchange of email messages, Carlos Reyes, head of Nokia Philippines, discussed with The Manila Times the essentials of digital transformation, edge computing, 5G and the road to P5 trillion in opportunities that lie ahead.