Docomo unveils fastest ever broadband speeds up to 5-gigabits per second, 'symmetrical' upload and download speed
Docomo Pacific is bringing first-to-the-island broadband internet speeds of up to 5-gigabits per second, new company President and Chief Executive Officer Christine Baleto announced at a "fiber open house" at Docomo headquarters on Friday night.
"We have the fastest and most versatile speeds capable of empowering every resident in the Marianas," Baleto told the crowd gathered for the open house.
Along with the announcement came a tour of Docomo's new "fiber experience room," a simulated smart home showcasing what customers can do with the new high-speed capability, powered by fiber optic technology.
Using 5-gigabit internet, the simulated smart home handles Wi-Fi-connected lights, doorbell cams, and appliances all controlled from a user's smart device and voice-activated using Amazon Alexa. At the same time, users can engage in online gaming and movie streaming services.
Customers can tour the fiber experience room during store hours, or smaller setups at the Micronesia Mall and Agana Shopping Center.
"We are building an exciting future for our islands by investing in cutting edge technology infrastructure and most importantly, our people," Baleto said.
"We envision homes across the islands where telemedicine is accessible, smart homes are the norms and businesses can thrive in an increasingly connected world," she said.
That increased speed comes in handy for households where multiple people may be using devices at the same time, according to Docomo Vice President of Fixed Network Operations Ron Brewster.
"As people in your house use more and more data, it becomes more important to have speed," Brewster told the Pacific Daily News.
"So maybe you individually, don't use all of that speed, but where that speed comes in handy is when you've got four or five people in your house consuming a lot of bandwidth at one time," he said.
Besides being faster, Docomo officials say the new tech is also "symmetrical" meaning users can upload just as quickly as they download.
Traditionally, download capacity is bigger than upload speed, but with everyone having the ability to take 4k video with their phones, and more people creating content, that upload speed becomes a bigger deal, he said.
With symmetrical speed, "you can be downloading games, and you could be uploading a video at the same time, and it doesn't slow you down," he said.
All that's possible by Docomo running high-speed fiber optic lines not just to people's neighborhoods, but directly into their homes, preserving the speeds they receive and reducing latency, according to Brewster.
With much of Docomo's network damaged after Typhoon Mawar, the company took the logical step of reconnecting customer homes using the new fiber tech.
Docomo is moving to spread the new tech to the whole island, but customers can check whether it's available in their area by checking the Docomo Pacific website.
They can also call (671) 688-2273, (671) 689-2372, or (671) 683-8122.
Much of Yigo, Adacao in Dededo, and parts of Sinajana, Talo'fo'fo', Toto, and Yona are already set up for new 5-gigabit speeds, according to Xyon Campos, a direct sales representative for Docomo.
Yigo, one of the hardest hit by Mawar last year, now has the biggest fiber install, Campos said.
"This is revolutionary. I'm relatively young. I grew up playing games, so having that kind of background helps me understand the potential and capabilities that fiber can provide families," he said.
Scharlyssa Untalan, Docomo outbound direct sales supervisor, said it's exciting to see the comeback the company has made since Mawar.
With fiber in the home, Docomo has different internet speeds that are ideal for everyone from customers who do small tasks like checking emails or streaming Netflix, to families with college kids, gamers, and streamers who need big internet speeds, Untalan said.
Customers can sign up for 500 megabits per second, 1 gigabit per second, or 5 gigabits per second.
