SINGAPORE: Singtel said on Friday (Jul 22) that it has achieved more than 95 per cent standalone 5G coverage across Singapore, three years ahead of the regulatory target of end-2025.
Its 5G network now covers more than 1,300 outdoor locations and provides signal in about 400 buildings as well as places undergound, the telco said, adding that this “effectively (makes) Singapore the first country in the world to be fully covered by standalone 5G”.
The fifth generation of high-speed mobile Internet, 5G promises surfing speeds 20 times faster than what’s offered by 4G networks.
Singtel and a joint venture by StarHub and M1 were issued final awards in June 2020 to operate 5G networks in Singapore, allowing them to deploy nationwide standalone networks that deliver full-fledged 5G capabilities.
“Despite disruptions from COVID-19 and the knock-on impact on manpower and resources, our planners and engineers managed to accelerate our 5G deployment, working through the pandemic to lay the groundwork and build a whole new infrastructure for a secure and resilient 5G network,” said Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, Singtel’s group chief executive officer.
“This means that Singapore can now exploit the full capabilities and best applications that 5G can offer, paving the way for innovation and new growth that will propel our country forward.”