SINGAPORE – Telecommunications companies Singtel and Ericsson will launch by the fourth quarter of this year Singapore’s first 5G pilot network at one-north, the country’s science, business and IT hub.

 

Using Ericsson’s 3GPP standards compliant 5G technology with the trial spectrum allocated by the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA), the pilot network can deliver 5G coverage with enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) speed and low latency communications.

 

With speeds that are 10 times faster average speeds than prevailing 4G rates, 5G will enable the transmission of terabytes of data in minutes and 4K video downloads in seconds. Industries such as transportation, healthcare and manufacturing can leverage 5G to accelerate digital transformation and deploy advanced automation technologies.

 

“5G has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation of industries, as well as empower consumers with innovative applications,” said Mr Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer at Singtel. “We are pleased to take another bold step in our journey to 5G with our 5G pilot network at one-north and invite enterprises to start shaping their digital future with us.”

 

Singtel and Ericsson are also planning drone and autonomous vehicle trials on their 5G pilot network later this year at one-north and other designated areas. Enterprises can use the network to develop new 5G use cases and tap the business potential of 5G.

 

“This is an encouraging step towards commercialisation with live 5G trial networks made possible with the regulatory sandbox IMDA has in place,” said Ms Aileen Chia, Deputy Chief Executive and Director- General (Telecoms & Post) at IMDA. “IMDA will continue to work closely with mobile service providers such as Singtel in their journey to build communication capabilities of the future and complement Singapore’s efforts towards a vibrant digital economy.”

 

Singtel announced the launch of its 5G pilot network at the “Bringing 5G to Life” event held at Singtel Comcentre today, where Singtel and Ericsson demonstrated cutting-edge 3D augmented reality (AR) streaming over a 5G network operating in the 28GHz millimetre wave spectrum.

 

The first-of-its-kind demonstration enabled participants to view and interact with lifelike virtual objects such as a photorealistic human anatomy and a 360-degree image of the world. The immersive experience was then streamed in real-time to a remote audience via 5G, illustrating the possibilities of using 3D AR technology for large scale remote learning in various industries such as medical and education.

 

“5G represents a key mobile technology evolution, opening up new possibilities and applications,” said Mr Martin Wiktorin, Country Manager for Ericsson Singapore, Brunei & the Philippines. “We believe that 5G will play a key role in the digital transformation of the Singapore economy. Demonstrating the possibilities in this showcase event will be a catalyst for engagements with Singapore enterprises.”

 

The event showcases the emerging technologies from partners – Garuda Robotics, Intel, Meta, Rohde & Schwarz and Sony. The companies demonstrated how enterprises and consumers can use technologies such as AR, mixed reality, connected drones, real time HD 3D mapping as well as cloud- based gaming and robotics.

 

The event is a key milestone achieved by Singtel and Ericsson’s 5G Centre of Excellence programme, which was established in 2017 to facilitate the development and deployment of 5G across Singapore. The programme features four main pillars: upgrading of employees’ skills, technology demonstrations, live field trials and collaborations with tertiary institutions.