Singtel has deployed its first 5G standalone trial network at its testing facility in Singapore. It is reported that the telco will use 3.5 gigahertz spectrum and Ericsson’s massive MIMO technology for the trial network. The launch will give enterprises early access to Singtel’s 5G network, the telco said in a statement.
Bill Chang, chief executive officer of group enterprise at Singtel told the media, “Covid-19 has brought a new urgency to digital transformation for many sectors. Having unveiled our first 5G use case with our 24/7 unmanned pop-up retail store in September, our 5G SA trial network offers enterprises from across industries the opportunity to develop and test applications to accelerate automation and digitalisation.
“With 5G’s low latency and scalability, enterprises can not only drive efficiencies and make better and more cost-effective decisions but also deliver richer customer experiences. The launch of this 5G SA trial network is also an important step as we get ready for commercial 5G SA. We welcome enterprises to harness the power of 5G to future-proof their businesses and catalyse their digital transformation at 5G Garage.”
In addition, the global cloud-gaming provider Ubitus has used Singtel’s 5G standalone network for a 5G cloud-gaming trial, media reports said. Last month, another Singapore-based telecom operator launched its 5G non-standalone network in Singapore.
M1, which is one of the four major telcos in Singapore, claimed that it was the first to offer 5G access to all its customers without any limitations. During the same period, Singtel launched its 5G non-standalone network and introduced a three-month trial for its consumers.