Singtel, Ericsson to launch 5G pilot by Q418

Singtel and Ericsson will launch by Q418 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 Singapore Info-Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA), the pilot network can deliver 5G coverage with
enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) speeds and low-latency communications. The 5G speeds are 10 times faster than average speeds at prevailing 4G rates. 5G will enable the transmission of terabytes of data in minutes and 4K video downloads in seconds.

“5G has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation of industries, as well as empower consumers with innovative applications,” said Mark Chong, Group CTO 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 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 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, where Singtel and Ericsson demonstrated 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 virtual objects such as 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 industries such as medical and education.

“5G represents a key mobile technology evolution, opening up new possibilities and applications,” said 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 is a key milestone in 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.