Singapore Goes Big on 5G
Forget the old plan of just two nationwide 5G networks. Singapore’s new blueprint spices things up with up to four 5G networks, all orbiting for launch by next year. The extra pair will keep things localised, covering big‑ticket industrial sites like smart ports and factories where cranes and trucks run on autopilot around the clock.
The New 5G Playbook
- Two flagship nationwide tunnels that will carry the most advanced, non‑4G‑smithed technology.
- Two smaller, agile networks meant for immediate industrial robots and supply‑chain apps.
- All four networks announced on 17 Oct in Singapore – a time that feels almost like a launchpad waitlist for airports.
Why More is Better
Minister S. Iswaran said the new competition isn’t just for bragging rights; it’s supposed to give consumers cheaper data, more choices, and super‑innovative services. “Think of it as friendly rivalry on a high‑speed thread,” he added, while speaking at the second annual SG: Digital Industry Day at Suntec Convention Centre.
The Tech Specs
There are a few fancy numbers to keep in mind:
- 20‑times faster speeds than the old 4G – so video calling feels like a live podcast from the future.
- Capable of supporting 1,000 times more devices per square kilometre – that’s an Internet of Things carnival!
- Ideal for critical applications like driverless rides & remote surgeries that can’t afford a lag trade‑off.
Getting the Airwaves
Operators will submit detailed proposals by next January. The winner(s) will get the 3.5 GHz band for nationwide coverage – a floor to price $55 million each, plus a yearly $154,000 fee spanning 15 years.
They’ll also receive the 26 GHz & 28 GHz mmWave spectrum for free of license fees, with an annual utilisational charge of $1.232 million over 16 years. The smaller networks will just rent the mmWave band, following similar fees, and can piggyback on existing 4G tech to get the ball rolling.
Security & Vendor Diversity
With the US pushing a ban on Huawei across several nations, Singapore kept its door open. “We’ve made security a cornerstone of the call for proposals,” Iswaran said, highlighting vendor diversity and resilience as a must.
In short, Singapore’s revamped 5G policy keeps the islands humming, the tech humming, and the investors murmuring: “If you want the future, strap in – we’re going full throttle!”
Projects on next-frontier 5G apps
Singapore’s 5G Bonanza: From Driverless Dreams to VR Factories
In June, a swanky $40 million research fund—born from the National Research Foundation and IMDA—sprung onto the scene. Its mission? To turbo‑charge next‑frontier 5G applications, so Singapore can keep its cash‑flow open on the global digital economy circuit.
1. Smart Mobility – The Cloud‑Driven Car Revolution
- CapitaLand, Navinfo Datatech, & TPG Telecom are rolling out cloud‑based navigation at Science Park 1 & 2. Imagine a car that sidles off‑the‑road to fetch fresh data from the cloud, leaving the vehicle’s on‑board brain light as a feather.
- Goal: Slash autonomous car costs by letting traffic data live in the sky instead of inside the car.
- They’re also hunting how fast they can harvest data from a wild maze of sensors—road, vehicle, sky—so the navigation stays crisp.
2. Cloud Gaming – Playtime Meets LTE‑5G
- Razer & Singtel are profiling urban 5G networks to let gamers stream ultra‑rich visuals on their mobiles.
- Lag isn’t a game‑changer. Minimal latency is the name of the game for fun‑filled sessions.
- They’re also turning up the science labs to see how buildings, street fixtures, trees, and even a wet drizzle interfere with the gaming mojo.
3. Smart Port – Container‑Beater Machines
- PSA International is partnering with Singtel & M1 in the 3rd quarter to shift shipping containers with driverless machines all day, everyday.
- Outcome: More containers loaded, ships out faster, and a freight playground that’s solar‑powered and friction‑free.
- Trials will also give remote control a chance to become king of port cranes, laying the groundwork for a state‑of‑the‑art Tuas Port—a fortress of efficiency coming online from 2021 in phases.
4. Smart Factory – VR and Sensors for the Future
- A*Star’s Advanced Remanufacturing & Technology Centre set up a pact with Singtel and JTC Corporation to layer 5G into its Jurong Model Factory.
- The alpha lab investigates smart sensors that trawl every corner to locate autonomous vehicles and also spot the next big VR training module for maintenance champs.
- Imagine factory workers strapped in a headset, learning to fix a robot as if it were a cup of coffee—quip? It’s true!
All of this limelight comes straight off The Straits Times, so the world can see Singapore’s 5G fireworks one splash at a time. Permissions to reproduce remain reserved.
