SingTel is boosting mobile signals in the basement and offices of 20 buildings in the next three to four months to put an end to 3G connection problems. The exercise of an undisclosed investment is an extension of the telco's $150 million 3G and 4G upgrade efforts completed in April this year.

Specifically, the basements and some levels in several buildings in Changi Business Park will be installed with small cells technology, which are smaller and quicker to install than conventional base stations and radio network equipment. For instance, it will take only days instead of months to install small cells equipment.

SingTel will also install small cells solution to enhance its network capacity in public areas like Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, which tend to be crowded during events like the annual Subaru Challenge or Christmas celebrations.

Mr Tay Yeow Lian, SingTel's vice-president of mobile core engineering, said that the upgrade will improve mobile surfing speed by 20 per cent even when the network is congested. "The chances of encountering a dropped call at these packed locations will also be reduced by as much as 40 per cent," he added.

This comes after SingTel completed its $150 million 3G and 4G network upgrade in April. The telco's souped-up 4G network offers up to 150Mbps surfing speed and improved coverage of 95 per cent of Singapore, including over 800 outdoor locations and 550 indoor sites like shopping malls and offices. The 4G network, however, does not extend to the underground MRT network, for now. SingTel's 3G network now offers surfing speed of 42Mbps, twice as fast as before.