Singtel launches 5G standalone trial network for enterprises

Singtel has deployed Singapore's first 5G standalone trial network at its testing facility.

The network offers enterprises early access to 5G so they can develop and test applications and processes, the telco said yesterday.

It uses 3.5GHz spectrum and technology from Ericsson to deliver ultra-fast speeds and low latency or response times.

Singtel's chief executive of group enterprise Bill Chang said: "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."

Enterprises can register at Singtel's website and test-bed applications and technologies at the telco's 5G Garage testing facility at no charge.

Global cloud-gaming provider Ubitus has used Singtel's 5G standalone network for a trial that consistently delivered an 85 per cent lower latency compared with on 4G.

The Ubitus trial was conducted on a multi-access platform that integrates 5G's ultra-low latency and high-bandwidth capabilities with power cloud computing performance.

Singtel said this allows rich graphics to be processed and transferred directly to devices, significantly cutting lag time, which is critical to the gaming experience.

The new 5G technology can be integrated with the Internet of Things, analytics, robotics, artificial intelligence, as well as augmented, virtual or mixed reality.

This enables enterprises across industries to leverage the low latency in applications, requiring little or no lag time, Singtel said.

This could mean remote surgery, smart manufacturing, autonomous driving, remote robotic repair and maintenance, and virtual reality-enabled live concerts.

Last month, Singtel unveiled its first 5G use case with its round-the-clock, unmanned pop-up retail store named Now@Unboxed.

The standalone trial network also follows Singtel's recent launch of its 5G non-standalone network, which rides on existing 4G infrastructure, to offer customers an early taste of 5G mobile speeds.

Singtel said last month that it was on track to roll out its 5G network coverage to half the island in two years, and nationwide by 2025.

Telcos M1 and StarHub plan to jointly roll out a standalone 5G network next year.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority has partnered with mobile network operators to hire and reskill 1,000 professionals to support the 5G roll-out.

StarHub chief of enterprise business group Charlie Chan said that the telco had partnered Nanyang Polytechnic in January and National University of Singapore last December to establish 5G test beds for enterprises, faculty and students.

"We are now facilitating the development of 5G use cases with multiple enterprise partners covering areas such as healthcare, retail, urban solutions and advanced manufacturing," he said.

THE BUSINESS TIMES