Singapore operator Singtel and Ericsson have reached download speeds of 5.4 Gbps in 5G Standalone (SA) New Radio-Dual Connectivity (NR-DC), by aggregating Singtel’s spectrum holdings across mid-band spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band and 28 GHz mmWave frequencies.
In a press release, Ericsson said that they have become the first in Southeast Asia to reach these download speeds.
The two companies said that this milestone was achieved in a demo with Ericsson’s 5G Radio Access Network products and solutions and dual-mode 5G core network solutions, as well as a test device from Qualcomm Technologies powered by its Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System.
Singtel noted that 5G SA NR-DC technology which combines mid-band and mmWave frequencies, enabling high-performance and latency-sensitive applications, which can range from cloud gaming, immersive media, AR, VR, XR to autonomous vehicles or robotic control.
The Singapote telco also highlighted that the future implementation of 5G SA dual connectivity in Singapore will help accelerate the adoption of 5G for both consumers and enterprises, create new business opportunities as well as strengthen the local 5G ecosystem.
Ericsson and Singtel had previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with several global industry partners to develop advanced 5G enterprise solutions in Singapore. The MoU will utilize test facilities and capabilities to innovate solutions and scale them for global deployment. The partners are ABB, Axis Communications, Bosch, Bosch Rexroth, Cradlepoint, DHL, Hexagon, PTC and Rohde & Schwarz.
Singtel had announced the launch of its 5G SA network in the country in May. Singtel had partnered with Korean company Samsung to launch 5G SA. The 5G SA sites run on 3.5 GHz spectrum.
Singtel had initially launched its 5G non-standalone (NSA) network in September of 2020, using spectrum in the 3.5 GHz frequency as well as existing 2.1 GHz spectrum.
The carrier said it is using 28 GHz mmWave spectrum, in addition to the 3.5 GHz and 2.1 GHz bands, to boost its 5G deployment in Singapore. Singtel has switched on mmWave in several locations across the island, including Orchard Road, the Padang area and Marina Bay Sands Expo.
Last month, Singapore carriers secured additional spectrum for the provision of 5G services after local regulator Infocomm Media Authority (IMDA) awarded spectrum in the 2.1 GHz band. This spectrum is in addition to the first tranche of 3.5 GHz spectrum awarded in June 2020 for the deployment of 5G nationwide networks.
The successful bidders were Singtel, a consortium comprising local carriers M1 Limited and StarHub and TPG Telecom.
IMDA said that both Singtel and the M1-StarHub Consortium secured 5 lots of 5 MHz paired spectrum while TPG Telecom obtained 2 lots of 5 MHz paired spectrum.
