M1 had launched 5G SA services in Singapore in July 2021
Singaporean carrier M1 Limited (M1) said it will carry out a multi-year project that aims to provide ubiquitous 5G Standalone (SA) offshore coverage for the southern coast of Singapore, including the surrounding waters of the southern islands.
The telco noted that extending 5G offshore coverage enhances connectivity in the maritime ecosystem and enables new 5G use cases and applications.
M1 also said that the project is also funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
Under the terms of the project, M1 will provide a 5G Standalone network to trial, develop and deploy new maritime 5G use cases under the IMDA Innovation and Ecosystem Testbed Program and the MPA Innovation Lab.
The Singaporean telco also highlighted that the potential 5G use cases are targeted at enhancing the efficiency and safety of maritime operations and management. The use of 5G connectivity includes telemedicine to enable crew welfare at sea, delivery drones, maritime surveillance and autonomous vessels, as well as remotely controlled task-based robots, such as ship inspection and autonomous fire-fighting robots.
“The launch of M1’s 5G Standalone network provides low-latency, responsive, secured and high-throughput mobile connectivity to ensure more precise and reliable communications between the ships and the port. 5G has the capability to resolve long-standing pain points and it will become the natural technology of choice for the maritime industry. As the first country to extend 5G Standalone coverage to sea for maritime operations, M1 is excited to partner MPA and IMDA to co-develop 5G solutions that will not only transform the industry but benefit the whole of Singapore’s maritime economy,” said Manjot Singh Mann, CEO of M1.
M1 Limited had launched a commercial trial of its 5G Standalone network in July 2021. The telco said it was expecting to reach nationwide coverage with its 5G Standalone network during 2022.
In November last year, M1 secured frequencies in the 2.1 GHz spectrum band to support 5G growth in Singapore. “The addition of the 2.1 GHz spectrum band to our 5G portfolio by the IMDA boosts M1’s wide-area coverage for 5G in Singapore, while enabling the flexibility of 3G services to continue. Leveraging both 2.1 GHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum provides greater value of 5G to consumers and enterprises, and is very much a part of M1’s journey to support Singapore’s vibrant 5G ecosystem and its Smart Nation ambitions,” M1 had said.
