Debated in Parliament on 3 Aug 2021.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) what is the percentage completion of the planned rollout of the 5G network to half the country by 2022; and (b) whether the Ministry has set a target for the total number of 5G mobile subscribers and individual user penetration rates.
5G is a critical enabling infrastructure for the growth of the digital economy. It will facilitate the deployment of innovative applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT) for urban mobility and manufacturing, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, all of which can bring about transformative benefits for consumers and enterprises.
To enjoy its full benefits, Singapore decided that our 5G rollout ought to be based on standalone (SA) rather than non-standalone (NSA) networks. 5G using NSA networks is common elsewhere because they are less costly and faster to implement.
We are on track to meet our target of deploying 5G SA outdoor coverage across half of Singapore by end-2022 and across the nation by end-2025. Trials on 5G applications to drive early adoption are also underway, including trials with PSA Singapore to improve port operations, and trials with Razer and Singtel to deliver higher-quality cloud gaming experiences to consumers.
While the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) does not set targets for the number of mobile subscribers and individual user penetration rates for 5G or other mobile technologies, it facilitates fair and effective market competition in the telecom sector. This in turn promotes adoption among enterprises and penetration rates among consumers. Similar to 3G and 4G technologies, we expect that 5G adoption and penetration rates will be driven by market forces and will take off in good time.
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