Singapore on track to start rolling out 5G this year

SINGAPORE: Singapore is on track to start 5G deployment this year and achieve standalone coverage across the country by 2025, as the city-state seeks to further develop digital infrastructure.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority intends to award 5G spectrum by mid-2020 after earlier receiving three submissions from Singtel, TPG as well as a joint submission from StarHub and M1, Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran said in parliament Tuesday.

Other measures to further digitalisation efforts include:

• Nationwide roll-out of a parcel locker network to improve last-mile delivery infrastructure as e-commerce is projected to grow at 12% to 20% annually until 2025
• Government intends to deploy 1,000 locker stations across Singapore by end-2022; goal to place a locker station around 5-min walk from every public housing block
• Programme to help small and medium enterprises scale and access global markets without needing a physical in-market footprint
• Government support for companies to hire and train mid-career professionals aged 40 and above for tech-related jobs, regardless of whether the person has background in the sector
• Aims to place an additional 2,000 Singaporeans in companies through this programme over next 2 years
• Review of the Personal Data Protection Act with plans to amend the act later this year to strengthen enforcement as well as organisations’ accountability.