In a milestone for Singapore’s 5G rollout, local telco Singtel announced on Feb 3 that it has brought 5G indoors at VivoCity, the Republic’s largest mall. The launch represents the first step in Singtel’s expanding in-building coverage to other popular malls like Ngee Ann City and Bugis Junction over the next few months. This is Singapore’s first commercial indoor 5G coverage.
“We are pleased to deliver our 5G speed advantage indoors at VivoCity, just as more people are going out with their friends and family. Singtel 5G provides reliable connectivity and a consistent high-speed experience, making a real difference for our customers whether they are surfing, streaming videos or gaming while on the go,” says Gan Siok Hoon, Singtel’s managing director, sales & marketing, consumer Singapore.
The indoor 5G network runs at a 3.5GHz spectrum and advanced small cell radio dot technology. Users can enjoy ultra-fast surfing speeds of up to 1.2 Gigabytes per second and a consistent and seamless 5G experience. These speeds, claims the local telco, make the Singtel offering Singapore’s fastest 5G network.
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Singtel expects this faster connectivity to catalyse the digital transformation of the retail industry, powering immersive augmented reality and virtual reality experiences. It predicts that customers will be able to enjoy real-time insights and personalised shopping recommendations based on advanced analytics and smart inventory through the Internet of Things (IoT) solutions made possible by 5G.
To showcase the potential of 5G, Singtel has also unveiled its first indoor 5G experience zone at its exclusive retail store on level 2 of VivoCity. Shoppers can visit the store to experience 5G-powered WiFi and stream exclusive ultra high-definition 4K from Love Nature. Users can also visit Singtel’s 5g experience zones at its multimedia kiosks and UNBOXED Lite on Orchard Road.
Singtel has also switched on its 28 GHz mmWave 5G in prime locations to boost its super-fast 5G deployment. It intends to gradually enhance its 5G coverage islandwide to include key residential hubs like Clementi and Punggol since the launch of its 5G network last September.
As at 10.52am, Singtel is trading 0.42% higher at $2.37 with a P/E ratio of 23.23. Dividend yield is currently 4.45%.
