08 January 2020

IMDA expects to announce the results by mid-2020

Singapore will increase the number of its 5G networks from two to four, encouraging competition and facilitating an early rollout in 2020. 

That is according to global ratings agency Fitch Ratings, which said the decision to increase the number of licenses would intensify competition and spur product innovation, particularly in the enterprise segment.

As a result, this would drive the execution of timely 5G network services in the city-state, the company said in a statement. 

Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) recently announced the 5G regulatory framework to “drive a timely, cost-effective and robust 5G network rollout” by 2020. 

Fitch further noted that the regulator plans to assign 5G spectrum based on the financial standing of applicants and their network security designs.

IMDA expects to announce the results by mid-2020. 

The authority will grant two mobile network operators the rights to operate nationwide networks – as proposed in a public consultation in May - and another two that will have the flexibility to deliver localized 5G services on a non-standalone basis during the initial period.

Since a non-standalone network was less costly, it would give small network operators such as TPG a fair chance to roll out 5G services, according to Fitch.