Nokia, StarHub conducting South East Asia's first live 5G NSA network trial

Earlier this week, StarHub announced that it has chosen Nokia as a preferred 5G technology partner and by mid-2021 the company will provide ultra-fast and ultra-responsive 5G services on a 3.5GHz spectrum on a standalone architecture to underpin next-generation ICT and digital innovation for Singaporeans.

Nokia along with its long-standing partner StarHub is conducting South East Asia's first live 5G non-standalone (NSA) network trial across Singapore, the Finnish telecom company said on Thursday.

The 5G network trial running until 16 February 2021 will allow the Singaporean telecom company to deliver higher data bandwidth and reliable connectivity to its subscribers without a major infrastructure overhaul.

With ultra-fast speed and ultra-low-latency upgrades, StarHub will be able to improve the user experience at busy locations and major residential hubs across the South East Asian country. Nokia said that StarHub will progressively expand the 5G NSA network coverage and it is expected to reach 70 percent by September 2020.

"This project marks the beginning of a new chapter in the long-established partnership between Nokia and StarHub. It will allow us to align with Singapore's Smart Nation vision to create a world-class 5G infrastructure. We are excited to continue supporting StarHub in its mission to make 5G services a reality and a success in Singapore," said Ngiam Ming Kin, Head of Singapore at Nokia.

The network trial is utilizing Nokia's end-to-end core and radio solutions including Nokia NetAct, a field-proven and widely-deployed network management system that provides network operators with a comprehensive view of multiple networks and technologies, such as 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G to reduce manual processes and enhance network quality.

Earlier this week, StarHub announced that it has chosen Nokia as a preferred 5G technology partner and by mid-2021 the company will provide ultra-fast and ultra-responsive 5G services on a 3.5GHz spectrum on a standalone architecture to underpin next-generation ICT and digital innovation for Singaporeans.

"At StarHub, we are excited to be the first to offer customers in Singapore the 5G experience. To help us evolve quickly and easily towards 5G NSA, we chose Nokia's Single RAN portfolio as it brings new capabilities, improved network efficiency, and end-user experience. We look forward to harnessing the full potential of 5G for Singapore," said Chong Siew Loong, CTO, StarHub.