Singtel Has Begun 5G Mobile Network Coverage on the North East Line

Interior of a North East Line MRT train. (Image: SGTrains File)

Local telco Singtel announced on May 9, 2022, that all 16 MRT stations on the North East Line (NEL) are now 5G-enabled for its customers.

The underground MRT tunnels are currently covered by 3G and 4G networks, with the new 5G network said to be at least 10-times faster than the existing 4G network.

Singtel Extends 5G Network Coverage Across North East Line

“First to bring you 5G on the MRT” (Screengrab: Singtel/YouTube)

First 5G network coverage roll-out for an MRT line

Singtel — also Singapore’s largest telco — mentioned that this is the first 5G roll-out for an MRT line in Singapore.

It has stated on its microsite that the 5G network coverage covers over 1,000 locations across the country, including all 16 MRT stations along the NEL and its adjacent shopping malls.

According to The Straits Times article on May 10, 2022, the telco mentioned that providing 5G connectivity across underground MRT lines is “more challenging”.

It added that there are “complexities involved with enclosed spaces as compared to above-ground deployments”.

5G mobile network can deliver speeds of up to 1.2Gbps

The Singtel 5G microsite also demonstrates the mobile network speed improvements when compared side-by-side with the 4G network.

A mobile speed test conducted by the telco, utilising Ookla’s Speedtest service, showcased the 5G network performing at over 1.2 to 1.3 Gbps in peak download speeds, with the 4G network managing only 0.2Gbps.

However, according to real-world tests by HardwareZone in October 2020, the 5G network performance may differ between users depending on where they are connecting from.

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Related Links
North East Line – SGTrains

External Links
5G – Singtel [Accessed 22 May 2022]
FIRST to bring you 5G on the MRT – Singtel/YouTube [Accessed 22 May 2022]
Singtel 5G NOW: How fast is Singtel 5G? – Singtel/YouTube [Accessed 22 May 2022]
Singtel extends 5G to North East Line MRT tunnels; StarHub, M1 aim for nationwide 5G coverage in 2022 – The Straits Times [Accessed 22 May 2022]
Singtel 5G: Test-driving the red camp’s 5G trial network – HardwareZone [Accessed 22 May 2022]

Images by SGTrains File and Singtel/YouTube.
This article first appeared on SGTrains.