Singapore's IMDA to launch 5G consultation this year

The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore has announced its intention to launch a public consultation sometime this year to consider mobile developments related to 5G technology and the spectrum requirements needed to support it. With 5G increasingly becoming a reality, the regulator recognises that the next generation technology will place even greater demand on spectrum resources given it is expected to support a larger range of applications, meeting requirements from ‘high reliability and high bandwidth applications, to ultra-low latency and mobility’. IMDA assistant chief executive Aileen Chia is quoted as saying: ‘IMDA will continue to promote greater technological innovation by encouraging trials in 5G technology to explore its potential benefits and applications’. She went on to point out that with commercial services of the new generation of technology expected to come on-stream from 2020, trials will now take place in a real-world environment to ‘assist the industry in better understanding how 5G will work in Singapore’s business environment and its optimum deployment scenarios’.