Equipment vendor Nokia, working in collaboration with ST Engineering and SP Group joint venture (JV) SP Telecom, plans to roll out Singapore’s first 5G-ready software-defined network (SDN), which will be located alongside the country’s power grid, to support critical communication services. Under the deal, Nokia will be supplying a full suite of equipment to the JV, including its FP4-based service router, optical transport, Cloud software, service automation and network orchestration. The SDN is scheduled to be ready in 2020, at which time the intelligent data fibre network will enable both fixed and 5G carriers to deploy Cloud-based Virtual Private Network (VPN) and 5G offerings for government and enterprise customers.
SP Telecom’s infrastructure serves as an alternative fibre network in Singapore and uses optical fibre pathways that combine leased SP Group infrastructure and owned fibre pipes, laid alongside the power network cables. It is considered ‘a highly efficient network that supports ultra-low latency for 5G players’.
Commenting, Titus Yong, chief executive officer SP Telecom, said: ‘We are well poised to facilitate the rollout of 5G in Singapore, working closely with our technology partners to deliver a reliable, high-performance and seamless network for 5G players and their customers.’