Page 78 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

South Korea and Japan Surge Ahead in 5G Speed

It’s been more than a year since the first important distinction that those outside experience” while a score between 65 and
commercial 5G network was introduced, the telecommunications sector might be 74 equaled “very good video experience”.
and while there are now a number of unaware of: 4G and 5G standards are not Here, four countries (the Czech Republic,
countries globally that have rolled out mutually exclusive. In fact, as progressive the Netherlands, Austria, and Norway) all
some version of a high-speed 5G network, network upgrades occur as telcos adopt tied for first place, while Japan, Singapore,
it appears that Asia Pacific (APAC) 5G technology, much of the underlying and Australia were the only APAC nations
countries are leading the way in terms of infrastructure is most likely down to 4G (as well the only non-European countries)
5G speeds and network experience. In its capacities that have been established to be rated as having “excellent video
latest study The State of Mobile Network and are capable of handling large data experience”. The report’s findings highlight
Experience in 2020: One year into the 5G loads. Other nations that now have 5G and that 5G-ready countries experienced better
Era, consumer mobile industry observer have an average downlink throughput of download speeds by 24.9% than their
Opensignal collected data from over 43 above 40 Mbps are Norway, Australia, and counterparts that haven’t introduced the
million devices to analyze the mobile Switzerland. Interestingly, despite only standard, but they make up a minuscule
experience of consumers in a new era of just introducing its 5G network, Canada proportion of users. In comparison,
connectivity that 5G is supposed to enable. is already seeing download speeds on more countries have more matured 4G
Using data from the first few months of par with South Korea, both coming in at penetration, with nearly 30 nations scoring
the year, South Korea and Japan occupy a benchmark-setting 59 Mbps – 50% 4G availability ratings above 90% and
the first two spots with average downlink faster than their fellow G7 nations France, serving a combined population of over
speeds of 59 megabits per second Germany, Italy, UK, and the US. In terms 680 million people – indicating the most
(Mbps) and 49.3 Mbps, respectively. of top mobile network experience in APAC connected phase in human history. While
South Korea was also the first country cities, Hong Kong came out ahead of South 5G network introductions are expected
to roll out commercial 5G, and as of last Korea’s Seoul and Singapore, which is not to slow for the rest of 2020 as regional
month, the country has over seven million introducing 5G standalone networks this economies recover from the after-effects
subscribers using a 5G handset across its year. Hong Kong and Seoul are already of the COVID-19 pandemic, rollouts
three major carriers, marking an extremely running non-standalone 5G access, along should resume in earnest in 2021. 5G will
productive adoption of the new wireless with Taiwan’s Taipei and Japan’s Tokyo be a crucial enabler of other emerging
standard with a 9.7% 5G penetration rate that came in fourth and fifth, respectively, technologies like artificial intelligence
in the country. Japan only started rolling in terms of network experience. The study (AI), automation, and the potential to
out 5G infrastructure earlier this year, but also analyzed connectivity’s impact on interconnect a far greater number of
it does have the highest 4G availability. video experience, using a point scale Internet of Things (IoT) devices, opening
Japanese residents are predominantly between zero and 100 to measure video a vast new landscape of connection and
connected to 4G networks (98.5%), and experience quality – a score of 75 and communication possibilities.
their superior network speeds highlight an above qualified as “excellent video

StarHub Starts Six-Month 5G Trial Using

2100MHz Spectrum

Singaporean mobile operator (SA) 5G services using its newly
StarHub has confirmed that its six- acquired 3.5GHz spectrum.
month Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G Nokia has been confirmed as the
trial has started today (18 August), technology partner that will deploy
using 2100MHz spectrum. StarHub’s 5G network. StarHub’s
Customers subscribed to Mobile+ 5G signal currently covers 53% of
or Biz+ plans will be able to Singapore’s populated areas and
automatically experience some will expand to reach 70% coverage
early 5G benefits using compatible by September 2020. The areas
mobile devices that are currently include busy locations and major
available on a commercial basis. residential hubs, such as Ang
The 5G trial will run until 16 February Mo Kio, Bedok, Central Business
2021. By mid-2021 StarHub District, Clementi, Jurong, Orchard,
expects to offer Standalone Tampines, Woodlands and Yishun.

78 AUGUST 2020