Singapore Completes Nationwide 5G-SA Rollout as Operators Begin Network Migration

Full Coverage Achieved

Singapore has reached a milestone in its telecommunications infrastructure upgrade, with all four mobile operators completing nationwide standalone 5G coverage. The Infocomm Media Development Authority confirmed that carriers began migrating customers from older non-standalone networks to the new architecture in 2026, five years after the regulator outlined its vision for a full SA deployment.

The standalone variant runs on dedicated 5G infrastructure rather than piggybacking on existing 4G networks, delivering greater capacity, faster speeds, and more consistent performance. The authority set the end of 2025 as the target for complete geographic coverage, a deadline that operators met.

During the transition period, carriers were permitted to maintain their legacy non-standalone networks alongside the new infrastructure to ensure service continuity for subscribers. This dual-network approach allowed consumers to access 5G services while operators built out the more advanced architecture.

Uneven Migration Timeline

Two operators have already completed their infrastructure shift. StarHub shut down its non-standalone network on May 31, while M1 confirmed that all its sites now operate on standalone architecture. The pair share 5G infrastructure through Antina, a network-sharing joint venture that provides both carriers access to the same SA capacity while they maintain separate retail operations.

M1 noted that Circles.Life, one of the mobile virtual network operators using its infrastructure, has already moved to the standalone network, though MyRepublic continues to rely on 4G connectivity.

Singtel reported that only a small fraction of its customer base remains on the older 5G technology but declined to provide a specific retirement date for its non-standalone network. Simba, the fourth operator, did not respond to inquiries about its migration schedule.

Market observers initially expected the industry-wide transition to wrap up by mid-2026, though that timeline now appears uncertain given the varied progress among carriers.

Spectrum Concerns

The migration has drawn attention to spectrum holdings across the industry. Simba faces particular scrutiny following the collapse of its planned merger with M1 in May and an ongoing investigation into alleged use of unauthorized spectrum.

DBS Research Group highlighted that Simba holds relatively thin SA-capable spectrum compared to other Singapore operators. The analyst firm noted that this limited capacity, combined with a growing active subscriber base, could result in degraded indoor connectivity for the carrier's customers.

Industry Under Pressure

The infrastructure upgrade arrives as Singapore's mobile sector grapples with shrinking margins. Average revenue per user has dropped between 36 and 41 percent since 2017, according to Maybank Research data from 2025. The firm also found that Singapore's ARPU now sits 15 to 40 percent below developed Asia-Pacific peers.

Share prices reflect the sector's challenges. Singtel stock fell 3.1 percent year-to-date through early July, while StarHub declined 9.7 percent over the same period.

Market consolidation may provide relief. Analysts view a merger between M1 and StarHub as probable, particularly given their existing infrastructure-sharing arrangement. A Singtel-Simba combination has been discussed but faces regulatory hurdles due to Singtel's dominant position.

Bloomberg Intelligence data from June showed Singtel commanding 43 percent of Singapore's mobile market, followed by M1 at 22 percent, StarHub at 21 percent, and Simba at 14 percent.

The completion of nationwide SA coverage positions Singapore among the regional leaders in next-generation mobile infrastructure, though operators now face the challenge of translating that technical capability into improved financial performance in an intensely competitive market.