Singtel worked with Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) to develop a customised 5G platform using the operator’s network slicing technology, with the aim to expand the agencies’ capabilities and better protect the city state from evolving threats.

In a statement, the operator explained by allocating dedicated network resources the agencies can improve situational awareness and response, command and control operations, swift threat detection and rapid incident response.

Singtel Singapore CEO Ng Tian Chong added by using its 5G network capabilities security agencies will be able to conduct their operations with “high precision, imperative to safeguarding” Singapore.

The collaboration follows a trial in July 2024 at Sentosa, where the three parties used 5G in video-intensive transmissions and autonomous control of unmanned vehicles and drones.

DSTA director of infocomm infrastructure Wong Chia Sern noted the high bandwidth, low-latency characteristics and network slicing capability of 5G “holds great potential for use in defence applications, enhancing operational flexibility, effectiveness and efficiency”.

Vincent Ho, director of enterprise comms and digital infra at HTX, stated as usage of 5G in Singapore increases it is “imperative we have a dedicated capacity that ensures Home Team operations are not affected even during scenarios where a surge in the number of network connections slows down data transmission speeds for normal users”.