Singapore's mobile operators have achieved a significant milestone in the nation's 5G journey by transitioning to standalone (SA) 5G networks, marking the next phase of the country's 5G roll-out. All four major operators—Singtel, StarHub, M1, and Simba—have now established nationwide SA 5G coverage, enabling them to offer enhanced services to consumers and businesses alike.
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has permitted operators to continue utilizing their existing non-standalone (NSA) networks during this transition period. This approach ensures that consumers can begin experiencing the benefits of 5G services while the operators work to fully deploy their SA networks. The IMDA had outlined its vision for Singapore to adopt 5G-SA networks in 2020, with the goal of achieving nationwide coverage by the end of 2025. With the completion of this transition, operators have commenced migrating their customers from NSA to SA services in 2026.
The SA 5G networks, operating on dedicated 5G infrastructure, offer greater capacity, faster speeds, and more consistent network performance compared to their NSA counterparts. This advancement is expected to drive innovation and support the development of new applications across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and entertainment.
The pace of the transition has varied among the operators. M1 and StarHub have already completed the full transition to SA 5G. StarHub announced the retirement of its 5G-NSA network on May 31, while M1 confirmed that all its 5G sites are now operating on SA. M1 also supports mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using its infrastructure; has adopted M1’s 5G-SA, while MyRepublic continues to use the 4G network.
Singtel has reported that only a small proportion of its customers remain on the 5G NSA network, but the company has not specified a date for the complete retirement of its NSA infrastructure. Australian-listed Tuas Limited, the holding company of Simba, did not respond to media inquiries regarding its transition status.
Industry analysts anticipate that the transition away from NSA networks will be completed by mid-2026, although this timeline remains uncertain. The completion of nationwide SA 5G coverage is expected to enhance Singapore's position as a global leader in digital innovation and smart city development.
The successful deployment of SA 5G networks across Singapore's major operators signifies a pivotal moment in the nation's digital transformation journey. As consumers and businesses begin to leverage the capabilities of 5G-SA, Singapore is poised to unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation in the digital era.
For a visual overview of Singapore's 5G achievements, you can watch the following video:
[Singapore first in the world to be fully covered by standalone 5G](