SINGAPORE — M1 customers will get to lead the pack in experiencing
next-generation 4G service at speeds of up to 300 mbps islandwide —
double the current rate of up to 150mbps — the telco announced
today (Dec 2).
Existing and new customers would get to experience the faster
speeds at no extra charge.
An M1 spokesperson said: “Customers will be able to enjoy higher
speeds in more than 95 per cent of outdoor and most indoor areas.
We will continue to review and enhance our network in specific
areas with higher traffic requirements such as MRT stations and
tunnels.”
The typical download speed for the 300mbps 4G service is between 43
and 115mbps as of this month, M1 said.
However, to enjoy higher speeds, customers would need to have
handsets that are compatible with the next-generation 4G network,
or Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) — an upgraded network that
is able to support the higher speed of 300mbps.
Such handsets will go mainstream only by early next year, rival
telco StarHub pointed out.
In response to TODAY’s queries, a StarHub spokesman said its
network is being upgraded continually and download speeds of up to
300mbps are expected to be available nationwide next year, when 4G
LTE-Advanced phone models become mainstream here. He added that by
the end of this month, StarHub’s 4G customers who could access such
speeds would be able to do so in the Central Business District and
key retail hubs such as Orchard, Tampines and Ang Mo Kio.
SingTel said it has expanded the number of locations at which its
customers could access the LTE-A network to more than 40. It added
that it is on track to achieving outdoor coverage of 85 to 90 per
cent by early next year
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