SingTel and Huawei have signed an agreement to collaborate on 5G research and trials.
The companies used this week's Global Mobile Broadband Forum in Shanghai to announce plans for a 5G Joint Innovation Program.
The program will serve as a research hub for 5G technologies, in preparation for the expected commercial operation of 5G services in 2020.
Huawei and SingTel will also collaborate on a 5G trial in preparation for the commercial development of the technology.
Pre-standard specifications for 5G stipulate a capacity 1,000 times higher than current mobile broadband networks.
“SingTel Group is constantly seeking opportunities to advance the technologies that bring the best communications experience to our customers throughout the region,” SingTel group CTO Tay Soo Meng said.
“We are pleased to participate in this 5G Joint Innovation Program with Huawei to keep abreast and appreciate 5G technologies to ensure SingTel continue its technology leadership in the mobile communications domain as we move towards the 5G era.
Huawei also used the event to introduce a prototype Massive MIMO technology, to address requirements for the evolution from 4G to 5G, as well as the vendor's Sparse Code Multiple Access (SCMA) technology.
Huawei has pledged to invest at least $600 million in 5G research and innovation by 2018.