StarHub 5G: Test driving the brand-new trial network
PHOTO: Hardware Zone
PUBLISHED ONAugust 31, 2020 2:02 AMByLiu Hongzuo
Trying out a 5G trial
On Aug 18, StarHub announced that users of its new Mobile+ and Biz+ plans could get a taste of their 5G trial network.
In a nutshell, if a StarHub user is subscribed to either mobile plan while using a compatible 5G-ready smartphone, they'll occasionally run into (and experience) what early 5G connectivity and speeds are like.
So, when StarHub offered to let us give their budding 5G network a taste test, we jumped at that opportunity.
With their blessing, we ventured to about ten different parts of Singapore to see if we can genuinely experience 5G-like speeds on our mobile phones.
The promises of 5G
Sure, Singapore isn't that big, but it's still considerable effort to visit specific parts of the island to see videos load faster and clearer, or bigger transfer rate numbers on a screen. To understand why it was worth our time, we first need to understand what 5G offers that 4G cannot.
Firstly, 4G networks offer real-world speeds of approximately 50 to 100Mbps and theoretical maximum speeds of 300Mbps to 1Gbps. Real-world speed is what'd you expect on a good day with a modern smartphone, while theoretical maximum speeds are the upper limits of said network technology.
While that's plenty fast for most folks, it's nowhere near the real-world or theoretical maximum speeds offered by a 5G network. Even at the lower end of the scale, a 5G network should be able to offer real-world speeds starting at 100 to 900Mbps, with a theoretical max of 20,000Mbps (20Gbps).
In essence, even the most rudimentary of 5G networks that rely on 4G infrastructure would see your speed multiplied several times over, provided that you have a compatible phone on hand (along with the right telco to support it).
Another important aspect of 5G is its significantly lower latency when compared to 4G. As consumers, lower latency is most keenly felt in online multiplayer games - the lower your latency, the faster the Internet responds to your inputs.
For the industrialists and businesses, lower latency unlocks the possibility to engage in wireless ways to work that were previously thought impossible. Some sci-fi examples we can give you are, say, a surgeon operating on a patient remotely from his or her home, because the latency is low enough for the robotic surgical room to respond to all the inputs in a timely manner.
More realistically, such lowered latencies can have very visible differences in dedicated wireless communication networks in various industrial sectors and sub-sectors, like logistics, healthcare, retail, and emergency services. Check out more examples of what a really fast future might look like.
So what kind of 5G are we looking at today?
5G in itself wasn't easy to understand because the journey to make 5G possible was tough. For instance, the ultra-high speeds nearer to the upper limit relied on frequency waves that cannot travel as far as 4G's waves and making 5G possible indoors or underground is another challenge altogether.
You could read a much older article we have about why 5G wasn't even viable back then. Thankfully, the network industry progressed and overcame many of these roadblocks, which is why we're seeing 5G popping up in various countries, and now Singapore.
As consumers, we need to understand that two types of 5G make up the overall 5G network:
- 5G NSA stands for 5G Non-Standalone. This type of 5G rides on the broad coverage offered by 4G using some network magic and cutting-edge networking technologies. It also provides 5G speeds towards the lower end of the scale. Nearly all countries with 5G networks started out by deploying 5G NSA, telcos and their technology partners were able to use existing network infrastructure to give 5G a head start.
- 5G SA stands for 5G Standalone. Basically, 5G SA runs on built-to-spec 5G infrastructure. Such equipment gives us access to more frequency bands with faster maximum speeds, across wider tracts of land, on top of supporting more devices simultaneously. Since the infrastructure has to be laid down from scratch, it'll take considerable time before it's properly installed and ready to go live. A typical telco investing in 5G SA can expect to take three to five years to get such infrastructure into place.
At this point, the 5G trial network that StarHub users are currently getting is the first signs of 5G NSA. This explains how StarHub was able to quickly get some samples of 5G going when other telcos are still busy planning their roadmap after IMDA announced the winners of the 5G spectrum.
Testing StarHub's one-week-old 5G NSA network
By now, most folks would understand the speed of the network is dependent on many factors beyond the control of the telco and yourself, e.g. your mobile device, your choice of telco, where you physically are, what's the weather like, which server you're connecting to.
The list goes on. We mention this because we tried to eliminate as many variables as possible during our speed test.
Another point to note was StarHub's 5G trial network, which was barely a week old when we got our grubby hands on it. At launch, it had 53 per cent coverage in Singapore's populated areas (it increased to 60 per cent coverage when we were testing).
In short, StarHub's 5G trial network is something similar to a public beta of sorts, with a 50-50 chance of making a successful connection if we follow their chart and recommended 5G testing locations.
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Also, StarHub said that its coverage is strictly outdoors - so testing attempts indoors or near a significant indoor landmark (like a mall or MRT station) may affect 5G connectivity at the point of publishing this article.
It would be unwise to expect a completely bug-free, glitch-free 5G experience. In fact, it was quite the hassle trying to 'catch' 5G connectivity. Imagine playing Pokémon GO where the critter is not only completely invisible, but the UI also offers no clues on whether you're nearer or further to a suitable base station or beacon.
For example, one of the recommended locations mentioned Harbourfront but that doesn't mean anything unless we stumbled upon the sweet spot, which isn't a big spot to begin with; your connectivity could vary greatly just twenty steps away.
Also, there's no reason for the phone to switch to 5G if it thinks that the 4G signal there is strong enough, so it's plenty of repeated manual checks and resets in between each finding. The entire journey was exhausting, but it's to be expected when you're trying out a beta service that's not blanketing the island.
Still, as testers, we wanted to push the boundaries of what the StarHub 5G network in its current state can do, so we did visit some places of our choosing to ensure a fair mix. We even included an area that did not have StarHub's 5G network simply because of its relevance to Singapore, along with what's to come.
Before we go on to the test results per area, here are our testing parameters:
- The testing app was none other than the latest version of Speedtest by Ookla app available on the Google Play Store.
- We used a competing telco's 4G network as the 'control' - to see what the 4G speeds are in the same area, at the same time. In our hands-on, we'll refer to the control as "the 4G network". Ideally, we should test StarHub's own 4G network as a comparison, but unfortunately, we weren't able to get access to one to level the playing field. That said, the focus of the article is to get a glimpse of what 5G offers and not an absolute network performance test expectations from an actively used 5G network.
- We will be revisiting the story with figures from StarHub's own 4G network in the following week, so stay tuned for the update.
- We used two identical phone models - the Oppo Find X2 Pro - where one had access to StarHub's 5G network, while the other was connected to the competing telco's 4G network.
- Both handsets were tested against third-party, independent servers - namely, fdcservers.net and OVH Cloud.
- Other than that one area that had no 5G connectivity, we would constantly find ways to make the 5G-capable unit latch onto the 5G network. It involved nothing more than the liberal use of Airplane Mode or restarting the phone. For the 4G network control unit, we simply ensured it was at full signal bar during the test, or the highest possible number of signal bars for that area.
- Other than the areas where we tested indoor connectivity out of sheer curiosity, we stuck to the outdoor spots where we were most likely to get a strong 5G connection.
- All speed tests were conducted while stationary, with one test device in each hand.
- Testing commenced from 11am on Aug 28 and lasted through the night. This would mean the network loading levels at various test spots would widely vary as we made our way around the island.
So what did we find out after 17,000 steps on our steps tracker, two phones with nearly depleted batteries, and having SafeEntry'ed Singapore in so many places? Read on.
Central locations
We've tried our starting point, Plaza Singapura, as well as several popular landmarks around town. Orchard Gateway wasn't a recommended spot, but it was important for us to see how much of a difference it would be inside a mall.
Note: for all locations, we'll use the format of showing you our test spot, followed by the competing 4G network's speed test scores, and finally StarHub's test score.
Plaza Singapura
Plaza Singapura offered a really promising start to our 5G testing, offering about 5x the speed and at least half the latency of the 4G alternative.
Cuppage Road (Junction of Centerpoint and Orchard Point)
StarHub's 5G connectivity at the mouth of Cuppage Road offered double to triple the speeds and a fraction of the latency. Still looking good, since it's way above average 4G performance even if it's not blazingly fast like what we saw in Plaza Singapura.
Orchard Gateway (indoors)
Frankly, it was a pleasant surprise when we saw the same blazing fast speeds seen outside Plaza Singapura because StarHub specifically told us that they have yet to activate the 5G base stations indoors.
The other test run for StarHub is what we actually expected in a spot without 5G connectivity - it should simply default to the regular 4G network speeds.
South of Singapore
For this part of our sunny island, we went to Marina Bay Sands because the new Apple store was slated to launch there, and because MBS is an important landmark that represents Singapore on an international front.
While MBS doesn't have the 5G trial network active at the time of writing, we're still curious as to what test numbers would show up, especially since we had a competing 4G network in our other hand.
Harbourfront was a 5G location listed on StarHub's website, but it was really difficult to find the sweet spot. More details below.
Note: for all locations, we'll use the format of showing you our test spot, followed by the competing 4G network's speed test scores, and finally StarHub's test score.
Marina Bay Sands (Apple Store)
We did not expect 5G connectivity because there was none at MBS at this point. However, the StarHub test runs still brought in relatively better results despite not having the 5G advantage here.
Marina Bay Sands (The Shoppes)
This time round, the competing 4G network fared better, but it's clear that heading below ground level is generally not a good idea if you want strong, reliable connection no matter the type of mobile network.
Also, this sates the curiosity of wondering whether StarHub 5G is available in places that are not advertised at launch.
Bus stop outside VivoCity (Telok Blangah Road)
While it did better than the competing 4G network, we were supposed to get 5G connectivity at this particular spot. StarHub is aware that we didn't get the 5G speeds we expected here, so we expect this to be rectified in due time.
West of Singapore
Two locations stood out in the West - we wanted to know what 5G connectivity was like within the vicinity of Jurong East MRT station. Also, StarHub mentioned that West Mall in Bukit Batok had a good test spot as well.
Note: for all locations, we'll use the format of showing you our test spot, followed by the competing 4G network's speed test scores, and finally StarHub's test score.
Cross junction outside of JEM
At about twice the speed of regular 4G, the StarHub 5G trial network holds up nicely for the folks in the West side. What stood out was the latency, which is at least 17 times lower on 5G.
Outside West Mall in Bukit Batok
Again, the 5G trial network proved its superiority despite its infancy, with double the speed and a fraction of latency. Upload speeds were however lacking.
North of Singapore
Over at Woodlands and Bishan, we wondered how the 5G network would've coped with peak hour traffic and usage. After all, the trial network still relies on 4G infrastructure to carry its network bandwidth.
Note: for all locations, we'll use the format of showing you our test spot, followed by the competing 4G network's speed test scores, and finally StarHub's test score.
Opposite Causeway Point
The 5G trial networks by StarHub has been showing rather consistent performance of ~160Mbps, which barely broke the scale of 5G standards. We should, however, take into consideration the timings and location of this particular test.
It's evident that the influx of human traffic can have an adverse impact on network connectivity, which is what helps StarHub's 5G trial network stand out with more than 10x the speed even during challenging peak hours for networks.
Bus stop outside of Junction 8
At 3x the speed of 4G in the heart of Bishan, we are certainly pleased with the performance of StarHub's 5G trial network for consumers thus far. Again, it seems like the newborn network is barely getting a sense of itself, with its baseline 5G speeds and all.
Perhaps it would boast higher numbers when more base stations are activated during its roll-out phase in the future. That said, do note that the 4G performance figures are from an actively functioning network with hundreds if not thousands of users versus StarHub's trial network that hardly has active users at this juncture.
East of Singapore
With just about every cardinal direction covered, we inevitably headed east for our final set of tests. StarHub recommended both the Marine Parade and Pasir Ris locations, but we took them on anyway because most of the previous examples we had weren't in residential estates.
Note: for all locations, we'll use the format of showing you our test spot, followed by the competing 4G network's speed test scores, and finally StarHub's test score.
Blk 75 Marine Drive
At double the 4G speed, this is pretty decent performance for a low density area that's not an ambitious mall or public transport area. It's likely this is an area where one particular 5G network station is live, so we can expect to see greater speeds as StarHub continues to expand its coverage.
E! Hub at Downtown East
Looks like we've run into another exceptional high-speed location. At 258Mbps with latency as low as 16ms, StarHub's 5G trial network is very much alive and well here. It's more than triple the speed and up to six times lower the latency when compared to regular 4G.
Our thoughts on StarHub's nascent 5G NSA network and connectivity
Across the board, StarHub's fledgeling 5G trial network seems rather promising with its reported speeds of 150 to 180Mbps in most parts of Singapore (at least for the locations we've tested), with some exceptional speeds approaching 300Mbps.
While the reliability and speed consistency between different areas will need some patching up, the current results are quite promising for something that's only been out for a week or so. Latency, on the other hand, was significantly more consistent throughout.
Perhaps what we would like to see more is wider coverage for existing areas, so that the trial users aren't necessarily confined to very narrow thresholds for heart-stopping speed.
The tests in the South side of our island are a good example of how important coverage is when it comes to better network consistency for a seamless 5G experience. Additionally, users shouldn't have to be manually trying to figure ways to latch on to the 5G network and it should hopefully take place seamlessly.
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We believe this will improve with time - after all, that's why 5G NSA exists: to ride on existing 4G infrastructure in order to expand faster than 5G SA networks can.
If it worked for other 5G-ready countries, it makes sense for ours to follow just as easily. The speeds will only go much faster once 5G SA networks start popping up as well, but that won't be happening anytime soon.
Next to a 4G network, any 5G network would figuratively eat it alive and whole, and even StarHub's trial 5G network for consumers was able to decimate regular 4G speeds rather consistently as well. The testing spree also led us to imagine how mobile plans and bundles of the near future will look like.
For reference, the published test results alone would tell you I've expended about 2GB worth of mobile data per device, with a lot more that went into repeated testing.
That said, do note that we're using a test SIM card provisioned by StarHub which would likely not have any network management features enabled. More so, the 5G network is brand new with a very limited user base if any at this juncture.
As such, the results we've seen may not be representative of an active network with hundreds if not thousands of users at any one spot. To truly ascertain 5G network performance, we'll have to revisit this when the networks are no longer on trial and have a reasonable user base.
So while it's still too premature to make any conclusive statements, we still think that the 5G network in Singapore (not just StarHub's) seems like a promising upgrade. If you're already on their Mobile+ or Biz+ plans, lucky you. But you'll still need to get a compatible 5G handset.
If you're wondering if it's time to replace your handset for 5G-ready ones, don't forget to stop by this article as well.
StarHub's perspectives on 5G in Singapore and the future
Of course, StarHub is incentivised to be one of the first telcos to make consumer-accessible 5G available in Singapore. We spoke with StarHub's Chief Technology Officer, Chong Siew Loong, very briefly about StarHub's eagerness to get a 5G trial up and running, even if it's just barely the tip of the vast 5G iceberg.
At the risk of oversimplifying the topic (because we were eager to get the testing going): the advent of 5G would make industries and the telcos that support them rethink about how we prioritise data transmission and truly milk what 5G has.
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Earlier on, we gave some sci-fi, and realistic examples of 5G use cases in various industries - and that's because those are genuine problems that StarHub is hoping to solve with 5G networks. The launch of a trial network for consumers is, in a way, showcasing the real-world applications of 5G connectivity to help various industries get their brain juices flowing.
Another key to the success of 5G is the ability to implement network slicing. 5G offers a much more comprehensive range of channels because it sits on a far broader spectrum, and the network also has the ability to 'slice' specific networks out for particular uses.
A consumer example would be a unique 5G mobile plan that has excellent 5G gaming connectivity while offering regular 5G connectivity for every other Internet-driven task, such as movie streaming and voice calls. Network slicing offers a sort of data priority that 4G previously did not have.
The other contributing factor is Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) that helps 5G services to be deployed quickly and broadly over existing 4G spectrum. This requires both a DSS enabled 5G smartphone and a DSS-enabled network.
This article was first published in Hardware Zone.