Are smaller enterprise players ready to digest the 5G fibre market?

AS SINGAPORE gears up for 5G networks next year, the natural assumption is that the country's three major mobile network operators (MNOs) will want to build and own as much of the network as they can.

But they may have to contend with some competition from smaller players who are interested in the enterprise customer segment.

With earlier 2G, 3G and 4G networks, most of the supporting infrastructure was installed and operated by the MNOs. But the roll-out of the much-vaunted 5G nationwide networks will require both mobile base stations and a comprehensive fibre backbone. The vendors for the two elements need not be the same.