With most of the technology buzz centred around artificial intelligence (AI), the focus has shifted from one of the core enabling technologies that has made AI so accessible: fifth generation mobile telephony or 5G.
With the first 5G networks rolling out in South Korea and the US around 2019, the latest mobile connectivity network has matured considerably, reaching over 1.6 billion users globally over the past five years.
Offering connectivity speeds that range from 100 megabit per second (Mbps) to one gigabit per second (Gbps) 5G offers, on the average, a 10 times faster connectivity bandwidth than the 4.5G network that it replaces.
Apart from connectivity speed, 5G networks offer a substantially reduced latency that ranges from 1-10 milliseconds as compared to the 20-50 milliseconds that typical 4.5G networks offer. Latency refers to the amount of time needed for data sent over the network to go to its destination and come back with the relevant information.
This allowed for more applications and use cases utilising both the lower latency and the higher bandwidth. These range from industrial use of Internet of Things (IoT) for factory automation to AI use case that enabled arge amounts of data to move through the mobile network.
With such key advantages, 5G must be treated as “a strategic AI enabler, not just a telecom upgrade”.
This was one of the key insights from the new report published by the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) titled Leveraging 5G to Accelerate AI-Driven Transformation in ASEAN: Imperatives, Policy Insights, and Recommendations.
Despite 5G’s transformative potential, the report revealed that countries in ASEAN lag behind regional giants like India and China in 5G adoption and deployment, risking the region’s competitiveness in the face of digital capabilities.
“2025 marks a critical juncture in the global deployment of 5G technology. Timely adoption is necessary to get the advantages of 5G-AI synergy,” said NUS LKYSPP’s Professor Vu Minh Kuong at the report’s launch event.
As the one who prepared the report, he highlighted that ASEAN countries must accelerate adoption of 5G in the next five years to strengthen the foundation for the next digital leap, such as 6G, AI and more.
The report was launched at an event hosted by the LKYSPP on July 22, that gathered leaders from the private, public, and academic sectors.
The event featured a panel discussion moderated by Prof Vu with speakers including Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)’s Director of Tech Policy, Arisa Siong; GSMA’s Head of Public Policy and External Affairs, Jeanette Whyte; Komdigi Indonesia’s Digital Infrastructure Strategy and Policy Director, Denny Sellawan, and Qualcomm’s Vice President of Global Government Affairs, Becky Fraser.
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Opting for an industry-driven approach
A necessary shift to unlock the full potential of 5G was to move from infrastructure rollout to delivering industry-specific services, as highlighted in the report.
This would help to create value, ensure economic impact, and commercial viability beyond connectivity, shared Prof Vu.
An example of this was Tuas Port in Singapore, which has been leveraging 5G to enhance its operations with the objective of developing a fully automated, AI-powered logistics ecosystem.
The port began pilot projects in 2022, with iterative testing of network slicing and ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) to refine use cases before full-scale deployment.
IMDA’s Siong shared that timely adoption of 5G was essential to the success of Tuas Port, as this gave time to roll out trials and experimentation.
She added that IMDA recognised the transformative potential of 5G, which led to significant investment for early trials and development—first for commercial enterprises before expanding use cases to other sectors.
“Tuas is a living model of how AI and 5G can work together to drive transformation. 5G enables new opportunities that are not possible with 4G,” said Vu.
Affordability and coordination needed
With Singapore as the exception, its neighbouring countries continue to fall behind when it comes to digital transformation, AI adoption, and economic growth, the report noted.
Regional fragmentation has been identified as a factor hindering scale, investment, and interoperability of 5G deployments in the region, according to the report.
The unequal development across the region was brought up during the live Q&A session. The report also sought to address the factors behind current patterns and disparities in 5G adoption across the region.
GSMA’s Whyte noted the importance of recognising the gaps in infrastructure and investment capabilities. Greater unity and collaboration are necessary to find solutions toward higher affordability and to not leave people behind, she said.
The report highlighted that digital leaders across ASEAN must act in coordination to prevent further fragmentation that slows the adoption of 5G and ultimately limits the competitive potential of the region, said Prof Vu.
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Taking challenges as opportunities
The different realities of ASEAN countries was not always a negative point. Prof Vu highlighted how some member states have taken diverse approaches to adapt their capabilities to achieve more cost-effective solutions.
Vietnam, for instance, has adopted “smart follower” strategies.
This meant leveraging declining infrastructure costs (the cost of a base station unit went from US$100,000 [S$128,000] in 2020 to US$25,000 by 2024) and learning from early adopters, by strategically deploying 5G in areas that mattered most, such as high-tech zones and industrial parks.
The report pointed out that similar smart follower strategies may be more viable for developing countries, which prioritises rapid expansion after timely adoption – rather than being first to market.
For Vietnam, 5G deployment began four years later than originally planned, but it is now pointing toward accelerated growth and targeting 99 per cent coverage by 2030, the report said.
The report can be accessed here.