Growing loyalty and creating business opportunities with tailored customer experiences

A business and technology journey 

Singtel’s early move into 5G SA clearly signals its strategic priorities. Service providers predominantly compete to offer data packages at the lowest price, meaning increasing the size of data buckets is no longer a differentiator in the hyper-competitive landscape.

Therefore, the top priority was to shift the conversation from data quantity to data differentiation, and to make enhanced experiences the new currency, where experience become the main measure of value. This was both a technical and marketing challenge, requiring a company-wide approach. Singtel’s strong belief that 5G SA is a strategic asset to achieve this goal has been a driving force behind its successful business transformation, embedding new ways of working to both maximize and commercialize the capabilities of 5G.

From a technology perspective, a robust and flexible network is required to support varying performance levels across consumer, enterprise and industry verticals. Key enablers such as network slicing, advanced traffic management and end-to-end quality assurance mechanisms mean Singtel can deliver consistent, predictable performance. Through the various capabilities unlocked in the network, they have been able to integrate with device and application ecosystems to ensure a seamless user experience.

From a business perspective, differentiated connectivity is most impactful when closely aligned with user needs and use cases. Enterprises, for example, value guarantees on latency, reliability and security for business-critical operations, whereas consumers are increasingly aware of enhanced experiences in gaming, streaming and immersive applications, and seek high-performance connectivity capabilities to support these needs. Differentiated connectivity is not just a network feature – it is a customer value proposition that requires strong collaboration from technology, business and ecosystem partners to unlock its full potential. Co-creation with partners, clear consumer monetization models and business outcome-driven offerings for enterprises are essential for success.

Singtel was able to bring the technical and business aspects together through building a common language across the organization as a foundation, removing barriers between the technological and commercial sides of the organization. From here, a unifying goal of launching offerings that provided tailored experiences was built, based on the combined technical capabilities and value proposition of differentiated connectivity.

Figure 16: Singtel 5G+ commercial offerings structure

From data quantity to performance differentiation at scale

The industry is exploring differentiated connectivity services, with growth in both scale and diversity of offerings. In 2025, Singtel’s first nationwide commercial offering, 5G+, was introduced. It is a three-tier structure that allows consumers to select experience levels aligned to their needs. These tiers are enabled by network slicing capabilities and are elevated by product value propositions, enhanced cyber security, and exclusive user experience and perks. 5G+, the entry-level package that all existing 5G consumers have been migrated to, provides reliable nationwide coverage with the ability for consumers to further enhance their plans according to their desired connectivity performance and consumer experience needs.

5G+ Enhanced is where slicing is used to provide enhanced connectivity in congested situations with up to two-times faster speeds. Additionally, it features improved roaming and stronger security. This package also includes the flexibility to upgrade during moments of greater connectivity need via a priority boost pass. To build the full value proposition, enhanced security, roaming and customer care are bundled into the offering alongside promotional subscriptions to premium streaming applications.

5G+ Priority is the top-tier offering that is also based on slicing but includes up to four-times faster speeds and network priority in congested situations, exclusive benefits and dedicated customer care. To kick-start adoption of this plan, existing top-tier plan consumers were upgraded for free. With greater bandwidth, ultra-low latency and faster speeds, users enjoy better digital experiences such as smoother streaming, ultra-responsive gaming and uninterrupted video calls.

Users benefit from seamless connectivity even in high-traffic areas and during peak hours. This plan also includes priority security in the form of Mobile Protect, a security-as-a-slice service, which provides advanced real-time monitoring for protection both locally and while roaming.

Experience, the new currency

Network developments in preparation for this launch were focused on experience differentiation for all users. For example, when Singtel achieved nationwide 5G low-band (700 MHz) coverage, it resulted in up to a 40 percent increase in signal strength in high-rise indoor and underground spaces, as well as in remote areas. This has been used to redefine the base-level experience for all Singtel 5G customers. This addresses a critical factor for network satisfaction: A recent study found indoor coverage was the second most important factor impacting overall network satisfaction in Singapore amongst 5G users aged 15–69.^[1] All of Singtel’s 5G+ subscribers can access enhanced connectivity with a priority boost offering, be it for concerts, gaming marathons, or video streaming binge sessions. To achieve this, Singtel has built alignment across networks, business support systems and IT systems, to ensure the time to commission such services is reduced, allowing users to buy in the moment.

Consumer research from 2025 shows that one in three users in Singapore were willing to pay for assured network performance.^[1] The recent study found that 8 percent are interested in hourly connectivity boosts that could be activated at critical moments, while 25 percent are interested in monthly subscriptions that offer enhanced connectivity performance.

The new performance-based plans are in their early days. However, initial findings show high levels of satisfaction from consumers who had subscribed to the 5G+ Priority plan, who were delighted to be upgraded and received the promised four-times faster speed based on congested situations. For example, at a recent Lady Gaga concert, 5G+ Priority users noticed faster speeds and reported being able to send messages and upload videos to social media without any problem. A notable 32 percent of frequent concert attendees reported a superior network experience compared to past concerts. This positive sentiment is a vital step in defining experience as the new currency, moving the conversation from data quantity to data differentiation and tailored experiences.

Developing the market

The 5G+ Enhanced and Priority plans are seeing encouraging uplifts in subscribers after just a few months following the launch, as consumers with more demanding connectivity needs opt for these packages. A key to success here has been market education that simplifies complex technical concepts, such as network slicing, for consumers in a way that is simple and relatable. This means highlighting how users get consistently better performance in real-life situations – from crowded concerts to high-traffic areas. The message is moving the conversation away from “how much data you have” to “how reliable your network is when it matters most.”

Moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and focusing on tailored experiences, Singtel aims to both strengthen consumer loyalty and unlock new revenue streams. To realize this, it is important to deliver differentiated services tailored to the diverse needs of consumer segments. This means developing offerings that address specific use cases. For example, offering real-time monitoring and security solutions for consumers, whether at home or abroad, or guaranteeing access to subscribers in congested areas, or providing reliable, secure and customizable services for enterprises.

“5G Advanced Latency Priority Scheduling – this technology identifies and prioritizes time-critical game data, such as player commands and in-game animations, reducing delays in real-time gameplay.”

Source: Singtel press release, “Singtel and Tencent Games to launch Honor of Kings” (4 September, 2025).

Increasing application centricity

To deliver tailored experiences that meet the diverse needs of users, becoming more application-centric will be important for optimizing the user experience. For example, Singtel has already tested the slicing capability with User equipment Route Selection Policy (URSP), working with content partners to monetize this capability with content, video or gaming apps. Figure 17 shows how 5G Advanced Latency Priority Scheduling is being used to identify and prioritize time-critical game data, such as player commands and in-game animations, reducing delays in real-time gameplay.

This will become even more important with AI and extended reality (XR), two of the most transformative forces expected to shape the future of digital experiences. On one hand, AI is becoming the engine of personalization, automation and intelligence, enabling networks to self-optimize, services to be tailored in real time and enterprises to run more efficiently. On the other hand, XR devices and applications are pushing the boundaries of how people interact with the digital world, whether through immersive entertainment, training, remote collaboration, or industrial use cases.

For Singtel, the excitement is around the convergence of the two: AI will be critical to make XR experiences seamless, adaptive and accessible, while 5G connectivity provides the low-latency, high-bandwidth foundation to deliver them reliably anytime, anywhere. In the near future, Singtel expects to see AI-driven XR services move from pilots into mainstream adoption, creating opportunities for both consumers and enterprises, and reinforcing the value of differentiated connectivity. Success here will be driven by volume offerings for the mass market experiences that are application-centric for efficient individual experiences. Alongside the new devices and user interfaces that smart glasses will provide, this will unlock new revenue streams.