Telecoms operators in Singapore said they had selected Nokia and Ericsson to build infrastructure for new 5G networks.

A joint venture between M1 and Starhub awarded one of the city-state’s licences said they had selected Nokia to build the radio access network and that the Finnish company was the preferred supplier for the core and mmWave networks.

The companies said they were also exploring other network parts with China’s Huawei [HWT.UL] and ZTE.

In a separate statement, the other licensee, Singtel, said it had selected Ericsson to negotiate the provision of ran, core and mmWave networks.

Unlike the upgrades of cellular standards such as 2G in the early 1990s, 3G around the millennium and 4G in 2010, 5G standards will deliver not just faster phone and computer data but also help connect cars, machines, cargo and crop equipment.