5G+
giga speeds and greater roaming arrive with 5G+ on 15 October 2026, and you don't have to lift a finger for either. 5G+ brings faster, steadier 5G to basement car parks, lift lobbies and deep MRT platforms, where it's always struggled and your connection gives out just when you need it. On the same day, Asia Roam grows from five countries to 24 on selected plans, so more trips run on included roaming data instead of an add-on pack.
Already on a giga 5G plan? You're all set. There's no new plan, tier or SIM to sort out, because what's changed is the spectrum behind the network your phone already uses. Here's what 5G+ is, where you'll notice it, and what your phone needs to pick it up.
giga Launches 5G+
5G+ is live on giga, and it is included on every giga 5G plan. If you are on a giga 5G plan with a phone and SIM that support it, your phone will use 5G+ wherever the network offers it. If you're already on a giga 5G plan, you don't need to do anything, because your plan is upgraded to giga 5G+ automatically.
giga runs on StarHub's network, and it was StarHub that switched 5G+ on across its 5G mobile plans on 1 September 2026, by adding 700MHz low-band spectrum to the 5G network giga already uses. StarHub measured the result at up to four times faster indoors and underground, comparing those places with how they performed before rather than with 5G out in the open.
What Is 5G+?
5G+ is 5G with more spectrum underneath it, specifically the 700MHz low-band range, on the same generation of mobile network, the same standalone 5G core and the same plans. Other networks use the same name for different upgrades: Singtel's 5G+ combines 700MHz with network slicing, and in the US, AT&T uses it for high-frequency mmWave and mid-band spectrum. Still on a 4G plan? LTE vs 5G covers the bigger jump from 4G, also known as LTE, to 5G.
Every frequency trades reach against data. Singapore's two nationwide 5G networks were rolled out on 3.5GHz mid-band spectrum, which is fast with decent range but doesn't get through buildings or down to train platforms as easily as lower frequencies do. 5G+, on the other hand, adds low-band 700MHz to that mix, and low-band makes the opposite trade: less data per cell, but far more reach and a much easier path through buildings.
Because 5G+ is spectrum rather than a product, there's no separate 5G+ service to subscribe to, and no eligible 5G plan leaves it out.
What 5G+ Changes for You
Better Signal Indoors and Underground
700MHz reaches into spaces mid-band 5G struggled to serve: basement and multi-storey car parks, lift lobbies and stairwells, the middle floors of older buildings, and underground retail levels. On the MRT it means 5G holding through tunnel stretches and on deep platforms, where it used to drop to 4G or to nothing.
Fewer pages stall, fewer calls break up on the way into a building, and fewer QR codes fail at a basement counter.
Performance in Crowded Places
5G+ adds network capacity and uses it to improve performance in busy places. A cell serving a packed stadium, a mall on a Saturday or a rush-hour platform can run out of room when too many devices ask for attention at once, and the extra band gives the network somewhere to put that traffic.
You'll feel the extra capacity in small, everyday moments: a message sends at a concert, a payment goes through in a queue, and a video call holds steady in a crowded train carriage.
Faster Speeds Indoors
Where the signal was previously weak, the jump in speed is substantial, and that's what StarHub's up to four times faster figure describes: a struggling connection turning into a solid one.
Out in the open on a strong signal, 5G here was already fast, with Opensignal measuring it at around 300 Mbps in its July 2026 report, so that's where you'll notice the least change.
Where 5G+ Is Available in Singapore
5G+ is not a location you travel to but spectrum added across the network, so it reaches wherever the 700MHz layer is enabled. StarHub is still rolling that layer out, so availability varies by location as deployment continues.
The spectrum itself came from IMDA. StarHub's 700MHz rights came into force on 1 July 2025 and run to 2040. The conditions attached to them are specific about where coverage has to reach: the whole island including MRT underground stations and lines and road tunnels, the offshore islands, and territorial waters out to 15km from the coast. Where you notice it depends on the building you are standing in. Deep basements, older concrete structures and underground transport are where the difference shows. A modern office with good indoor coverage will feel much the same as before.
Outdoor 5G coverage here was already close to complete before any of this. The first two standalone 5G networks passed 95% outdoor coverage nationwide back in 2022. giga inherits that footprint, as set out in Wide Coverage and Network with giga.
What You Need for 5G+
A Phone That Supports 700MHz
Your handset has to support the 700MHz band and standalone 5G, and it has to be running current software, because some otherwise capable models need the latest update before they will use it. Device support is still widening. StarHub keeps a published list of the handsets cleared for 5G+, with more manufacturers expected on it, so a phone missing from it today may appear later. The practical step is to check your model against that list and update the software before assuming anything.
Don't worry if your phone still shows the old 5G icon. The network indicator varies by device manufacturer and software version, and manufacturers are still rolling out the software updates that add the 5G+ icon. If you're on a giga 5G plan with a compatible phone and SIM, you're already using 5G+ wherever it's available, icon or not.
A 5G Plan
5G+ needs a 5G plan. A 4G plan cannot reach it, whatever the handset supports. The move for a 4G customer is to a 5G plan, not to a 5G+ specific product. Every giga 5G plan includes it, from the entry plan upwards, with no separate charge and no eligibility tier.
A Standalone 5G SIM or eSIM
The SIM has to support standalone 5G, which catches people who upgraded the phone and the plan and kept a SIM from years earlier. An older 4G SIM can leave a fully capable handset short of standalone 5G, and therefore short of 5G+.
An eSIM is the quickest fix, since the profile downloads straight to the phone. All giga plans are eSIM-enabled, so this is a same-day change. If you have not used one before, eSIM vs Physical SIM sets out how the two compare in practice.
Why Choose giga?
A better network is lovely, but it is not the whole reason to be here.
Free Rollover Data on Every Plan
Data you do not finish stays yours. Every giga plan rolls unused data into the next cycle, up to the size of the plan itself. A quiet month funds a busy one, and nothing disappears at midnight on your bill date. Monthly plans carry data for two renewal cycles. The 6-month plans hand you the entire pool at the start and roll it for one cycle, the better shape if your usage comes in bursts.
Where that data works matters as much as how long it lasts, so rollover follows your base data exactly. The 300GB and 400GB plans cover Singapore and Malaysia, while gigaFLEX+ and the 1.5TB and 2TB plans reach Indonesia and Thailand as well.
5G+ on Every giga 5G Plan
5G+ arrives on every giga 5G plan, the cheapest one included. There is no add-on fee, no new SIM to request and nothing to switch on in the app. You do not have to move to a bigger plan to get better coverage in a basement.
Nationwide 5G Standalone Coverage
The 700MHz layer only helps if the network underneath it is a full 5G network, and ours is. We run on StarHub's 5G standalone core, not 5G radios attached to a 4G core.
For evidence we would rather send you to Opensignal than quote ourselves. Its July 2026 Singapore report put StarHub top for overall download speed at 172.7 Mbps and top for upload at 25.3 Mbps, with 5G here measuring around 300 Mbps.
Free Roaming Data on Every Plan
Roaming data is part of the plan, every month, for as long as you stay with us. giga's Asia Roam expands from five countries to 24 countries on eligible plans, from gigaFLEX+ upwards, and there's nothing to activate. Every 5G plan from 400GB upwards adds 48 international destinations on top, and neither allowance is a one-off welcome bonus.
Asia Roam covers these 24 destinations:
- Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Brunei
- East Asia: China, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan
- South Asia: India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
- Oceania: Australia and New Zealand
- Further afield: Canada, Qatar, Israel, Turkey and Russia
giga roaming is data only, with no roaming call or SMS packs sold on the plan. Free incoming SMS reaches you in more than 230 destinations, so verification codes still arrive in places we do not roam in. For anywhere outside the included lists, gigaRoam activates by itself when you land, at 1GB for $5 over five days across 24 APAC countries, or 1GB for $15 over fifteen days across 48 destinations.
The giga App, gigaSurprises and Monthly Giveaways
Sign-up is three steps in the giga app and activation is a single tap, with a chat that runs 24 hours a day if something goes wrong.
gigaSurprises are unannounced data top-ups that land without you asking, including extra data on your birthday and sometimes on a random Monday. There are monthly giveaways on our social channels too. Refer a friend and $6 in gigaBucks comes off your next bill, with no cap on referrals, and your friend gets $6 off their first month.
How to Switch to giga and Port Over Your Number
Your number comes with you when you switch to giga. Here's how to port over to giga:
- Pick Port-in Number when you sign up.
- We deliver your SIM with a temporary number.
- Your port-in is processed on the next working day.
- Once your number has moved over, tap Activate in the giga app.
Keeping your number when you change telco is routine in Singapore. IMDA counted 60,800 subscribers doing it in December 2025. There's no contract at this end, so if we ever stop being worth it, you're free to go.
Free gigaAI and Bubble Tea on gigaFLEX+
For the strongest version of what 5G+ can do for you, gigaFLEX+ pairs 800GB with base data that works in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, plus 38GB of roaming data, and anyone can buy it. gigaAI is bundled at no extra cost, with unlimited tokens and web searches each month, up to 300 images and 10 deep research runs. The free monthly bubble tea has nothing to do with the network, and no other mobile plan in Singapore includes one. To celebrate the launch, the gigaFLEX+ $0.90 offer runs from 15 October to 9 November 2026. New customers who sign up during this period pay $0.90 for their first month.
FAQs
Does 5G+ cost extra?
No. Your plan and your bill stay exactly as they are when the network starts using it.
Is 5G+ the same as 5G Standalone?
Standalone was the earlier change, moving the network onto a 5G core, which is what brought the response times down. 5G+ is the next step, adding 700MHz spectrum on top of that core.
Does 5G+ use up my data allowance faster?
No. 5G+ doesn't change how your usage is counted. Your behaviour can change, though. A connection that works properly in a basement or on a train is one you will actually use, and higher-quality video streams consume more data. Rollover covers the uneven months either way.
Will 5G+ replace 5G completely?
5G+ belongs to 5G, so both stay in service. The 700MHz layer works alongside the mid-band spectrum that carries most 5G traffic, and your phone moves between them constantly depending on where you are.
How do I know if I am connected to 5G+?
You can't always tell from the screen yet, because some phones are still waiting on the software update that adds the 5G+ icon. A more reliable check is your setup: if you're on a giga 5G plan with a compatible phone and a standalone 5G SIM, your phone uses 5G+ wherever it's available. For a closer look, iPhones and Android phones both have a status menu with network details, though how you open it depends on your model.
Does 5G+ drain the battery faster than 5G?
It can actually help. Battery drain on mobile networks comes largely from a handset transmitting harder to hold a weak signal. A stronger connection in a difficult spot is therefore easier on the battery, not harder. If battery life concerns you, the settings that matter have not changed. They are how your phone decides when to use 5G, screen brightness, and background activity.