M1 has become the first telco in Southeast Asia to commercially launch 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap) services for enterprises, a move that deepens its commitment to next-generation connectivity and places Singapore at the forefront of 5G innovation in the region.

RedCap – short for Reduced Capability – is an evolution within the 5G-Advanced framework. It bridges the gap between legacy IoT technologies and full-fledged 5G, enabling more efficient and cost-effective connectivity for a broader range of business applications. The technology supports enhanced reliability, lower latency, longer battery life, and robust security – key ingredients for industries looking to scale their Internet of Things (IoT) operations without needing the full bandwidth of traditional 5G.

“M1 is establishing the benchmark for business connectivity solutions in the region,” said Andrew Cheng, M1’s Chief of Enterprise Services. “By being the first in Southeast Asia to offer 5G RedCap network services in the enterprise space, we are enabling our business customers to gain competitive advantages through more efficient, reliable, and scalable connected solutions.”

The RedCap rollout complements M1’s suite of advanced 5G features already available to businesses, including Network Slicing, Speed Priority, VIP Access, and Carrier Aggregation for both uplink and downlink. Together, these technologies address the complex and varied connectivity demands across industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and maritime.

M1’s 5G SA (Standalone) infrastructure, which spans Singapore’s land and maritime zones, provides the backbone for the new service. The telco has partnered with Nokia to integrate its RedCap technology, which supports a wider range of low-power, low-cost devices such as industrial sensors and wearables, accelerating the deployment of IoT ecosystems.

“The introduction of 5G RedCap will unlock new opportunities for many industries, with potentially billions of new devices connected with 5G,” said Jae Won, Senior Vice President and Head of APAC for Mobile Networks at Nokia. “With RedCap, we are supporting M1 to expand connectivity options for its enterprise customers, enabling secure, efficient and sustainable business-critical operations.”

To help drive device availability, M1 is also working with local IoT specialist Ransnet to develop RedCap-compatible equipment tailored for enterprise use. The collaboration is expected to fast-track industry adoption by ensuring businesses have immediate access to compatible hardware.