Telecommunications in Singapore

Singapore is one of the leading economies in the Asia-Pacific region. Along with Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, its economic development in the 1980s and 1990s caught the attention of the world. Today it has a per capita GDP that exceeds that of most countries outside the US.

Despite its economic success, Singapore has avoided the social unrest following rapid economic development that has troubled other countries. The gap between rich and poor in Singapore has been kept in check, as have the divisions between the races.

Following the early termination of the fixed-line incumbent’s monopoly, a second operator began service in 2000. Subsequently, the country’s cable TV operator was also granted a licence to provide local telecom services. In 2002, these two new operators merged, leaving the country with just two companies providing local fixed line services. A third operator began to offer fixed-line broadband services to residential customers in 2008.

Being a small and compact country of nearly five million people, Singapore has no domestic long distance service. However, the country is well served by its comprehensive international satellite and cable infrastructure. IDD services are available to and from all telephones in Singapore. Technologically, Singapore’s international network is advanced by any standards. Line quality is extremely good and a connection failure is rare.

Regarding mobile services, the take-up was slow in the early years, but the situation has changed radically since then. Today, mobile penetration exceeds 130%. With the growth in the number of mobile subscribers tailing off as saturation sets in, the mobile operators are looking to increase their revenues through providing more value-added services. To achieve this, there is strong emphasis among the operators in innovative Wireless Data offerings.

Of particular significance are the developments that have been taking place over the past three years in the field of Wi-Fi. As part of the government’s plan to deploy its Next Generation National Information Infrastructure (NGNII), everyone can avail themselves of free wireless access from more than 7,000 hotspots nationwide. The plan is to encourage users to become acquainted with wireless broadband and the opportunities that it offers, as well as gaining an understanding of users’ needs so that the wireless part of the NGNII is developed appropriately.

The country’s sole cable operator first launched residential broadband services in 1999, while the incumbent operator did not introduce xDSL until 2000. Broadband services are at the heart of the country’s efforts to exploit its National Information Infrastructure.

Given the extent and quality of its infrastructure and the applications already available, coupled with government pressure promoting information technology for almost two decades, it is surprising that Singapore is not the region’s leader in terms of the penetration of Internet use. It is one of the leaders, but a number of other countries in the region are at least its equal.

As a small country, Singapore does not have any remote regions, unlike its neighbours such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Nevertheless, it does have its own satellite programme, having launched one satellite in conjunction with Taiwan, with another at the planning stage.

There is just one cable TV operator. It began providing a digital TV service in 2003. A second licence was made available in the same year but there were no bidders. Singapore is the only country where virtually all households are capable of accessing cable TV.

Further Pay-TV services are now becoming available with the introduction by Singapore Telecom of the nation’s first IPTV service in 2007.

The country has become a world leader in the development and use of Information and Communications Technology (which it now generally refers to as ‘Infocomm’). This is primarily the result of a comprehensive and sustained effort by the government to establish and maintain the country as a regional and global Infocomm hub. It encourages the rapid adoption and widespread use of Infocomm services making Singapore the innovation and knowledge centre of the region.

The latest blueprint was announced in June 2006 to cover the 10-year period up to 2015. Its aim is to turn Singapore into an intelligent nation and a global city, powered by Infocomm technology. Known as iN2015, the plan envisages ‘a sea change in the way people live, learn, work and play’.

One of the key features of iN2015 is the design and deployment of a seamless, open-access, ultra-fast fibre optic network to provide the connectivity required to achieve the plan’s objectives. That network, known as the Next Generation National Broadband Network (NGNBN), is already being deployed. Plans are for 95% of all premises to be wired up by 2012.

To complement the NGNBN, a Wireless Broadband Network will be deployed in key catchment areas around the country. The two networks together form the Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure.

The NGNBN will be layered, with one organisation (called NetCo) designing and building the passive infrastructure (i.e. the physical cables) and another (called OpCo) operating and managing the active infrastructure. The NGNBN will be open-access, allowing all retail service providers access on identical terms.

In summary, Singapore is an advanced country and its telecom infrastructure matches its advanced economic status. Its domestic fixed line network is efficient and reliable, mobile communication services are comprehensive and capable and other advanced services are also available. Its advanced position will be maintained with the deployment of the NGNBN.

Since the domestic market is small, the country aspires to being the technological centre of the whole Southeast Asian region.