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SINGAPORE : By 2015 Singapore will be transformed into the first totally wireless and wired country in the world.
The new ultra fast-speed National Broadband Network will reach 85 percent of households here, and the private sector has been invited to partner the government in this bold project.
Expect speeds of 100 megabytes to 1 gigabyte per second when surfing the Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure, dubbed the new digital superhighway.
There are two components to the proposed network; first is an ultra high-speed National Broadband Network linking businesses, schools, hospitals and homes.
Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang told Parliament, "The new network will change the way we work, live and learn. It'll sharpen our business efficiency and spark off many new opportunities for entrepreneurs. The new network will be open access and carrier neutral; in other words, it'll be open to all service providers so that they can reach out to connected customers or consumers. This will lower the entry barrier for service providers and cost to consumers."
It will also be a public-private partnership, with a Request For Concepts to be called by next week, followed by a Request-For-Proposals by the middle of this year.
The contract is expected to be rewarded early next year, with 50 percent of the network rolled out within three years, and the entire network running by 2012.
In the second part of the network, the government will put in place a pervasive wireless broadband network in key catchment areas islandwide, to offer wireless access at affordable rates for those on the go.
IDA will call for collaborations next week with current telco and ISP operators; it expects the services to be rolled out by the end of the year.
MPs voiced some concerns in Parliament.
Zainudin Nordin, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, asked, "Will the new network bring down prices for end-users and will it assist vendors to make services more attractive to consumers? Will the construction of the new network involve the setting up, digging and rigging, and inconveniences for residents?"
Dr Lee replied, "Even though there may be some inconveniences, the benefits are well worth the trouble. Nevertheless, we will try our best to minimise disruption by coordinating the rollout with the deployment of new estate programmes and new build programmes, new developments. We will try out innovative techniques like micro-entrenching and surface ducting so that this can minimise disruption and help to reduce costs."
The new infrastructure is expected to boost the economy further.
Last year, the infocomm sector grew by 6 to 8 percent, generating about S$37 billion in revenue.
Employment in the sector rose by 3 percent from 108,000 in 2004 to 111,400 last year, with 3,000 more jobs expected to be created this year.
Dr Lee reiterated that Singapore cannot afford to take it easy and rest on its laurels just because the infocomm sector has done well so far.
Countries like South Korea and Japan have already embarked on similar plans, so the new digital superhighway will help to entrench Singapore's infocomm hub status in the region and attract more telecommunications players to Singapore. - CNA /ct
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