Singapore plans to invest up to $100 million in upgrading its Nationwide Broadband Network. The government promises to boost the speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps), ten times faster than what is currently available for most households. The upgrade will support future technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality, and smart home applications, which require fast internet speeds to operate smoothly.
According to Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo, this Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) investment will focus on upgrading the back-end network infrastructure and user equipment from mid-2024 to 2026.
Singapore’s Nationwide Broadband Network, initially launched in 2010 with a billion investment from the government, has reached over 95% of homes and businesses in the country in 2013 – the first in the world.
“Digital infrastructure takes time to build up and doesn’t happen overnight. Many of the ways digital developments will change the way we work and live are not entirely known in advance,” she said
The decision to invest $100 million follows Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement regarding the network’s upgrade during Singapore’s 2024 Budget statement. The upgraded speeds will benefit over half a million households by 2028.
Currently, most households in Singapore have broadband plans offering speeds of at least 1Gbps. However, the actual speeds experienced by users can vary depending on factors such as the number of users in the area and throttling by internet service providers.
The 10Gbps internet at-home plan aligns with Singapore’s broader Digital Connectivity Blueprint to enhance the nation’s digital infrastructure and competitiveness. It involves doubling the number of underwater internet cables that connect to Singapore over the next ten years to boost digital trade.
While the market for 10Gbps broadband bundles is still evolving, early offerings from telcos like Singtel and StarHub have already emerged. These plans typically come with high-performance routers capable of delivering the promised speeds.
Despite ultra-fast internet excitement, Mr. Sam Fenwick, the principal analyst for connectivity analytics company Opensignal, said it may take some time before technologies fully utilizing 10Gbps speeds become mainstream.
“This means that Singaporeans may have to wait for much of the rest of the world to catch up before new applications that require 10Gbps connections come along.”
