Fibre broadband speeds to be boosted among upgrades to S'pore's digital connectivity
-
Loading... - Sofia Chew
- 23 Sep 2022
- 58 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Digital connectivity helped Singaporeans get through the pandemic, and the country is now planning to boost fibre broadband speeds in homes to 10Gbps, from 1Gbps - the current standard among households here.
This is among a series of upgrades to the country's digital connectivity infrastructure, which also include expanding its 5G ecosystem and investing in research on 6G, said Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo on Monday.
She was speaking at the official launch of the Future Communications Connectivity Lab at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
"During the pandemic, our strong connectivity contributed to Singapore's resilience, allowing our lives and livelihoods to transit digitally," she said.
But technology developments, such as in augmented reality and virtual reality, as well as the metaverse, will demand greater broadband bandwidth, added Mrs Teo.
She noted that other countries are also striving to improve their digital connectivity. South Korea has set a goal of reaching 50 per cent countrywide adoption of 10Gbps services by the end of this year.
"We must enable widespread and affordable access to high-quality digital connectivity, just as we make it possible for ordinary citizens to have access to quality education, healthcare and housing," said Mrs Teo.
She did not give details of how or when the broadband upgrade will be rolled out, or how it will be funded.
In 2008, the Government provided a grant of up to $750 million to fibre operator OpenNet, which had been tasked to construct the current broadband network.
The project was estimated to have cost $1 billion. OpenNet was acquired by NetLink Trust in 2014. Read More…
