Singapore's next-generation broadband network (Next Gen NBN) is laying the foundation for greater adoption of cloud services as more offices and commercial buildings get connected to it. By end of last year, the network had been deployed in 19,000 commercial buildings and offices.
Singapore's Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) will be rolling out the Fibre Ready! Mark to identify commercial buildings and offices that are connected to the Next Gen NBN. These include Suntec Office Towers, HarbourFront Centre, Shaw House and Shaw Centre.
"We have 12 service providers offering more than 40 fibre connection packages to cater for both residential and enterprise needs," said Ronnie Tay, CEO of IDA. "However, not all enterprises are aware if their premises are fibre ready. With the Fibre Ready! Mark ... enterprises located in those buildings can be kept informed and therefore prepare their premises to be powered by Next Gen NBN."
Apart from the productivity boost, businesses in these buildings will find the faster broadband speeds opening up opportunities for subscribing to or deploy cloud-based services.
Lower license fees
Late last year, the IDA revised the annual licence fees payable by its licensed Facilities-based Operators (FBOs) and Services-Based Operators (Individual) (SBOs). The revision, which takes effect in 2013, will see FBOs save between 20 percent and 75 percent in annual licence fees while most SBOs will pay 20 percent lower licence fees.
FBOs are operators that deploy telecom network, systems and facilities to offer switching or telecommunication services to another licensed telco operator, business or consumer. SBOs are operators that lease transmission capacity, switching services, ducts and fibre from any FBO to provide telecom services to third parties or resell the services of an FBO.
"This new fee structure seeks to provide a more balanced approach towards facilitating both facilities- and services-based competition in Singapore," Leong Keng Thai, Deputy Chief Executive and Director-General (Telecoms & Post) of IDA. "It is a step towards encouraging facilities-based competition while anticipating increasing SBO competition especially with the deployment of the Next Gen NBN. It also seeks to further encourage market entry by substantially reducing licence fees for new entrants and smaller players".