Lessons in Broadband Adoption from Singapore

Abstract

Singapore is often touted by herself and others as an Intelligent Island. It has among the world’s highest internet penetration rate and it created the world’s first broadband network, Singapore ONE (One Network for Everyone). It also promulgated a set of rules that censored internet content.This paper examines the development of broadband adoption in Singapore and to draw lessons that may be applicable to similar developments elsewhere. The pioneering experience of Singapore is also useful in providing lessons on mistakes to avoid.The paper begins by recounting the government’s goal of using information technology (IT) for economic development as far back as the early 1980s. This was done in the face of the first recession in 20 years as an independent country. Government departments were computerised; IT courses were offered at the tertiary level to provide trained personnel; laws, especially on copyright, were updated. These infrastructural elements are probably essential to any country intending to deploy IT widely.Seeing some early success in deploying IT, the government in 1990 conducted a broad-based study into deploying IT in the economy. Called IT2000, the study involved all economic sectors and placed IT on the strategic plans of all businesses. A few years after the study, the internet came to Singapore via the universities. The Singapore government was cautious in the use of the internet in part because it carried content that could not be controlled or censored. It only introduced the internet to the public after neighbouring Malaysia had made it available.However, in typical Singapore style, once it got going, it got roaring support from the government. One such major thrust was Singapore ONE, which was the world’s first nationwide broadband network. It was an attempt to create a nationwide test bed for broadband applications. That is, applications that would run best on broadband could be tested on the Singapore ONE network. But the network did not develop into the test bed hoped for from its June 1998 launch and it has now morphed into a broadband network.Meanwhile, telecommunications services around the globe were liberalizing and it was increasingly clear that Singapore had to follow suit. Singapore introduced competition to its government-controlled PTT several years ahead of schedule. Today, more than 250,000 subscribers access public broadband through three major ISPs and a cable television network. Corporations have much more choices: under the Open Access Policy, international players may ride on the existent broadband infrastructure to provide broadband service.The downside of government support is government intervention. Market players grouse of administrative burdens and rules that sometimes inhibit business plans. Many players feel that the rules need to be liberalized further or they would stunt the country’s plans to be a regional IT hub. Another area that needs change is the almost-exclusively economic focus of IT use to the neglect of a focus on social and cultural impact.