The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has announced plans to invest in the improvement of the Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN) in Singapore.
IMDA will invest SGD 100 million to ensure a future-ready network that is expected to bring higher broadband speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) to more than half a million households by 2028.
Enhanced Speed and Efficiency
Singapore decided to invest ahead due to the rapid development of digital technologies. The higher-capacity broadband network, which is ten times faster than the current speed, is expected to serve as the foundation for future innovations and opportunities.
This increase in speed will enable faster internet connections, allowing users to download and upload data more quickly, stream high-definition content seamlessly, and engage in bandwidth-intensive activities such as online gaming and video conferencing with minimal latency. With speeds of up to 10 Gbps, businesses can transfer large files, access cloud-based applications, and collaborate with remote teams more effectively. This enhances productivity and competitiveness in the global market.
By ensuring that over half a million households have access to higher broadband speeds, IMDA's initiative promotes digital inclusion. It ensures that all segments of society, regardless of their socio-economic background, have the opportunity to benefit from the digital revolution. This helps bridge the digital divide and creates more equitable access to opportunities in the digital age.
Designing a Future-Ready Network
Singapore’s successful deployment of the first generation NBN in 2006 laid the groundwork for a dependable and high-bandwidth connectivity infrastructure, which supported the country’s rapid digital transformation. After 18 years, the new investment to improve the infrastructure will ensure the country’s readiness for the future, upgrading both the back-end network and the front-end user equipment, which will not only enhance the services, but also offer more competitive prices to consumers.
A future-ready network capable of delivering higher broadband speeds lays the foundation for the adoption of emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies rely on fast and reliable internet connections to function optimally, and IMDA's investment will support their development and implementation.
Currently, the NBN runs in every household, with more than 85% of residential homes experiencing services of at least 1Gbps.
The NBN upgrade is planned for mid-2024 through 2026. The rollout of 5G mobile services and faster Wi-Fi networks will simultaneously complement the 10G NBN which will provide symmetric end-to-end connectivity at 10 Gbps.