Connected Homes Programme announced at Singapore ONE Commemorative Event and e-Celebrations Singapore 2002 launched with Broadband Month With about one-in-three or 950,000 Singapore residents now on broadband, the time is ripe for Singapore to move on to the next phase of broadband development.
Singapore, 11 April 2002 | For Immediate ReleaseConnected Homes Programme announced at Singapore ONE Commemorative Event and e-Celebrations Singapore 2002 launched with Broadband Month With about one-in-three or 950,000 Singapore residents now on broadband, the time is ripe for Singapore to move on to the next phase of broadband development. This is the message from the chairman of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), in a speech given at tonight's Singapore ONE Commemorative event. This event marks the start of the Broadband month that kicks off e-Celebrations Singapore 2002.
Singapore ONE, launched in 1998, has seen the number of broadband service providers grow from two to 12 today. Access cost has over the last two years decreased by as much as five times with the number of users growing more than four times over the same period.
Commenting on the results of the recent Survey of Broadband Users in Singapore 2001 (127.55KB) commissioned by the IDA, and conducted by Precision Research Services, he noted that 92% of all broadband users went online at least 2 days a week. Amongst home users, 52% use broadband to get the latest news, 45% to download music and about 33% play online games. Broadband has become a part of daily life for many Singaporeans.
"This is a very important milestone because broadband is a defining technology of our age," noted Chairman Mr Lam Chuan Leong, "In the future, no nation can claim to be of developed status without good broadband access, the highways of the Information Age."
Several focus areas have been identified for the further development of broadband in Singapore.
1. Developing Innovative applications and services for the home and community
Leveraging Singapore's broadband infrastructure, the newly announced Connected Homes Programme provides a test-bed environment for developing and deploying pilots & trials, integrated end-to-end solutions for Singapore homes. Two key thrusts of the programme are (i) Connecting the Homes and (ii) Connecting the Community, and $15.7million has been slated for the programme.
Connecting the Homes
The first thrust aims to develop end-to-end home-networking solutions connecting intelligent home appliances and communications devices. A call for collaboration (CFC) will be made on 25th April 2002 for industry members. The CFC will provide a platform for them to come together and submit joint proposals of integrated solutions for the home.
Connecting the Community
The second thrust aims to develop a range of services that connect the community, from healthcare providers to community groups and businesses.
2. Accelerating Adoption of Broadband by Businesses
The IDA is working with specific sectors to help accelerate the effective and innovative use of broadband amongst businesses aimed at enhancing productivity, business processes and expanding market reach. Some of these sectors include Media & Culture, Legal Services, Finance & Insurance and Hospitality & Tourism.
Multi-party web-based video conferencing between the Supreme Court, Subordinate courts, the Attorney-Generals chambers and legal firms is an example of how businesses can use broadband to be more productive. Developed with the Internet Video-Conferencing Centre and Bizibody Technology, this system could save the legal industry $30 million a year. Lawyers can now conduct administrative or non-contentious hearings with the court from their offices. Savings in travelling and waiting time mean more productive billable time.
In the media industry, the IDA is working with the Singapore Film Commission to encourage creation of digital films which can be screened both in theatres or online.
"Singapore ONE has come a long way. Broadband has reached a significant milestone in Singapore and we are seeing more sophisticated usage of broadband at home, school and businesses ," said Mr Khoong Hock Yun, Assistant Chief Executive for Infocomm Development at the IDA, "Moving forward, we would like to see the usage of broadband deepen with applications like telecommuting and eLearning that creates a linkage between the work, home and school environments. This seamless connectivity will help enhance our quality of life, enable businesses to be more competitive and realise our vision of a Connected Island."
3. Raising Consumer Awareness and Adoption of Broadband Services
Broadband takes center-stage as e-Celebrations Singapore 2002 kicks off with Broadband Month in April. This sets our focus for the year on leveraging broadband capabilities to encourage the public to embrace Infocomm technology for work, learning and leisure.
During Broadband Month, the public will be able to experience Broadband for Work, Learn and Play. Diverse broadband-related activities will be showcased and include special events at the World Gourmet Summit, Food & Hotel Asia and the first Asian Digital Film Awards, part of the Singapore International Film Festival.
Entertainment buffs will be treated to online movie trailers, new sound tracks and the latest entertainment news. Gaming enthusiasts can try their hands at two Massively Multi-Player online games and there will be e-learning packages available for children as well as adults who wish to upgrade themselves. More locally hosted Chinese news and information, entertainment, games and learning content will be available.
To jumpstart a broadband-enabled e-lifestyle, the public should take advantage of promotional broadband subscription packages offered by Pacific Internet and SingNet in April.
"The era of broadband means faster, better and easier connectivity. Broadband services open up a new level of interactivity on the Internet, offering opportunities for work, learning, and leisure. With broadband connectivity, we hope to see more Singaporeans discovering their true potential and enjoying an enhanced e-lifestyle in Singapore's e-inclusive society," said Dr Kaizad Heerjee, Assistant Chief Executive for Online Development at the IDA.
For more information on e-Celebrations Singapore 2002, please see Annex B, or visit www.ecelebrations.gov.sg.
About Singapore ONE
Singapore ONE (http://s-one.net.sg) was commercially launched in 1998. It comprises a broadband infrastructure that provides high-speed, interactive, and multimedia applications and services for users. Developed by both MNCs and innovative Singapore companies, Singapore ONE services are designed to appeal to users of all ages and occupations, as well as businesses. Singapore ONE has the full support of the Singapore government, and is driven by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, the National Science & Technology Board, the Economic Development Board and the Singapore Broadcasting Authority.
About e-Celebrations Singapore
e-Celebrations Singapore is Asia's most extensive e-lifestyle campaign to shape infocomm adoption for learning, work and leisure. e-Celebrations Singapore is organised by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and supported by partners from the public, private and people sectors. From April 2002, e-Celebrations Singapore will be offering 52 weeks of vibrant consumer activities featuring the 4Es of an e-lifestyle - e-Communications, e-Entertainment, e-Learning and e-Transactions. Kicking off with Broadband Month in April, e-Celebrations will continue with the Great Singapore e-Sale in May, Infocomm Literacy Month in June, e-Volunteer Month in July, the Multilingual Internet Month in August, Wireless Month in October, e-Games Month in November, Assistive Technology Month in January 2003 and e-Society Month in February 2003.
For more information, please contact:
Gabriel Wong / Elliza Rahim
Edelman Public Relations Worldwide
Phone: +65 6733 1110
Chia Sher Ling (Ms) / Kelvin Lee
Corporate Communications
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Phone: +65 6211 1840 / 6211 1726
Attachments:
Annex A MS Word (17.73KB)
Annex B MS Word (26.27KB)
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