6 May 2010 - Speech By RADM(NS) Ronnie Tay, Chief Executive Officer, Infocomm Development Authority Of Singapore, At The Launch Of Nucleus Connect Central Offices, 13 Tai Seng Drive
Speech By RADM(NS) Ronnie Tay, Chief Executive Officer, Infocomm Development Authority Of Singapore, At The Launch Of Nucleus Connect Central Offices, At 13 Tai Seng Drive, 6 May 2010, 11:30am
Mr Ernest Wong, Chairman, Nucleus Connect,
Mr David Storrie, CEO, Nucleus Connect,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning,
1. I am pleased to be here at the opening of Nucleus Connect's Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (Next Gen NBN) Central Offices and Inter-Operability Test Laboratory.
Next Gen NBN Is A Key Component Of The iN2015 Masterplan
2. Four years ago, IDA launched Singapore's iN2015 masterplan, with the vision for Singapore to be an intelligent nation and a global city powered by infocomm. A key component of the iN2015 masterplan is the development of the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network. The Next Gen NBN will serve as a foundation for Singapore's digital future. The all new ultra high-speed optical fibre network will enable Singapore to gain a competitive edge in an increasingly globalised and connected world.
Next Gen NBN Deployment On Track
3. The deployment of the Next Gen NBN began last year, with OpenNet, the appointed Network Company, reaching the first home in August 2009. Since then, OpenNet has covered about 30 per cent of homes and buildings in Singapore and is on track to reach 60 per cent by the end of this year and all homes and businesses by 2012.
4. OpenNet commenced its commercial operations of offering wholesale dark fibre services last week, on 28 April 2010. Qualified operators can now obtain fibre connections from OpenNet on a fair and non-discriminatory basis to serve homes, non-residential premises and non-building address points. OpenNet will sell these services on a "per end-user" basis, as well as on a "per segment" basis.
Nucleus Connect's Readiness Towards Next Gen Services
5. Concurrent with the rollout of the passive infrastructure, Nucleus Connect, the appointed Next Gen NBN Operating Company, has been making significant progress in its preparations to offer wholesale bandwidth services over the Next Gen NBN on an open access basis.
6. Today, the launch of Nucleus Connect's Central Offices or CO marks a key milestone in Nucleus Connect's operational preparations. This CO houses highly advanced optical network equipment based on Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) and Optical Ethernet (OE) access technologies. Using these technologies, Nucleus Connect will be offering a comprehensive range of wholesale bandwidth services with speeds ranging from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps.
7. IDA has approved for Nucleus Connect to begin offering co-location and patching services to its customers at its CO. Retail Service Providers or RSPs who co-locate at Nucleus Connect's CO will benefit from being in close proximity to the core of the Next Gen NBN. Nucleus Connect has also established a Network Operations Centre (NOC) to monitor and ensure seamless management of Nucleus Connect's operations. In this way, RSPs can be assured that they are able to deliver high-quality services to end-users with minimal disruption to their network.
IOT To Facilitate Development And Deployment Of Next Gen Services
8. Another significant feature of Nucleus Connect's CO is the Interoperability Testing or IOT service that is available at Nucleus Connect's IOT Laboratory. The IOT service allows RSPs to test and validate their services over a simulated Next Gen NBN environment. Through this service, RSPs can conduct network and connectivity tests to ensure proper interconnection between the RSPs and Nucleus Connect's network.
9. Nucleus Connect is working very closely with OpenNet and it is expected to be able to commercially offer wholesale bandwidth services in the second half of this year. I understand that many of the RSPs here today have already started discussions with Nucleus Connect to offer exciting and innovative Next Gen services over the Next Gen NBN. RSPs can leverage on Nucleus Connect's facilities to test their service platform offerings ahead of launch, so as to ensure a smooth deployment of services to end-users.
Raising Public Awareness Of NGNBN
10. To raise awareness and encourage the early adoption of the Next Gen NBN and the Next Gen services it can support, ahead of RSPs' marketing efforts, IDA will be launching a series of media publicity activities today. We are also in the process of setting up an Infocomm Experience Centre. The Centre will showcase the possibilities and benefits of Next Gen services through interactive, hands-on exhibits that relate closely to our daily lives and it will be open to the public by the middle of the year.
11. IDA is also working closely with grassroots organisations and town councils to help increase awareness and adoption of the Next Gen NBN amongst residents. IDA will be organising Next Gen NBN showcases at various community events in the coming months, where residents can find out more about how they can sign up for OpenNet's installation of fibre into their homes.
12. I welcome RSPs and industry to partner IDA in highlighting their upcoming Next Gen services in our various outreach activities.
Conclusion
13. I congratulate Nucleus Connect on the opening of its Central Offices today. It is a significant milestone for Nucleus Connect as the Next Gen NBN OpCo, and for the Next Gen NBN project. Indeed, with all these developments of the Next Gen NBN, I urge all RSPs and industry to gear up your operations and make use of the Next Gen NBN to deliver services, and be part of this exciting new Next Gen NBN ecosystem.
14. Thank you.
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