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IMDA will invest up to S$100 million to upgrade National Broadband Network from mid-2024 to 2026

Your home will soon enjoy broadband speeds that are up to 10 times faster than current speeds from as early as 2025.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced on Wednesday (21 Feb) that it will invest up to S$100 million to upgrade the Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN).

Households can already start signing up with their providers from next year. IMDA said it expects more than half a million households to sign up and benefit from higher speeds of up to 10Gbps by 2028.

The move is meant to make NBN “future ready”, given that digital technologies are developing rapidly. The upgraded NBN will serve as the foundation of future applications and innovation.

IMDA to invest up to S$100 million to upgrade broadband network speeds

This is the first upgrade of the NBN since it was introduced in 2006.

The first iteration “laid the foundation for a reliable and high bandwidth connectivity infrastructure”, IMDA noted, thus supporting digital transformation in Singapore.

“These early investments enabled our people and businesses to realise many of the benefits of digital technology that we enjoy today… It is important for Singapore to invest ahead in foundational connectivity infrastructure, even as use cases continue to develop and evolve.”

IMDA said the infrastructure especially helped during the Covid-19 pandemic when the NBN allowed all of Singapore to continue working and learning from home.

At present, more than 85% of residential homes run on at least 1 Gbps NBN services.

“It has been 18 years since the first NBN investments. It is timely to upgrade the infrastructure, to ensure it continues to be future ready,” said IMDA.

The investment of up to S$100 million will support the upgrading of both the back-end network and front-end user equipment to enable up to 10Gbps services and innovative offerings. The move will provide more competitive prices to businesses and consumers, too.

The upgrade will take place from mid-2024 to 2026, providing “more symmetric end-to-end” 10Gbps connectivity.

“This will support maintaining Singapore’s global competitiveness and unlocking further economic opportunities,” IMDA said.

Need for future-proofing, says Josephine Teo

Speaking to members of the media on Wednesday, Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo said the investment is for future-proofing the country and making sure that people have the ability to thrive in every possible way.

Enhancing digital infrastructure does not happen overnight, she explained.

“I think a big part of it is ensuring that in the digital age, we are properly resourced, properly equipped,” said Mrs Teo, as reported by Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

Pointing out that it is “quite clear that the future will involve more immersive digital experiences” such as additional smart devices, autonomous devices and Artificial Intelligence, she said it is necessary to ensure the country is equipped when the technology arrives.

As it might not be possible to entirely know about digital developments in advance, the Government just has to “make a best effort as far as understanding what the trends are going to be”, she added.

After that, it’s about making sure that Singapore’s digital infrastructure is future-proofed.

Also read: S’pore could get 5G network by 2025, up to 100 times faster than 4G

S’pore Could Get 5G Network By 2025, Up To 100 Times Faster Than 4G

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Featured image by ChinHooi on Canva.

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