Telcos should face tougher regulations to ensure service standards amid Smart Nation push

SINCE the government announced in February 2024 that it would invest up to S$100 million to upgrade Singapore’s Nationwide Broadband Network to run on speeds up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps), telcos have taken heed and offered faster speeds for lower prices.

To qualify for the funding, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said that telcos will need to show how they intend to “excite the market to bring consumers in”.

Since then, most telcos have begun offering 2.5 Gbps plans for largely similar prices to their former 1 Gbps plans. Some have even gone ahead and offered full 10 Gbps speeds at even lower prices.