(4 March 2006 5:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Singapore has set a time frame to reach the prominent position in the world broadband map. The island nation aspires to be transformed into the first totally wireless and wired country in the world by 2015.

The new ultra fast-speed National Broadband Network will reach 85 per cent of households in the country, and the private sector has been invited to partner the government in this bold project. As per the plan, a user can expect speeds of 100 megabytes to 1 gigabyte per second when surfing the Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure, dubbed the new digital superhighway.

There are two components to the proposed network; first is an ultra high-speed National Broadband Network linking businesses, schools, hospitals and homes. Secondly, the government will put in place a pervasive wireless broadband network in key catchment areas islandwide, to offer wireless access at affordable rates for those on the go.

According to media reports, the former one will also be a public-private partnership, with a Request For Concepts to be called by next week, followed by a Request-For-Proposals by the middle of this year. The contract is expected to be rewarded early next year, with 50 per cent of the network rolled out within three years, and the entire network running by 2012.

Regarding the second one, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) will call for collaborations next week with current telco and ISP operators; it expects the services to be rolled out by the end of the year.