Broadband market opens up

[Drudkh]

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=1025805

May 25, 2005
Broadband market opens up
Prices look set to fall as four new players join existing ISPs to offer wireless services

By Alfred Siew
INTERNET surfers will have more high-speed services to choose from in the coming months, after six Internet service providers won their bids to operate wireless broadband services yesterday.

Four new entrants into the wireless broadband market, Pacific Internet (PacNet), MobileOne, Inter-touch Holdings (Singapore) and Qala Singapore, paid between $215,200 and $550,000 for a single lot on the frequency spectrum after several rounds of a government auction that began last week.

This lets them offer new broadband services that do not rely on a traditional cable or phone system, such as those currently offered by SingTel and StarHub.

These wireless services are being introduced to open up the broadband market, now dominated by incumbents SingTel and StarHub.

The services employ new technology to let users surf the Web at home or on the go and will cover a much wider area than current wireless services.

Said Infocomm Development Authority's director-general for telecoms Leong Keng Thai: 'With the deployment of new WBA (wireless broadband access) services, we expect that competition in the local broadband market will be invigorated.'

Broadband prices, starting from $47.25 a month for a SingNet 512kbps unlimited service, are higher here than in Hong Kong, where a 10mbps service costs HK$148 (S$31) a month.

A PacNet spokesman said the company will offer a nationwide wireless broadband service, starting with a commercial trial this year.

'From the interest shown by the incumbents and the mobile operators, it is evident that wireless broadband is a threat to existing wired broadband technologies and 3G services,' he added.

PacNet paid $2.27 million for five lots of the radio spectrum - enough, it says, to offer a nationwide service that will compete with rivals SingTel and StarHub.

The prices are far lower than the $100 million that each cellphone operator paid for a 3G licence in 2001.

SingTel and StarHub, which have existing fixed line broadband networks, also secured pieces of the airwaves to supplement their infrastructure. SingTel paid $2.05 million for four lots of spectrum; StarHub, $1 million for two.

But all eyes are now on the new entrants.

Qala director Alex Tan said his company, which secured six lots for almost $1.4 million, may target consumers as well as companies wanting an affordable service.

Cellphone operator MobileOne grabbed four lots for $2.1 million, but the company's spokesman was non-committal about its plans.

The least-known of the successful bidders, broadband service provider inter-touch Holdings, paid $1.02 million for four lots.

The successful bidders can deploy their wireless networks from July 1, and have to offer services within the next 18 to 36 months.

Sounds like residential internet will be cable/wire free soon! :cheergal:

 

[Adam Goi]

Sounds good to me!

 

[phantasia]

Wow....i think with nationwide wireless broadband..its bound to give 3G a big hit on the head...good thing for consumers as surfing on the go gets cheaper. :gbounce:

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

argh... my head... radiation!!!

 

[Terence]

My Pacnet contract expires in Aug, just in time for me to consider going wireless. Frankly, I'd be glad to sign up with anyone else besides Pacnet and cable services.

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

My Pacnet contract expires in Aug, just in time for me to consider going wireless. Frankly, I'd be glad to sign up with anyone else besides Pacnet and cable services.

guess u left with singnet... or maybe qala...

 

[espn]

My worry is... BANDWIDTH!!!!!!!

But it's good idea, now I can surf net anywhere.

 

[reno77]

I think they should scrap 3G and refund the companies their $100 million. It was outdated even before it was introduced.

 

[mervlam]

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=1025805



Sounds like residential internet will be cable/wire free soon! :cheergal:

granting that, i think they will implement it in the business district first. not so soon also, considering that they have to set up the infrastructure first.

 

[blurblock]

I think they should scrap 3G and refund the companies their $100 million. It was outdated even before it was introduced.

Well, it is a risk the companies has to take. 3G is introduced. If the companies felt it is a worth it risk then they pay the price, if it success, great, if not, too bad. Full Stop. You can't expect some companies to get something risk free.

 

[mervlam]

I think they should scrap 3G and refund the companies their $100 million. It was outdated even before it was introduced.

friend, 3G is on paper when 2G phones are out in the market. that means the 1990s. it's just that the industry is slow to pick up 3G. Nowadays, researchers are talking about NG (next generation) phone technology already.

besides, 3G is built to carry both voice and data. the newer wireless broadband technologies may not.

 

[mervlam]

My worry is... BANDWIDTH!!!!!!!

But it's good idea, now I can surf net anywhere.

ever hear of Wi-MAX (IEEE 802.16).... that's the next hot thing for implementation nowadays.

throughput of up to 75Mpbs for fixed point usage, and up to 30Mbps for portable usage

got to be enough for you.

 

[Watcher]

argh... my head... radiation!!!

You have better to buy that tin-foil hat, I better start wearing lead-coated underwear

 

[hongsien]

How about security? Is 128 encryption enough (e.g. on-line banking)? Would it not be possible for others in the vicinity to pick up your signal when you log into Clubsnap? I don't want others to know my precious Clubsnap password?

HS

 

[mervlam]

that's where the cryptologist comes in. not my field of study. but i assume that encryption can be done over Wi-MAX like over Wi-Fi

btw, what makes you think it's more secure on wired line networks?

 

[Clark75]

Aiyah, better sell off my wireless router soon!

 

[RossChang]

Public wireless broadband access... I wander how's da security?... :think:

then again, can you have multiple computer accessing the same account?... prehaps I'll stick to starhub and wait for em to offer existing customer free upgrades again... hopefully the 25mbps version wuahahahahahaha :bsmilie:

 

[hongsien]

that's where the cryptologist comes in. not my field of study. but i assume that encryption can be done over Wi-MAX like over Wi-Fi

btw, what makes you think it's more secure on wired line networks?

Less PC's that can pick up your PC signals on a fixed line???? I don't know, I am not a computer expert........thats why I am asking lah!

HS

 

[sumball]

Well, it is a risk the companies has to take. 3G is introduced. If the companies felt it is a worth it risk then they pay the price, if it success, great, if not, too bad. Full Stop. You can't expect some companies to get something risk free.

羊毛出自羊身上。

 

[rainman]

Good to hear that...that's mean LAN gaming anytime anywhere