China Telecom, SingTel and partners agree on Asia Link Cable

China Telecom Global, Globe Telecom, DITO Telecommunity (Philippines), Singtel, and Unified National Networks (Brunei) reached an agreement to invest about $300 million for a submarine cable system in Southeast Asia. 

The planned Asia Link Cable (ALC) will be approximately 6,000-kilometer in length, connecting Hong Kong SAR, China and Singapore as its trunk, with branches into the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam and Hainan, China. 

It will have a minimum eight fiber pairs in the system, with 18 Tbps/Fiber Pair minimum trunk design capacity. An open cable system architecture is adopted for ALC, enabling Parties to select and maintain independent line terminal equipment that would suit their customer requirement.

HMN Technologies has been selected as the system supplier and is expected to complete the construction of ALC by the third quarter of 2025.

Executive Vice President of CTG, Mr. Wu Xiaolei stated, "In the Digitalisation Era, Asia Link Cable (ALC) is critical for connecting and creating value for our customers, especially in Asia. We are aiming to achieve a more sustainable environment and community as well as enhancing the efficiency in our communication processes, by building strong and reliable undersea cables around the world. CTG takes pride in playing an essential role in developing and promoting cloud and network integration. We welcome different service providers or industry partners in this endeavor, in the hopes that we can better serve our customers. With this cable, CTG will provide greater value to this community of partners, service providers, and customers, and achieve success together."

ALC Co-Chair, Mr Alan Tan (Singtel) said, "We started planning and designing the ALC cable more than two years ago at the onset of the pandemic, having anticipated the inevitable growth in high-definition content consumption, trade and innovation in this region. Despite the challenges presented by safe management restrictions, we managed to come up with a system that will help meet the evolving needs of consumers and enterprises and boost local economies today and in the near future."

CEO of HMN Tech, Mr. Mao Shengjiang commented, "It is a great honor for HMN Tech to team up with the global leading telecom operators to provide innovative turnkey subsea cable solution for the ALC System. This new cable system will provide new impetus for the ALC consortium to establish digital and intelligent networks in Asia and around the world."

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Ericsson Network Slicing runs during Singapore F1 Grand Prix

During the recent Grand Prix Season Singapore 2022 (GPSS 2022) in October, Singtel employed Ericsson’s Dynamic Radio Resource Partitioning feature to deliver end-to-end network slicing in a live 5G Standalone network to power 5G experiences and festivities along the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Network slicing creates a logically separated, self-contained slice of the network, offering differentiated service performance with prioritised assurance on speed, latency and reliability. Dynamic Radio Resource Partitioning is a software solution that allocates spectrum resources at millisecond level scheduling.

Ericsson’s end-to-end network slicing solution also included cloud-native capabilities to create a dedicated slice of its network that was reserved for subscribers of Sports Plus on Singtel’s app marketplace, CAST. This meant subscribers could enjoy seamless video streaming of the action of the high-velocity race from wherever they were. The network delivered the live content even in congested areas along the Marina Bay Street Circuit due to the dedicated capacity being allocated to the service.

Singtel announced in July that it had achieved over 95 percent 5G Standalone nationwide coverage – three years ahead of the regulator’s deadline.

Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer, Singtel, said, ”We’re proud to have been the official network partner of the GPSS, providing race spectators and attendees of the various GPSS related events with the superior features of Singapore’s most powerful 5G network. With the world’s first application of end-to-end network slicing technology to our CAST app, we were able to provide F1 fans a superior viewing experience of the action on the track and enhance the experience of 5G race-related activations held across the island.”

Martin Wiktorin, Head of Ericsson Singapore states:” The fast and efficient delivery of services as well as high-quality user experience provided by Singtel CAST was enabled by a range of Ericsson technologies working together to deliver a full end-to-end network slice on 5G sites surrounding the F1 race. With Singtel CAST subscribers being assigned the premium slice, they were able to enjoy the full race via seamless video streaming even in congested areas along the F1 race.” Around 302,000 fans turned up for the Singapore Grand Prix this year.

https://www.ericsson.com/en/newsroom

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Singtel to sell a 3.3% stake in Airtel back to Bharti Telecom

Singtel will sell a 3.3% direct stake in regional associate Airtel to Bharti Telecom, a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Singtel,

The sale will unlock approximately S$2.25 billion as part of the Singtel Group’s capital recycling strategy. After this transaction, the Singtel Group is expected to own an effective stake of 29.7%, which is estimated to be worth S$22 billion. This comprises a 19.2% indirect stake through Bharti Telecom and a 10.5% direct stake.

Mr Arthur Lang, Singtel's Group Chief Financial Officer, said, "As long-term strategic investors and partners, the value of our stakes in our regional associates has risen substantially over the years but has not been properly reflected in our share price. This sale in Airtel will be our first ever and seeks to address this gap by illuminating the sizeable value of our holdings in Airtel. It is also part of our capital management approach to take monetisation opportunities that allow us to increase our return on invested capital and enhance total shareholder returns. With this transaction, we will raise over S$2 billion which will help to fully meet the Group’s needs for 5G and growth initiatives in the next few years, and put us in a strong position to grow our dividends in a sustainable way in line with our dividend policy.”

https://www.singtel.com/about-us/media-centre/news-releases/singtel-to-unlock-s-2-25-billion-from-divestment-of--3-3--direct

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Singtel plows additional US$100 million into its venture arm

Singtel is to invest a further US$100 million into Singtel Innov8, its corporate venture arm, raising its total capital commitment to US$350 million. 

Innov8 invests in start-ups that align with Singtel Group businesses in the areas of 5G, Artificial Intelligence, the digital economy, sustainability, cyber security and emerging technologies. It operates on an evergreen fund model, re-investing returns from portfolio exits into new investments. With the capital injection, Innov8 will further expand its portfolio of investments in Southeast Asia, United States, China, Israel and Australia.

Innov8 has invested in over 95 start-ups since its inception in 2010 and has had over 35 exits. Four of the exits were unicorns – Arista, Ruckus, Jasper, and Shape – start-ups that achieved a valuation in excess of US$1 billion. Innov8’s portfolio also includes a number of companies that have demonstrated scale – BitSight, Carro, Cato, FinAccel, SenseTime, Shopback, and Sygnum amongst others. S

“This capital infusion is meant for identifying and growing innovative start-ups with new technologies and capabilities that are synergistic and in lockstep with Singtel’s strategic reset to drive greater improvements in our core operations, accelerate our new growth engines, and place us at the forefront of new and fast-evolving areas,” said Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, Group Chief Executive Officer of Singtel and Chairman of Singtel Innov8. “As we sharpen our business focus, we will recycle our assets and capital into selected growth areas, reshaping our portfolio to better serve our stakeholders and build momentum for the longer term.”

https://innov8.singtel.com

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Singtel deploy 5G campus + edge core for Hyundai's Innovation Centre

Singtel will deploy its 5G infrastructure network solutions at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre in Singapore (HMGICS), which includes an electric vehicle production facility. 

Singtel’s 5G campus network with mobile edge core solution  will provide uninterrupted high-speed connectivity and massive bandwidth to enhance HMGICS’s high-precision quality control in manufacturing operations.

HMGICS is the HMG’s open innovation hub for research and development in advanced mobility ecosystems with the aim of revolutionising the future mobility value chain. Apart from introducing smart mobility solutions in areas such as electric vehicles (EV), autonomous vehicles, and new forms of mobility products and services in Singapore, the HMGICS will also serve as a testbed for human-centred intelligent manufacturing and verification of Industry 4.0 technologies. 

"Singtel’s 5G network and MEC solutions will overcome the performance limitations of WiFi to deliver the promise of digital twins and eventually metaverse for advanced manufacturing operations. With innovation from Hyundai and enablement from our 5G solutions, we are looking at a new concept of manufacturing where the station comes to the cell, unlocking opportunities for hyper-customization and other novel applications. Together, we are paving the way for Singapore to be the centre for Smart Manufacturing in the region."

https://www.singtel.com/about-us/media-centre/news-releases/singtel-partners-hyundai-motor-group-to-develop-advanced-manufac

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Singtel and Indonesia's Telkomsel partner on data centers

Singtel and its Indonesian partner Telkom, the parent company of Singtel's regional associate Telkomsel, agree dto collaborate on data centre strategy. 

Singtel has carved out its data center business into a separate Singtel-owned entity with approximately 60 MW of capacity. In addition to securing a site in Tuas for a new integrated cable landing and data centre facility which will be ready in three to four years and add 30-40 MW in capacity, Singtel will continue to explore adding further capacity.

Telkom has an existing data centre portfolio of 27 data centres in Indonesia and the region. It is also building a hyperscale data centre with 75 MW capacity to serve local and foreign companies and hyperscalers. Selected data centre assets from Telkom will be placed in the data centre platform. The companies will also collaborate on development opportunities and explore bringing third-party investors or partners into the platform.

Besides Indonesia, Singtel has set its sights on the Thai data centre market. In February, Singtel signed a joint development agreement with Gulf Energy and Singtel's regional associate AIS to start developing data centres in Thailand, and the new joint venture will be launched soon.

"This partnership with Telkom is an important step for our data centre strategy, bringing together the prime assets, expertise and networks of two market leaders in data centre operations in Indonesia and Singapore. As the largest digital economy in ASEAN, Indonesia is a strategic data centre market which expands our platform’s footprint to cover the three fastest-growing locations in the region – Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand," states Yuen Kuan Moon, Singtel Group CEO.

Telkom CEO Mr Ririek Adriansyah said, “Telkom Group is currently consolidating our data centre business to answer the challenges of digital transformation. The regional data centre platform is a continuation of this data centre consolidation strategy and demonstrates our commitment to respond to customer needs and capture opportunities that will pave the way for our company to become a data centre player on a global level. These efforts require strategic partnerships with operators who have proven capabilities and track records. With its strengths and experience, Singtel is one of the strategic partners for Telkom in developing this regional data centre business."

Singtel also announced a collaboration to support Telkomsel’s transformation into Indonesia’s leading consumer fixed broadband and mobile operator through a fixed mobile convergence strategy with Telkom.

https://www.singtel.com/about-us/media-centre/news-releases/singtel-deepens-collaboration-with-telkom-in-regional-data-centr

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Singtel and Australian fund to acquire 2,000 towers across Australia

AustralianSuper, which is the largest Australian superannuation and pension fund, and Singtel-owned Australia Tower Network (ATN) have agreed to acquire Axicom, one of Australia’s leading providers of telecommunications tower infrastructure, for A$3.58 billion.

Axicom owns and operates approximately 2,000 telecommunication sites located in metro and outer-metro locations across all eight states and territories and major cities in Australia.

In November 2021, AustralianSuper acquired a 70% stake in ATN from Singtel. 

Following the Axicom acquisition, Singtel’s shareholding in the combined ATN/Axicom business will be 18%, with AustralianSuper at 82%.

“Axicom is complementary to our existing digital infrastructure portfolio and this acquisition will result in the creation of a provider with a truly national footprint that will connect the vast majority of Australian families and businesses,” said Nik Kemp, AustralianSuper Head of Infrastructure.

"This acquisition is a unique opportunity to scale up ATN’s operations and expand its customer base. It also reinforces Singtel’s commitment as a long-term investor in the Australian telecoms space where our goal has always been to provide more options and build better communications for Australian consumers and businesses. In combining ATN and Axicom, AustralianSuper and Singtel will be working closely to realise the significant operational synergies created," stated Lim Cheng Cheng, Chief Corporate Officer Singtel's Group.

https://www.singtel.com/about-us/media-centre/news-releases/australiansuper--singtel-and-australia-tower-network-to-acquire-

Telstra sells a 49% stake in its towers business

Wednesday, June 30, 2021  Australia, Telstra, Towers  

Telstra will sell a 49% share in its Telstra InfraCo Towers business, which consists of approximately 8,200 towers across Australia, to a consortium comprised of the Future Fund, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and Sunsuper.The transaction values Telstra InfraCo Towers at $5.9 billion, representing an FY21 pro forma EV/EBITDAaL multiple of 28x. Telstra expects net cash proceeds after transaction costs of $2.8 billion at completion and the...

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Singtel hits 5.4Gbps downstream on 5G with Ericsson

 Singtel achieved a top downstream rate of 5.5 Gbps using 5G standalone (SA) New Radio-Dual Connectivity (NR-DC), aggregating mid-band spectrum 3.5GHz and 28GHz mmWave spectrum. This milestone was achieved in a demo with Ericsson’s 5G radio access network products and solutions and cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core network solutions, as well as a test device from Qualcomm Technologies powered by its Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System. Ericsson has been a network supplier for Singtel for 30 years.

Mark Chong, Singtel’s Group Chief Technology Officer, said, “This 5G breakthrough demonstrates our commitment to continually innovate and maximise the potential of what this developing technology can deliver. The increased speeds will help pave the way for many new applications as we look to drive transformative benefits for consumers and businesses.”

Martin Wiktorin, Head of Ericsson Singapore, Brunei and Philippines, said: “At Ericsson, we have already deployed over 100 live 5G networks worldwide, building a strategy around multi-layer networks from low, mid-band to high-band 5G. In Singapore, we are constantly driving technology innovations together with Singtel. As 5G front runners, we strive to expand the potential of limitless connectivity, and further enhance digital transformation to benefit industries, consumers and societies.”

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Singapore's Singtel powers 5G SA with Ericsson

 Ericsson confirmed that its solutions are powering Singtel’s 5G SA network, including 5G radio access products and cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core network solutions. Ericsson has been a long-term supplier to Singtel, including with its first wave of 5G rollouts.

The Ericsson product range will deliver high-quality connectivity for outdoor coverage in densely populated areas and help drive strong indoor-mall coverage across the city-state. 

Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer, Singtel, says: “We are pleased to partner Ericsson in our 5G journey. Together, we launched Singapore’s first 5G standalone network and achieved the fastest 5G speeds this year. 5G is a game changer that will drive greater innovation, and in turn strengthen Singapore’s position as a leading digital hub. We look forward to bringing to life the full benefits 5G has to offer to enterprises and consumers in collaboration with ecosystem partners.”

Martin Wiktorin, Head of Ericsson Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines, says: “5G SA will allow consumers in Singapore to experience the full benefits of 5G connectivity and also enable businesses across industries to reap the benefits of enhanced mobility, flexibility, reliability and security. As Singtel’s long-standing partner, we are proud to support the roll-out of one of the first 5G SA networks in the world. As a global ICT leader, we have already accumulated a wealth of technology expertise through the deployment close to 100 live 5G networks worldwide.”  

Singtel ramps up 5G across Singapore

Thursday, September 02, 2021  5G, Singapore, SingTel  

Singtel confirmed that its 5G network now covers over two-thirds of Singapore. New 5G sites have been added in densely populated areas like Choa Chu Kang, Punggol, Sembawang and Tampines. In addition, it has expanded its 5G indoor coverage to more major shopping malls island-wide such as Funan, West Mall, Tampines Mall, Northpoint City and Waterway Point.Singtel highlighted new entertainment experiences powered by its 5G SA network:5G-powered Remote...

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Singtel installs indoor 5G in Singapore's largest mall

Saturday, February 06, 2021  Singapore, SingTel  

 Singtel has deployed 5G indoors at VivoCity, the largest mall in Singapore. The installation uses advanced small cell radio dot technology running on 3.5GHz spectrum. Singtel’s 5G network offers customers up to 1.2 Gbps downloads.Singtel will extend its in-building 5G coverage to popular malls such as Ngee Ann City and Bugis Junction over the next few months.Singtel recently switched on 28 GHz mmWave 5G in prime locations and has also...

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Singtel installs Ericsson 5G gear

Sunday, December 20, 2020  Ericsson, Singapore, SingTel  

Singel is deploying Ericsson's 5G New Radio (NR) Standalone and dual-mode 5G core network products and solutions, including real-time rating and policy control.The energy-efficient, end-to-end 5G network will operate on Singtel’s 3.5GHz and 28GHz spectrum bands, spanning outdoor and indoor 5G coverage. Millimeter wave (mmWave) connectivity will also be deployed in hotspots across the city state.Ericsson said the 5G contract award takes the partnership...

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Singtel boosts 5G with 28 Ghz mmWave rollout

Sunday, December 06, 2020  5G, MmWave, Singapore, SingTel  

Singtel is tapping on 28 Ghz mmWave in addition to 3.5Ghz and 2100Mhz frequencies to boost its 5G rollout in Singapore.Singtel said customers with 5G plans can expect to enjoy mobile speeds of up to 3 Gbps speeds when mmWave-enabled handsets arrive in Singapore next year.The initial mmWave rollout locations include Orchard Road, the Padang area and Marina Bay Sands Expo. More are planned.Mr Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer, Singtel, said,...

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Singtel ramps up 5G across Singapore

Singtel confirmed that its 5G network now covers over two-thirds of Singapore. New 5G sites have been added in densely populated areas like Choa Chu Kang, Punggol, Sembawang and Tampines. In addition, it has expanded its 5G indoor coverage to more major shopping malls island-wide such as Funan, West Mall, Tampines Mall, Northpoint City and Waterway Point.

Singtel highlighted new entertainment experiences powered by its 5G SA network:

• 5G-powered Remote Racing: Partnering with Formula Square to deliver an immersive, lag-free experience racing remote-controlled cars powered by 5G at Southside, Sentosa;
• 4K Live Streaming: Working with S.E.A. Aquarium to bring Singapore’s first underwater 5G livestream of the S.E.A. Aquarium to UNBOXED, Singtel’s unmanned pop-up retail store, where visitors can immerse themselves in the aquatic wonders of the aquarium, viewing manta rays, sharks and shoals of fishes in vivid 4K resolution;
• Enhancing the Arts and Culture Experience: Collaborating with the National Gallery Singapore and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay to deliver cultural and art experiences over 5G, from the Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery and the Singtel Waterfront Theatre when it opens officially next year. This will enable more people with opportunities to get up close and personal with local artists and performers amid prevailing safe distancing measures;
• Co-creating the future of hybrid work: Teaming up with Samsung and Zoom to introduce a Productivity Data Pass plan offering data-free usage of Zoom, enabling customers to connect to family and colleagues seamlessly and lag-free. This, coupled with Samsung devices such as DeX, will enable customers to set up virtual workstations easily. 

In addition, Singtel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ericsson and global industry partners to collaborate on the development and deployment of advanced 5G enterprise solutions in Singapore.

Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, Group CEO of Singtel said, “With the maturing of 5G technology, we’re excited to unlock the benefits of a 5G-enabled reality for consumers and enterprises. Its potential to transform business models and deliver enhanced products and services on a scale like never before, will spur Singapore’s digital economy as the country moves into post-COVID recovery. As part of our strategic reset to focus on 5G, we are accelerating our roll-out and the creation of new services. We’re proud to be leading the 5G charge and forging the next chapter of this digital era.”                                  

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Singtel installs indoor 5G in Singapore's largest mall

 Singtel has deployed 5G indoors at VivoCity, the largest mall in Singapore. 

The installation uses advanced small cell radio dot technology running on 3.5GHz spectrum. Singtel’s 5G network offers customers up to 1.2 Gbps downloads.

Singtel will extend its in-building 5G coverage to popular malls such as Ngee Ann City and Bugis Junction over the next few months.

Singtel recently switched on 28 GHz mmWave 5G in prime locations and has also steadily enhanced its 5G coverage across the island to include key residential hubs such as Clementi, Punggol and more, since the launch of its 5G network last September.

Singtel installs Ericsson 5G gear

Sunday, December 20, 2020  Ericsson, Singapore, SingTel  

Singel is deploying Ericsson's 5G New Radio (NR) Standalone and dual-mode 5G core network products and solutions, including real-time rating and policy control.

The energy-efficient, end-to-end 5G network will operate on Singtel’s 3.5GHz and 28GHz spectrum bands, spanning outdoor and indoor 5G coverage. Millimeter wave (mmWave) connectivity will also be deployed in hotspots across the city state.

Ericsson said the 5G contract award takes the partnership between Ericsson and Singtel to new levels, as Industry 4.0 gathers pace globally. 

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Singtel to launches Mobile Edge Computing with Azure Stack

Singtel is launching 5G edge compute infrastructure for enterprises. Microsoft Azure Stack is one of the options.

Enterprises will be able to use Singtel’s Multi-access Edge Compute (MEC) infrastructure to process applications like autonomous guided vehicles, drones, robots, virtual, augmented or mixed reality closer to their end-users. 

Mr Bill Chang, Chief Executive Officer of Group Enterprise at Singtel said, “The trials for Singtel 5G MEC allow enterprises to enjoy the best of both worlds with Azure Stack, Microsoft’s trusted hybrid cloud solution, and Singtel 5G MEC’s ultra-low latency performance. Our collaboration places the benefits of 5G and MEC, such as high connection speeds and low latency, in the hands of enterprises, empowering them to use, create, deploy and scale-up new 5G solutions. ”

“Today marks a new chapter in our collaboration with Singtel to unlock the power of 5G and bring the cloud closer than ever to devices and customers. With Singtel’s 5G network, Microsoft’s cloud and edge solutions, and our combined ecosystem of partners, we lower the barriers for enterprises to adopt next generation technologies that drive real business value,” said Mr Yousef Khalidi, Corporate Vice President Azure for Operators at Microsoft Corp.

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Singtel installs Ericsson 5G gear

Singel is deploying Ericsson's 5G New Radio (NR) Standalone and dual-mode 5G core network products and solutions, including real-time rating and policy control.

The energy-efficient, end-to-end 5G network will operate on Singtel’s 3.5GHz and 28GHz spectrum bands, spanning outdoor and indoor 5G coverage. Millimeter wave (mmWave) connectivity will also be deployed in hotspots across the city state.

Ericsson said the 5G contract award takes the partnership between Ericsson and Singtel to new levels, as Industry 4.0 gathers pace globally. 

Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer, Singtel, says: “As the leading telco in Singapore, Singtel is committed to building a secure, resilient, world-class 5G network that will serve as the backbone of Singapore’s digital economy. We are pleased to be working with Ericsson, leveraging on its industry-leading 5G capabilities and to deliver innovative applications and transformative customer experiences for our consumers and enterprise customers.”

Martin Wiktorin, Head of Ericsson Singapore, Brunei and Philippines, says: “Singtel is determined to play a leading role in keeping Singapore at the cutting edge of technology innovation and to ensure that the whole nation benefits from 5G.

Singtel boosts 5G with 28 Ghz mmWave rollout

Sunday, December 06, 2020  5G, MmWave, Singapore, SingTel  

Singtel is tapping on 28 Ghz mmWave in addition to 3.5Ghz and 2100Mhz frequencies to boost its 5G rollout in Singapore.

Singtel said customers with 5G plans can expect to enjoy mobile speeds of up to 3 Gbps speeds when mmWave-enabled handsets arrive in Singapore next year.

The initial mmWave rollout locations include Orchard Road, the Padang area and Marina Bay Sands Expo. More are planned.

Mr Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer, Singtel, said, “We are progressing our 5G deployment and boosting our capabilities to meet increasing demand for advanced mobile connectivity in the consumer and enterprise sectors. mmWave 5G’s super-fast speeds and low latency will bring about a striking change in the way we communicate and work. On the consumer front, we are tapping the power of 5G to transform applications such as cloud gaming and augmented reality. We are also working with enterprise customers in key industries to develop 5G solutions in areas such as autonomous guided vehicles, mixed reality and location-based services.”

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Singtel boosts 5G with 28 Ghz mmWave rollout

Singtel is tapping on 28 Ghz mmWave in addition to 3.5Ghz and 2100Mhz frequencies to boost its 5G rollout in Singapore.

Singtel said customers with 5G plans can expect to enjoy mobile speeds of up to 3 Gbps speeds when mmWave-enabled handsets arrive in Singapore next year.

The initial mmWave rollout locations include Orchard Road, the Padang area and Marina Bay Sands Expo. More are planned.

Mr Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer, Singtel, said, “We are progressing our 5G deployment and boosting our capabilities to meet increasing demand for advanced mobile connectivity in the consumer and enterprise sectors. mmWave 5G’s super-fast speeds and low latency will bring about a striking change in the way we communicate and work. On the consumer front, we are tapping the power of 5G to transform applications such as cloud gaming and augmented reality. We are also working with enterprise customers in key industries to develop 5G solutions in areas such as autonomous guided vehicles, mixed reality and location-based services.”

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Chua Sock Koong steps down as CEO of Singtel

 Ms Chua Sock Koong has decided to retire as Singtel's Group Chief Executive Officer on 1 January 2021. 

The Singtel Board has appointed Mr Yuen Kuan Moon to succeed Chua as the Group’s CEO. Yuen, currently the CEO of Singtel’s Singapore Consumer Business and the Chief Digital Officer, is a Singtel veteran who joined the Group in 1993. He has risen through the ranks of the company, with leadership positions in marketing, business development and sales, and Telkomsel in Indonesia, before his appointment as CEO, Consumer Singapore in 2012. 

Mr Lee Theng Kiat, Chairman of Singtel, said, “On behalf of the Board, I want to acknowledge Sock Koong’s demonstrated leadership and outstanding contributions to Singtel.”

“Sock Koong is one of Singapore’s most successful CEOs and has played a key role in making Singtel the operationally and financially strong company it is today. Joining when it was still a statutory board, she has led the company through its corporatisation, market listing, market deregulation in Singapore and regionalisation. Under her leadership, Singtel added Optus in Australia to its portfolio, building an unrivalled footprint across Asia, with stakes in all the lead telecom players in India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. In 2012, Sock Koong led the Group on its digital transformation, which included the digitalisation of its core telecom business as well as the growth of new digital businesses. This has seen the building out of its global cyber security business which continues to scale. She has also developed a strong enterprise business with a thriving ICT arm in NCS. In recent months, Sock Koong led the team on its 5G investment plans that not only promises 5G coverage for Singapore but repositions Singtel for growth in the converging world of telecoms and tech.”

Ms Chua said, “It has been an immense privilege to be involved in Singtel’s growth and transformation. It has been an amazing 31 years, 13 of those as GCEO.”

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Singapore plans 5G gaming trial

Razer, Singtel and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) are preparing to launch Singapore’s first 5G cloud gaming trial.

Throughout the trial, Razer will provide the 5G cloud gaming use case and test scenarios, leveraging their unique know-how and intellectual property for the development of cloud gaming technologies and hardware, while Singtel will provide the 5G platform and technical test scenarios.

The trial will commence in the next few months and will be conducted at three locations – Shaw Centre and Ngee Ann City on the Orchard Road shopping belt, and Razer’s new Southeast Asia headquarters at one-north. At the end of the trial, Razer and Singtel plan to hold a cloud gaming showcase that will be open to the public.

The trial aims to gain insights on:

• 5G network characteristics and requirements of cloud gaming;
• Design and engineering of low latency hardware for cloud gaming that can deliver quality performance and a broader range of gaming experiences, from ultra-fast responsiveness to portability to seamless device-to-device sync to cloud servers.

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Singtel revenue stable despite lower ARPU and impact of Airtel India

Singtel posted revenue of S$4.11 billion for the quarter ended 30-June-2019, up 2% in constant currency, on growth in Consumer Australia and the Group’s digital businesses which continued to scale. Net profit was S$541 million for the first quarter, down 35% largely due to Airtel’s losses and higher depreciation and amortisation costs in network and spectrum across the Group. Excluding Airtel, however, net profit was down 3%.

Ms Chua Sock Koong, Singtel Group CEO said, “The Airtel impact aside, business is stable as we continued to execute to strategy in the first quarter. We added postpaid mobile customers in Singapore and Australia and grew our digital businesses Amobee and Trustwave. This was achieved against a backdrop of heightened competition, sustained industry headwinds and subdued economic growth. We are focused on the digitalization of our core communications business where innovations in digital products and services are proving to be key differentiators, leveraging our network superiority. We are also driving productivity gains and cost savings through digitalisation.”

Some highlights:

• Overall pre-tax earnings contributions fell 14% due to Airtel in India as higher network costs, depreciation and finance charges from its 4G network expansion affected financial performance. This quarter, Airtel India saw improved ARPU which drove growth in its mobile revenue. E
• Telkomsel Indonesia posted an 18% increase in earnings on robust growth in data and digital services. 
• In Thailand, AIS and Intouch’s earnings were mainly impacted by an additional provision for statutory payments under revised labour legislation. 
• In the Philippines, Globe saw strong data revenue growth from its mobile and broadband businesses.
• In Australia, Optus is rolling out its 5G fixed wireless service which is targeted to reach 1,200 sites by March 2020. Revenue increased 8% led by growth in NBN migration revenue, equipment sales and handset leasing. EBITDA rose 9% primarily from higher NBN migration revenue. Optus continued to drive customer growth, adding 50,000 postpaid handset customers. Mobile service revenue declined 7% from lower ARPU due to an increased mix of SIM-only customers and heightened data price competition. Optus Sport now reaches over 700,000 customers with compelling content on the Premier League, Champions League Final and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Optus also launched Apple Music to further boost its content suite.
• In Singapore, mobile revenue was stable. Higher equipment sales offset the decline in local and roaming voice services. Postpaid customers grew 35,000 this quarter with strong demand for its all-digital, no-contract GOMO plans. Revenue from fixed services was down 3%, excluding contributions from the 2018 FIFA World Cup broadcast in the prior period. Pay-TV customers increased by 1,100 on a sequential quarter basis. Operating expenses fell 6% from strong cost management mainly through digitalisation. However, lower voice revenue resulted in a 4% decline in EBITDA.
• Group Enterprise revenue slid 5% due to lower Optus Business volumes and the continued pressure on carriage services amid a more cautious business environment. Optus Business in Australia was impacted by weak demand from the government and financial sectors, and a large ICT contract in the same quarter last year. Excluding Optus Business, revenue would have been stable. 
• Group Digital Life’s revenue rose 17%, driven by the continued growth in Amobee’s programmatic advertising business and contributions from Videology. Mobile video streaming service HOOQ saw healthy revenue growth from a higher base of paying subscribers in Southeast Asia and India. Amobee continues to deliver positive EBITDA.

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MEF18 PoC - MEF 3.0 Inter-Carrier Services and Blockchain Settlement

MEF18 Proof of Concept, 29 - 31 Oct - MEF 3.0 LSO Federated Inter-Carrier Bandwidth-on-Demand Services Through Automated Discovery and Blockchain Settlement. 

PoC Participants:  PCCW Global, Sparkle, Tata Communications, SingTel, CBCcom, Liquid Telecom, Infonas, Clear, and Cataworx.

This group won the MEF18 PoC Silver Award.

Speaker:  Shahar Steiff, AVP, New Technology, PCCW Global.

A typical Communications Service Provider (CSP) owns and delivers a combination of network connectivity, compute, and storage services that are bundled into billable product offerings. It is most likely that such product offerings rely on partner CSPs that use each other’s resources to complement geographical or service capability coverage. To meet its potential, the market needs solutions that will dramatically streamline the commercial interactions between the CSP partners in the supply chain delivering such products. Those interactions typically include establishment of legal and commercial relationships, inquiries about availability of services, requests for quotes, placement of orders, billing, and settlement. As new and ever more complex products enter the market, commercial interactions based on manual intervention and processing using, for example, phone-calls, emails, and fax, will continue to consume significant time, thus delaying the delivery of these high margin services and holding back market growth.

Secure automation of these commercial interactions is highly significant for the availability of services supporting the growth of productivity and the global economy. In the immediate term, demonstrations of automation of billable connectivity/compute/storage services are of great significance to CSPs and vendors of commercial and business platforms.

This PoC provides a powerful demonstration of the dramatic reduction in time and resources required by service providers and partner operators throughout the commercial and business phases of the lifecycle of each service, as well as the ability to offer new products and services with deployment times significantly shorter than the current typical weeks or months. The PoC is based on the distributed ledger paradigm where commercially-sensitive transactions and information are managed using blockchain technology. Although blockchain is popularly perceived as being synonymous with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, blockchain can be used for a large variety of applications of distributed ledgers, including global supply chain verticals. The PoC illustrates the automation of commercial interactions, including product offer discovery, recursive quoting, and blockchain-based settlement and clearing across a network of seven wholesale/transit operator domains.

In addition, automated commercial interactions require machine-to-machine interfaces standardized and designed in such a way that they can be used by most, if not all, the suppliers and customers of these connectivity, compute, and storage billable services. MEF is making progress in standardizing business interaction interfaces (LSO Sonata APIs) which form an important part of this demonstration. These APIs have been combined in this demonstration with smart contract technology in which pre-standardized commercial and business service attributes are captured and expressed dynamically in machine form.  This combination of MEF-defined APIs, smart contract technology, and the secure distributed ledger paradigm based on blockchain technology will enable the dramatic reduction of time and human resources in querying, quoting, ordering, billing, and settlement between stakeholders in the WAN-based services market, as well as the explosive growth of new services based on end-to-end, multi-domain, automation.

Save the date for MEF19, 18-22 November 2019, JW Marriott, LA LIVE, Los Angeles.

https://youtu.be/Lv8IH1ds4uc

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Singtel plans 5G pilot for Q4

Singtel expects to kickoff its 5G trial by the fourth quarter of this year. The 5G pilot network, which will be conducted in partnership with Ericsson, will occr a0t one-north, the country’s science, business and IT hub. Singapore's Info-Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) has allocated spectrum for the trial.

“5G has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation of industries, as well as empower consumers with innovative applications,” said Mr Mark Chong, Group Chief Technology Officer at Singtel. “We are pleased to take another bold step in our journey to 5G with our 5G pilot network at one-north and invite enterprises to start shaping their digital future with us.”

“This is an encouraging step towards commercialisation with live 5G trial networks made possible with the regulatory sandbox IMDA has in place,” said Ms Aileen Chia, Deputy Chief Executive and Director-General (Telecoms & Post) at IMDA.  “IMDA will continue to work closely with mobile service providers such as Singtel in their journey to build communication capabilities of the future and complement Singapore’s efforts towards a vibrant digital economy.”

At a “Bringing 5G to Life” event held at Singtel Comcentre this week, Singtel and Ericsson demonstrated c3D augmented reality (AR) streaming over a 5G network operating in the 28GHz millimetre wave spectrum. The event also showcased emerging technologies from partners – Garuda Robotics, Intel, Meta, Rohde & Schwarz and Sony.

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Singtel seeks to increase stake in Bharti Airtel

Singtel will subscribe to new shares in Bharti Telecom under a proposed preferential allotment.

Specifically, Singtel International Investments will be allotted up to 85,450,000 new equity shares in Bharti Telecom at an issue price of INR310 per equity share. This will increase Singtel’s stake in Bharti Telecom by up to 1.7% for an aggregate consideration of approximately INR26.5 billion or S$555.6 million. Through this allotment, Singtel’s economic interest in Airtel will increase by 0.9 percentage point to 39.5%.

Airtel is India’s largest telecommunications company with operations in 16 countries across South Asia and Africa and a customer base of over 390 million. It has been an associate of the Group since Singtel acquired a stake in 2000.

Mr Arthur Lang, CEO International, said, “This is a good opportunity for us to deepen our strategic partnership with Airtel. While there are currently headwinds in India, we take a long-term view of our investment in Airtel which continues to be a strong market leader in a region with rapidly increasing smartphone penetration and mobile data adoption.”

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