>> ASIAONE / NEWS / THE STRAITS TIMES / STORY

End of free access won't see big dip in Net usage
Mon, Dec 31, 2007 The Straits Times
I REFER to the report, 'End of free Net access to spell 1m dip in user figures' (ST, Dec25). We would like to clarify that the dial-up Internet subscription figures stated on the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) website include subscribers to all Internet access service providers (IASPs) and free Net access subscribers such as those on the mysingtel service, as explained on the website. These figures are compiled from submissions by IASPs. We complement these figures on Net access with data on Internet usage from our annual infocomm surveys of households and businesses.

Contrary to what The Straits Times report suggests, the end of the mysingtel service in April next year would not lead to a sharp decline in Internet usage in Singapore.

It is a well-known global trend that dial-up Internet access is being replaced by broadband Internet access. In Singapore, the dial-up Internet penetration rate has dropped from 48.2 per cent to 22.9 per cent between January 2003 and October this year.

During the same period, the household broadband penetration rate has risen from 21.1 per cent to 75.7 per cent.

Internet access subscriptions and usage will grow further with the availability of high-speed and competitively priced broadband Internet access.

In assessing a country's level of infocomm connectivity, international organisations such as the World Economic Forum and the International Institute for Management Development consider a basket of indicators, such as computer ownership, mobile and broadband Internet penetration, and infocomm usage.

Given the rapid decline in dial-up subscription, this indicator is seldom considered in such ranking of countries, and has in fact not been included in major rankings over the past few years. Hence, the dial-up subscription rate is not a factor for Singapore being considered as a country with one of the highest levels of infocomm connectivity in the world.

Ng Sook Fun (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore