Singapore - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on Singapore's telecom sector in 2020, pushing down penetration rates and delaying several major infrastructure projects due to production and supply chain disruptions. The good news, at least, is that the overall effect on the sector has been relatively modest compared to other industries that effectively collapsed under the shutdown. Telecommunications remained an essential service during the period, with many people even needing to upgrade their services and plans to enable a shift to working and schooling from home. Singapore's modern infrastructure and capacity weathered the storm well.

Most telecom operators suffered financially, with declines in revenue and profit as subscribers tightened their belts and reduced discretionary spending. The downturn was roughly in line with the retraction in the Singapore economy. All the major players continued to provide services, and to proceed with their investment programs, particularly in 5G networks (with a focus on standalone). The operators are voicing strong optimism for the coming months as travel restrictions are reduced and economic activity starts to bounce back. While forecasting should be viewed as a very risky activity in such uncertain times, there is a high degree of confidence across the industry that penetration rates in Singapore will quickly return to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Singapore continues to push ahead with its 5G rollout. 5G networks and services are expected to form the backbone of growth in the telco sector over the coming years as service providers seek new ways to engage customers in a market that is otherwise already saturated.

Key developments

Following successful trials, multiple standalone 5G services are launched;

Telecom regulator announces S$30 million fund to accelerate 5G adoption and commercialisation;

M1 and Keppel Corp to create a separate company to operate M1's mobile network assets;

Report update includes the regulator's market data to March 2021, telcos' data to Q1 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Singtel, StarHub, M1, TPG Telecom.

Key statistics

Regional Asian Market Comparison

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Fixed network developments
- Cyber Security
Mobile network developments
- Spectrum auctions

Mobile market

Market overview
Mobile broadband
Mobile infrastructure
- 5G
- 4G (LTE)
- 3G
- GSM
- VoWiFi
- Radio Dot System
- Lampsite
- Satellite mobile
- Light Fidelity (Li-Fi)
- Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) Small Cells
Mobile operators
- Singtel
- StarHub
- M1
- TPG Telecom
- MNVOs

Fixed-line broadband market

Market overview
- Broadband statistics
Fixed broadband service providers
- SingNet
- StarHub
- M1
Fixed-line broadband technologies
- Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
- Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
- Fixed wireless (Wi-Fi and WiMAX)

Digital economy

e-Commerce
- Smart Nation initiative
E-Payments
e-Government

Fixed network operators

Singtel
- StarHub
- M1 (formerly MobileOne)

Telecommunications infrastructure

National telecom network
Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (NGNBN)
- Background and timeline
International infrastructure
- Satellite networks
- Submarine cable networks
Data centres
Smart infrastructure
- Internet-of-Things (IoT)
- Smart Nation Platform
- Cyber Security Centre
- Smart Meters

Appendix - Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 - Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - 2021 (e)
Table 2 - Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
Table 3 - Change in the number of mobile subscribers by platform (thousand) - 2010 - 2021
Table 4 - Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
Table 5 - Growth in the number of LTE subscribers (million) - 2014 - 2021
Table 6 - Decline in the number of 3G subscribers (million) - 2010 - 2021
Table 7 - Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator (million) - 2011 - 2021
Table 8 - Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator - 2011 - 2021
Table 9 - Development of Singtel's domestic mobile service revenue - 2010 - 2021
Table 10 - Growth in the number of Singtel's mobile subscribers (million) - 2011 - 2021
Table 11 - Decline in Singtel's mobile ARPU (S$/subscriber/month) - 2011 - 2020
Table 12 - Change in StarHub's mobile service revenue - 2011 - 2021
Table 13 - Change in the number of StarHub's mobile subscribers (thousand) - 2011 - 2021
Table 14 - Development of StarHub's mobile ARPU (S$/subscriber/month)- 2011 - 2021
Table 15 - Change in the number of M1's mobile subscribers (thousands) - 2011 - 2021
Table 16 - Change in M1's mobile ARPU (S$ / month) - 2011 - 2018
Table 17 - Change in the number of fixed and wireless broadband subscribers (million) - 2010 - 2021
Table 18 - Change in the proportion of fixed and wireless broadband subscribers - 2010 - 2021
Table 19 - Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
Table 20 - Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by type - 2010 - 2021
Table 21 - Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by access type - 2011 - 2021
Table 22 - Growth in the number of SingNet's fixed broadband subscribers - 2011 - 2021
Table 23 - Change in the number of StarHub's fixed broadband subscribers - 2011 - 2021
Table 24 - Decline in StarHub's fixed broadband ARPU - 2011 - 2021
Table 25 - Growth in the number of M1's fixed broadband subscribers - 2012 - 2021
Table 26 - Change in M1's fixed broadband ARPU - 2012 - 2018
Table 27 - Development of Singtel Group's financial data (S$ million) - 2010 - 2021
Table 28 - Development of Singtel's Singapore (consumer) financial data (S$ million) - 2014 - 2021
Table 29 - Decline in the number of Singtel's fixed lines - 2011 - 2020
Table 30 - Development of StarHub's operating revenue by market segment (S$ million) - 2009 - 2021
Table 31 - Development of StarHub's financial data (S$ million) - 2009 - 2021
Table 32 - Decline in the number of fixed telephony lines and penetration - 2011 - 2026
Table 33 - Total international internet bandwidth - 2011 - 2017
Table 34 - Historic - Mobile Subscribers and Penetration - 1997 - 2010
Table 35 - Historic - Mobile subscribers market share by 2G, 3G, 4G - 2012 - 2017
Table 36 - Historic - GSM subscribers - 2010 - 2016
Table 37 - Historic - Mobile subscribers by operator (million) - 2000 - 2010
Table 38 - Historic - Mobile Subscriber Market Share by Operator - 2000 - 2010
Table 39 - Historic - Singtel - mobile subscribers (million) - 1998 - 2010
Table 40 - Historic - Singtel mobile ARPU - Postpaid, Prepaid (S$/month)- 2003 - 2010
Table 41 - Historic - StarHub mobile subscribers - 2000 - 2010
Table 42 - Historic - StarHub - ARPU for mobile services - Postpaid and Prepaid - 2003 - 2010
Table 43 - Historic - M1 mobile subscribers (million) - 1998 - 2010
Table 44 - Historic - Fixed and Wireless broadband subscribers and annual growth - 1999 - 2010
Table 45 - Historic - Singtel - fixed broadband subscribers - 2004 - 2010
Table 46 - Historic - StarHub's fixed broadband subscribers - 2003 - 2010
Table 47 - Historic - Cable modem subscribers - 2000 - 2010
Table 48 - Historic - DSL subscribers - 2000 - 2010
Table 49 - Historic - Fixed telephony lines and teledensity - 1998 - 2010
Table 50 - Historic - StarHub's fibre broadband subscribers - 2014 - 2017
Table 51 - Historic - Change in StarHub's mobile service revenue - 2009 - 2010
Table 52 - Historic - Change in M1's mobile ARPU (S$ / month) - 2008 - 2010
Table 53 - Historic - Development of M1's operating revenue, capex and EBITDA (S$ million) - 2008 - 2010
Table 54 - Historic - Decline in StarHub's broadband ARPU - 2006 - 2010
Table 55 - Historic - Decline in the number of Singtel's fixed lines - 2007 - 2010
Table 56 - Historic - Total international internet bandwidth - 2006 - 2010
Table 57 - Historic - Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2007 - 2010

List of Charts

Chart 1 - Asian Telecoms Maturity Index by Market Category
Chart 2 - Asian Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 3 - Telecoms Maturity Index - South-East Asia
Chart 4 - Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
Chart 5 - Change in the number of mobile subscribers by platform - 2010 - 2021
Chart 6 - Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
Chart 7 - Growth in the number of LTE subscribers - 2014 - 2021
Chart 8 - Decline in the number of 3G subscribers - 2010 - 2021
Chart 9 - Change in the number of mobile subscribers by operator - 2011 - 2021
Chart 10 - Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator - 2011 - 2021
Chart 11 - Development of Singtel's domestic mobile revenue - 2010 - 2021
Chart 12 - Growth in the number of Singtel's mobile subscribers - 2011 - 2021
Chart 13 - Decline in Singtel's mobile ARPU (Postpaid, Prepaid, blended) - 2011 - 2020
Chart 14 - Change in StarHub's mobile service revenue - 2011 - 2021
Chart 15 - Change in the number of StarHub's mobile subscribers - 2011 - 2021
Chart 16 - Development of StarHub's mobile ARPU - 2011 - 2021
Chart 17 - Change in the number of M1's mobile subscribers - 2011 - 2021
Chart 18 - Change in M1's mobile ARPU - 2011 - 2018
Chart 19 - Change in the number of fixed and wireless broadband subscribers - 2010 - 2021
Chart 20 - Change in the proportion of fixed and wireless broadband subscribers - 2010 - 2021
Chart 21 - Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration - 2011 - 2026
Chart 22 - Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by type - 2010 - 2021
Chart 23 - Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by access type - 2011 - 2021
Chart 24 - Growth in the number of SingNet's fixed broadband subscribers - 2011 - 2021
Chart 25 - Change in the number of StarHub's fixed broadband subscribers - 2011 - 2021
Chart 26 - Decline in StarHub's fixed broadband ARPU - 2011 - 2021
Chart 27 - Growth in the number of M1's fixed broadband subscribers - 2012 - 2021
Chart 28 - Change in M1's fixed broadband ARPU - 2012 - 2018
Chart 29 - Development of Singtel Group's financial data - 2010 - 2021
Chart 30 - Development of Singtel's Singapore (consumer) financial data - 2014 - 2021
Chart 31 - Decline in the number of Singtel's fixed lines - 2011 - 2020
Chart 32 - Development of StarHub's operating revenue by market segment - 2009 - 2021
Chart 33 - Development of StarHub's financial data - 2009 - 2021
Chart 34 - Decline in the number of fixed telephony lines and penetration - 2011 - 2026

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 - Key Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 - South-East Asia - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country
Exhibit 3 - Key historical regulatory and liberalisation developments
Exhibit 4 - Third Generation (3G) licensees, spectrum, and vendors
Exhibit 5 - Singtel's regional subsidiaries and shareholdings
Exhibit 6 - Major shareholders in StarHub
Exhibit 7 - Structure of the NBN
Exhibit 8 - International submarine cable systems with landing points in Singapore

Singapore - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Description

Table of Contents

List of Tables

Singapore's telcos push standalone 5G rollouts

Key developments

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Table of Contents

Key statistics

Regional Asian Market Comparison

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix - Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

List of Tables

List of Charts

List of Exhibits