SINGAPORE — New and existing MyRepublic customers can now apply for 1Gbps broadband services starting from S$49.99 per month, the Internet service provider said today (Jan 14).

The MyRepublic plan is the cheapest 1Gbps connection available here. The cost of each Mbps in the plan works out to S$0.05. The previous low was S$0.39 for each Mbps with SingTel’s 500Mbps S$69.95 monthly plan.

With the announcement, Singapore also becomes the first country to offer 1Gbps on a nationwide basis, with prices that are amongst the most affordable in the world, according to the International Telecoms Union (ITU).

Even today, with the availability of fibre services across the Next Generation National Broadband Network (NGNBN), Singapore ranks 14th in the world for fixed broadband affordability.

“When we talk about wanting to transform Singapore into a global leader in Internet connectivity, the tech-savvy always referred us to consumers in South Korea and Japan. “These countries are well-known for having the best, most affordable Internet on the planet,” Mr Malcolm Rodrigues, MyRepublic CEO, said.

“As of today, we are pioneering Singapore’s entry into this top tier group of countries.”

MyRepublic entered the telecommunications market in a time when it was dominated by the “big three” of SingTel, M1 and StarHub. Today, its announcement of the 1Gbps service at a mass-market price catapults Singapore from the 55th place in Internet speed to sit alongside top-tiers South Korea and Japan.

“With an average of 12 Internet-enabled devices in the home, and the explosion of multisource high-definition streaming video across those devices, 100Mbps is becoming increasingly obsolete,” said Mr Rodrigues.

To celebrate, MyRepublic is holding an event on Orchard Road this weekend, at which members of the public can try MyRepublic's service. The 1Gbps service will only roll out in end February or early March. 

Responding to media queries, StarHub’s Head of Home Solutions Lin Shu Fen said: “We do not compete on price alone. We believe we still have better hubbing proposition than our competitors as we offer consistent service experience and great bundled content across our fibre broadband plans.

“All fibre broadband plans come with a free ultra-high-speed wireless AC gigabit router and offer free access to 16 quality StarHub TV channels. There is no hidden fee as service activation and installation fees are waived. We will continue to monitor the market closely to ensure that we remain relevant and competitive in our broadband offering.”