StarHub, M1 not 100 per cent reliant on SingTel

SINGAPORE — Where it is economically viable, StarHub has built its own fibre optic network, as part of its efforts to increase network resilience, the telco said yesterday.

Responding to the Infocomm Development Authority’s (IDA) comments on Wednesday that over-reliance on SingTel’s infrastructure can be mitigated by the other telcos building their own, StarHub said it has built its own fibre network directly connecting some commercial buildings “mainly in the central business district” to serve its corporate customers.

The IDA had stepped in on Wednesday to stress that Singapore’s telecommunications infrastructure was sound, after a fire at SingTel’s Bukit Panjang Exchange earlier this month that crippled telecommunications in parts of Singapore left many in doubt over whether the infrastructure here was robust enough.

Yesterday, both StarHub and M1 stated that they build and own some of their own infrastructure.

But StarHub also reiterated the “legacy” issue — SingTel had already built up a large network before the telco industry was liberalised. StarHub opted to lease part of the network from SingTel and build the rest itself, but “where it made economic sense”, it has built its own fibre optic network.

“We undertook a major exercise several years ago to ensure that our mobile infrastructure was connected up via our own fixed infrastructure, as far as possible,”said a StarHub spokesman.

M1, meanwhile, pointed out that the IDA chose and funded OpenNet to roll out the nationwide fibre optic network, which meant that all operators have to provide fibre services through OpenNet’s infrastructure. OpenNet, owns fibre, but in turn, leases ducts from SingTel.

A M1 spokesman added: “M1 has built and operates infrastructure assets, including setting up our own operating company, to deliver a superior fibre service to our customers.” Correction: The original article stated that OpenNet leases fibre from SingTel. This is incorrect. OpenNet only leases ducts from SingTel and owns their own fibre. This article was edited at 340pm on Oct 28, 2013.