Switching telcos will soon be a breeze for customers

SINGAPORE — Customers planning to sign up with or switch telcos for their mobile devices will soon no longer have to change their SIM card or visit the store in person, with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) set to launch a guide to allow users to register for mobile services securely online.

The electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) guide is one of a number of initiatives by the IMDA to fortify Singapore’s infocomm sector.

On Friday (Jan 25), Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Janil Puthucheary announced that the authority is working on a multi-year roadmap to identify next generation cyberthreats and develop solutions and capabilities to secure Singapore’s connectivity infrastructure.

Helmed by the newly-formed Telecom Cybersecurity Strategic Committee, the roadmap will identify areas for improvement in Singapore’s telecom cybersecurity capabilities and recommend strategies, policies and initiatives.

The committee includes international cybersecurity experts, Singapore’s telecom operators and representatives from the Government. The first set of recommendations is expected to be published later this year.

“As we look towards deploying the next generation connectivity infrastructure to support Singapore’s Digital Economy, we will also need to be mindful of the increasingly complex and sophisticated cybersecurity risks that we face,” said IMDA chief executive Tan Kiat How.

The partnership with “industry and international thought leaders” to develop the roadmap will “guide our effort in systemically building a trusted, secure and resilient connectivity infrastructure”, added Mr Tan.

The IMDA also announced other initiatives to secure Singapore’s infocomm sector.

• The authority will hold public consultations on its cybersecurity guide for Internet of Things (IoT) systems. The proposed guide aims to help organisations take security designs into consideration when they purchase and deploy IoT systems.

• IMDA has partnered with the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Quantum Technologies to offer workshops and training programmes for government agencies and industry players over the next few months.