Internet Infrastructure Development Trends in Singapore and the Region

1. Internet Infrastructure Development Trends in Singapore and the Region Presentation by Eric Lie IDA

2. Key areas of my presentation today • Major Internet trends in Singapore • Singapore ONE • Wired with Wireless • Promoting an e-Lifestyle for All • Internet co-operation in the region • e-ASEAN • Int’l Charging Arrangements for Internet Services (ICAIS)

3. A few major trends in Singapore … • Singapore ONE • Wired with Wireless • Promoting an e-Lifestyle for All

4. Singapore ONE Nation-Wide Availability • > 300,000 users Pervasive Public Access • All schools • Libraries, community centres • Public training facilities Broadbanding Commercial Buildings & Industrial Parks Active Industry Participation • > 300 local and foreign partners Platform for Innovative Services • > 200 Broadband Applications

5. CONSUMER ADOPTION INDUSTRY ADOPTION Adoption SERVICE/PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Pilot & Trial Hotspots Wireless Technology Alliances INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT Call for Collaboration Technological Innovation TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT Overseas Business Centres MARKET ACCESS DEVELOPMENT Market Development Wireless Training Initiatives TALENT DEVELOPMENT Soft Infrastructure development International Advisory Roundtable THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Wired with Wireless • Launched in October 2000 • Initiative to accelerate R&D & deployment of wireless technologies, applications & services • Develop the entire wireless value-chain • Focus on m-commerce, location-based services and wirelessmultimedia

6. Promoting an e-Lifestyle for All • IT Training for all • National IT Literacy Programme for all walks of life • Consumer Education • e-Celebrations, roadshows • Accessibility • PC Reuse Scheme, Public access facilities • Specialised programmes • Ethnic language Internet programmes, assistive technology for the handicapped

7. Internet Co-operation in the Region … • e-ASEAN • ICAIS

8. The Genesis of e-ASEAN • First mooted at the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in Dec 1998. Concrete step towards realising ASEAN 2020 vision. • Working Group for ASEAN Information Infrastructure (WGAII) formed to develop concept and developmental plan for the AII • AEM agreed in Sep 1999 to elevate the scope and status of the AII to an initiative called e-ASEAN • In July 2001, ASEAN TELMIN undertook to share responsibility for e-ASEAN along with AEM e-ASEAN Task Force e-ASEAN Working Group

9. The e-ASEAN Framework Agreement • Signed by the ASEAN Leaders during the ASEAN Informal Summit in Singapore in November 2000 • Covers the following areas: • Establishment of the ASEAN Information Infrastructure (AII) • Growth of electronic commerce • Liberalisation of trade in ICT products and ICT services, and of Investments • Facilitation of Trade in ICT products and services • Capacity building and e-Society • e-Government

10. Some key initiatives … AII Backbone • Purpose • To work towards establishing high-speed direct connections between NIIs with a view to evolving this into an AII backbone • Progress to date • e-Readiness study findings completed • Next Step • “Bandwidth Map” of member countries to be compiled • Study on common requirements for high speed capacity information processing and high speed communications for the next 2, 5 and 10 years • Consideration of commercial supply and demand in striving to establish AII backbone

11. e-ASEAN e-Readiness study • Purpose • To develop an understanding of the level of e-readiness of ASEAN countries and to provide recommendations for positioning ASEAN in the digital economy • Progress to date • Report by consultant prepared and presented to ASEAN Summit in November 2001 • Key findings and recommendations highlighted • Next Step • Implementation of an assessment system to enable ASEAN to regularly monitor progress and update initiatives

12. e-ASEAN TechnicalArchitecture • Purpose • To develop a Technical Architecture to serve as guideline for the development and implementation of interoperable e-applications and e-services across ASEAN • Progress to date • Overall design principles have been defined • Next Step • Develop specific technical architectures for network, security, e-payment and e-learning infrastructure and services

13. ASEAN ISP Forum • Purpose • To facilitate and promote enhanced integration and interoperability of regional ISP services and the optimisation of Internet traffic within ASEAN • Progress to date • ASEAN ISP Forum working towards the setting up of regional Internet exchanges and gateways to make Internet traffic flow within ASEAN more efficient and cost-effective • Next Steps • Set up ASEAN ISP Association (ARISPA) as a formal body to drive the agenda

14. Some capacity building initiatives … • Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) • Train the Trainers Programme • Awareness Programmes • IT Roadshows • e-ASEAN Business Forum and industry Dialogue • e-Education • ASEAN School Net Forum • e-Commerce • Info-sharing seminars on e-commerce

15. Endorsed Pilot Projects • 19 projects endorsed by e-ASEAN Task Force • Examples of projects endorsed • ASEAN Regional Internet Exchange (ARIX) • An infrastructure for localising and exchanging ASEAN Internet traffic (ASEAN Secretariat) • ASEAN Incubator Network • A facility to nurture net-preneurs and e-business start-ups • ASEAN Training Network • Provides training at all levels www.e-aseantf.org

16. Internet Co-operation in the Region …ICAIS • Background • Historically a cost model was used which imposed the full cost of international links on Asian ISPs wishing to connect to the US • Despite traffic becoming more symmetric between the US and Asia, this model is still being used • As a result, US based ISPs are getting a free ride on trans-Pacific links even though the link may carry a significant amount of traffic that was initiated by US customers wanting access to Asian sites Increase in operating costs for non US ISPs Increase cost of Internet access and reduced uptake Worsening the Digital Divide

17. International and regional responses…ICAIS • APEC Principles on ICAIS • Adopted at TELMIN 4 by APEC Telecom and IT Ministers in May 2000. • ITU-T Recommendation D.50 • Initiated by the TAS Group in ITU-SG3. Introduced by the APT and adopted by the WTSA in October 2000 • World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) • Recognised the importance of the ICAIS issue to the goal of achieving of universal access to the Internet at their General Assembly in June 2000. • Meeting of Asian Carriers (MAC) • Issued joint statement on Internet charging in January 2000 • The issue was raised again at their October 2000 meeting. Members were urged to support efforts at int’l organisations in which they are active.

18. A way forward?ICAIS • The need for a holistic approach • Although there is international recognition of the ICAIS issue by governments, government and industry in the region must continue to work together in search of a solution • Need to strike a balance between ensuring that the private sector continues to lead in the growth of the Internet, while ensuring that public aims are met • Possible avenues forward • Information exchange and dialogue through int’l and regional organisations considering the issue • Promotion of regional industry-to-industry discussions eg. ASEAN ISP Dialogue • Result • Improving the conditions under which our ISPs operate to the benefit of the development of our regional and the global information infrastructure

19. Thank you