The Telecommunications Authority of Singapore (TAS), a government regulatory body, said that it will liberalize the ISP market in Singapore. Asian press sources said that the change in regulations means that any company can now simply apply for a license instead of having to bid for one. Under the new system, any interested party that meets the TAS’s minimum criterion would, in theory, be able to obtain an ISP license. The duration of licenses will be an initial five years, with renewals of three years thereafter. The license fee will be an initial one-off payment of S$450,000 ($277,000) followed by annual payments of 1% of yearly revenues, with a minimum of S$10,000 per year. There are currently only three IPSs in Singapore where 352,000 customers, or 11.3% of the population, have dial-up internet access. The change in regulation should make the market easier for competitors to enter. Head of TAS, Leong Keng Tai said in a press briefing that Singapore is aiming at market penetration levels similar to countries like Australia and the US. Mah Bow Tan, Singapore’s communications minister, was also reported as saying that further liberalizations will be implemented when the time is right.
