Singapore Telecom has launched a surprisingly fast and powerful riposte to rival StarHub’s launch of a free internet access service. The Singapore incumbent has decided to match its upstart rival and offer all of its 1.82 million fixed-line subscribers free internet access through SingNet, its internet service subsidiary.
StarHub, which launches as the island republic’s second full-service telecommunications company next April, fired an initial salvo last week after it bought existing ISP Cyberway, renamed it StarHub Internet and signed up nearly 40,000 customers for its free service within two days. However, the service provides only access to the internet without any trimmings such as an e-mail address, unlike SingTel’s offering, which has email.
The SingTel group wants to be a major player to make Singapore the internet hub in the Asia-Pacific, perhaps even the world, said SingTel’s Chief Operating Officer Lim Toon announcing the service. The new free service is separate from SingNet’s current offer of toll-free access to people subscribing to a full suite of services.
SingNet is the top ISP in Singapore with 250,000 subscribers, or more than 50% of the dial-up market. SingNet will set up a new business unit to offer the free internet service, which will have a different brand name, access number and a user help desk when it launches on January 1. It will be financed by online advertising and e-services, Lim said without disclosing any specifics.
