Singapore is embarking on a significant project called the Digital Connectivity Blueprint to enhance its internet and technology infrastructure. The country aims to reinforce its status as an open economy and highly connected hub in Asia by increasing the number of submarine cable landing facilities.
According to Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo, the new Digital Connectivity Blueprint is an ambitions project that will reshape the country’s digital connectivity infrastructure within the next decade.
Teo also said that Singapore plans to double these facilities by 2033, enabling improved connectivity with Asia and the rest of the world. The project requires a $7.4 billion investment, primarily from the private sector. Additionally, Singapore intends to invest between $7.4 billion and $8.9 billion in environmentally sustainable data centers.
The new submarine cable landing sites and green data centers will not only enhance the existing digital infrastructure but also provide capacity for innovative digital applications that require greater bandwidth.
Singapore recognizes the need for a robust “hard infrastructure” capable of supporting data-intensive processing, advanced AI technologies, and other next-generation applications. With its strategic geographical location, Singapore is expected to remain a vital landing station for submarine cables, attracting more investment in internet cables.
To ensure the success of the funding plan, Singapore will need to adopt transparent policies for cable landing stations, simplify licensing processes, and establish clear guidelines for privacy protection.
Furthermore, the digital blueprint also includes measures such as upgrading domestic infrastructure to support 10-gigabit internet speeds within five years, expanding the Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN) bandwidth tenfold for ultra-fast fiber connections, and allocating new spectrum for faster Wi-Fi and 5G networks.
Singapore has been in the forefront of improving its digital ecosystem. Just recently, the country launched new standards for data centers to support the growth of compute capacity while ensuring environmental sustainability and it will also help operators determine the best operating temperature to optimize energy efficiency, whilst safeguarding operational reliability.
