StarHub wins bid to build ultra high-speed network

SINGAPORE - StarHub has won the bid to build and manage the OpCo for the Next-Gen NBN that was initiated by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). The telco was in contention with three other players for the OpCo role: the IntelliNet consortium - made up of Axia NetMedia and Cisco Systems - MobileOne (M1) and SingTel.

Called Nucleus Connect, the OpCo will design, build and operate the active infrastructure of the Next-Gen NBN, a nation-wide pervasive, competitively-priced ultra-high speed broadband network linking business users at the workplace, and Singaporeans at home, schools, learning institutions and other premises. The OpCo will also provide wholesale broadband connectivity to other operating companies and downstream operators, in particular, retail service providers (RSP).

Terry Clontz, StarHub’s CEO, said, “We are delighted that IDA has selected our proposal. With the fiber optic-based Next-Gen NBN being extended directly to homes and businesses, Singapore will benefit from a robust national infrastructure that will serve the country’s broadband needs well into the future.”

To meet IDA’s operational separation requirements, StarHub will be starting up Nucleus Connect as a wholly-owned subsidiary within the year, with an eye to begin commercial operations in 1Q-2010. Singaporeans can expect to have ultra-high broadband connectivity of up to 1Gbps in 95 percent of homes and offices by June 2012.