What is Nationwide Broadband Network?
The Nationwide Broadband Network (NBN) is a high-speed internet connection that serves both homes and businesses in Singapore.
Digital technologies are rapidly developing to enable more immersive online experiences and digital-physical interactions. The upgrade of the NBN is part of the Digital Connectivity Blueprint which outlines enhancements to the digital infrastructure that underpins our future jobs, economy, and society.
Our investments in the NBN in 2006 laid the foundation for a reliable connectivity infrastructure. It shifted from the old copper and coaxial networks to a modern fibre optic network, the latter capable of handling higher speeds. The transformation has been central in supporting the rapid pace of digital transformation and empowering Singapore to enjoy the benefits of digital technology today.
Upgrading to 10 Gbps speeds
Upgrading to 10 Gbps speeds over the NBN means that all homes will have access to innovations and technological opportunities supported by the higher speeds. With the upgraded network, households will enjoy multiple and simultaneous online communications in real-time, stream multiple 4K or 8K videos smoothly, work and learn remotely with large files, and ensure responsive operation of smart home devices, at speeds 10 times faster than today. The improved NBN will form the backbone of future technology applications, enabling innovative services with enhanced performance. As part of this, all households will also have the option to subscribe to 10Gbps broadband services.
These upgrades are part of the back-end network, ensuring a seamless transition for users without any inconvenience.
Choosing the right broadband plan
With a variety of broadband plans offering a wide spectrum of prices and speeds, it may be challenging to choose the right plan.
When comparing plans, key factors of consideration include cost and bandwidth. It is important to note that advertised speeds by Internet Service Providers may not always reflect the actual performance of your internet connection. Understanding your household’s internet usage needs will be important in choosing a plan. Internet Service Provider can also advise on the plan that would best fit your needs. For basic e-mail and web browsing, a 1Gbps plan is usually adequate. Households with multiple members simultaneously downloading large files, interactive home-based learning, applications involving multi-user interactions, playing online games, streaming videos, or engaging in other bandwidth-intensive activities may require a plan with more bandwidth for a better quality experience (e.g., less jitter and lag). Bandwidth indicates the capacity of your network connection to transmit data.
If you opt for a 10Gbps plan, your internet service provider should perform a speed test during the installation of the 10Gbps network equipment in your home to ensure you get the speed you are paying for.
Optimising your home internet connection
Achieving the advertised speed of your broadband plan is dependent on having both an optimised home internet networking set up and compatible devices which support higher speeds.
Whether you have wireless or wired home internet, here are some ways to get a faster connection at home.
- Router standards
- Use routers that support the latest standards and up to 10Gbps (a minimum of Wi-Fi 6E or WiFi 7).
- Check that your router uses multiple frequency bands to optimise connectivity. When available, select the 5GHz or 6GHz connection for better performance.
- Router placement
- Place your router in a central and unobstructed location to distribute the wireless signals evenly, or in the room where you spend most of your time accessing the internet (e.g. in the living room near to the TV).
- Keep the router away from metal objects and appliances which will interfere with Wi-Fi signals.
- Ensure fewer obstructions (like walls and furniture) between your router and devices.
- Use a mesh network
- For larger homes, a mesh network is a great solution to provide better coverage in the entire home. A mesh network uses a group of connectivity devices placed around your home to provide extended coverage by boosting your internet signal. Signal boosters and repeaters can also be used, though they may reduce overall speed compared to mesh systems.
Connect your devices (e.g. computers, gaming consoles) directly to the router using Ethernet cables for the best connection. For full performance, ensure that your computer and router have the 10GbE port and that your Ethernet cable is Cat6 standard and above.
Your broadband speed may also be limited by your equipment. Ensure that your computer hardware and software, including modems and routers, can transmit at speeds that match your broadband package.
- Hardware and software compatibility
- Ensure that your computer satisfies the minimal specifications for the applications that you wish to run.
- Regular updates and reboots
- Restart your router periodically to clear its temporary cache and make use of the latest updates.
Various factors can affect the broadband speed you experience. Internet Service Providers are required to publish the typical internet download speeds that users are likely to achieve together with the theoretical maximum speed of their residential fixed broadband plans. For 10Gbps services, your Internet Service Provider typically will conduct a speed test at the point of installation.
You can reach out to your Service Provider for more information on enhancing your broadband network performance.
For billing, contractual and/or technical issue and support, please engage your Internet Service Provider who can best address your issue. Service Providers’ contact information can typically be found on their websites via the “Contact Us” section/tab.
If there are billing or contractual disputes, you are encouraged to consider using the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Scheme set up by IMDA in 20221. You may also consider other dispute resolution processes such as mediation that is offered by the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE), SMC or Small Claims Tribunals (SCT) to reach a resolution with your service provider.
Footnote
1 To find out more about the ADR Scheme, contact Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) at odr@mediation.com.sg or 6252 4226 or refer to https://www.imda.gov.sg/ADR.
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