Wireless@SG
Encyclopedia
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore is a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts .-History:...
(IDA) of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
as part of its Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure initiative, being part of the nation's 10-year masterplan called Intelligent Nation 2015 (iN2015).
It will be run and developed in the next two years by three local wireless operators, SingTel, M1
MobileOne
M1 Limited is a telecommunications company in Singapore. Launched in April 1997, it was Singapore's second mobile operator after SingTel and supervene by StarHub, Singapore's third mobile operator....
and iCell who will deploy a wireless broadband network in Singapore. Users can enjoy free, both in-door and outdoor seamless wireless broadband access with speeds of up to 512 kbit/s at most public areas under the "basic-tier" package.
The targeted users of this wireless broadband network are broadly classified as "people on the move" - people who require wireless broadband access while away from their homes, schools and offices. These include students, tourists, business travellers and enterprise users such as insurance agents and real estate agents who use widely-available and wireless-enabled devices such as notebook PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s and PDA
PDA
A PDA is most commonly a Personal digital assistant, also known as a Personal data assistant, a mobile electronic device.PDA may also refer to:In science, medicine and technology:...
s. Once connected, users will be able to access all Internet-based services e.g. online gaming, web surfing, instant messaging
Instant messaging
Instant Messaging is a form of real-time direct text-based chatting communication in push mode between two or more people using personal computers or other devices, along with shared clients. The user's text is conveyed over a network, such as the Internet...
, VoIP and email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
.
In addition to the free "basic tier", there will be a paid "premium tier" for those seeking bandwidth beyond 512 kbit/s, or for connectivity options with higher-quality of service. The three operators have different packages to suit different needs and there is no limit on the number of premium accounts users can sign up for.
On 16 June 2009, the government announced an extension of the programme till March 2013 and enhancement of speed up to 1Mbps.
Government Initiation
IDA issued a Call-for-Collaboration early 2006 for interested operators to provide such coverage. Late 2006, IDA has accepted the proposals from iCell Network Pte Ltd, QMAX Communications and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, to kick-start the nation's progressive deployment of a widely-available wireless network by September 2007.The CFC on Wireless Broadband Market Development has the following two main objectives:
1. To accelerate the deployment of wireless broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
by providing coverage in locations where users out of their homes, schools and offices can conveniently access wireless broadband services using data-centric computing devices.
2. To catalyse the demand for wireless broadband services by increasing the number of wireless broadband users.
On 31 May 2007, Network deployment for all Primary Catchment Areas in all Regions was completed with the Secondary Catchment Areas in all Regions was completed on 30 Sep 2007.
The CFC is scheduled to be completed on 31 Dec 2008.
Accessing and Registration
File:ICell.png|iCell
File:Logo qmax.png|QMax
To connect to the Wireless@SG wireless broadband network, a user just needs a WiFi-enabled device, such as a laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
computer, PDA or wi-fi enabled mobile phone, and a registered Wireless@SG account. With this registered account, the user is able to roam within any of Wireless@SG's coverage areas, regardless of the operators' network.
Users are encouraged by the IDA to install and activate a Virtual Private Network
Virtual private network
A virtual private network is a network that uses primarily public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or traveling users access to a central organizational network....
(VPN) or other encryption mechanism, Personal firewall
Personal firewall
A personal firewall is an application which controls network traffic to and from a computer, permitting or denying communications based on a security policy. Typically it works as an application layer firewall....
; and Anti-virus software with the latest signature files. The IDA also encourages users to avoid ad-hoc wireless networking to safeguard their security.
Wireless@SG is powered by the networks of three wireless operators: iCell, QMax and SingTel. Following the announcement on October 10, 2006 by Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
, that Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
will get to enjoy two years of free wireless broadband connections from January next year, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) announced on November 30, 2006 that the three Wireless@SG operators have extended this free offering to three years. Users started to enjoy wireless connectivity from December 1, 2006, one month ahead of schedule at selected hotspots.
To gain access to the free basic-tier Wi-Fi connection, with connection speeds of up to 512kbit/s, starting 1 December 2006 users could sign up with any of the three Wireless@SG network operators. Wireless@SG is available for all Singaporean residents. Users can sign up with any operator to access all the hotspots in Wireless@SG.
There are various ways users can register for this service:
Online Account Application
Users with access to the Internet can log onto any of the three operators’ websites and complete an online registration form. Alternatively, they can click on the ‘New User Sign Up’ link found on the Wireless@SG log-in page when they select the Wireless@SG network at the coverage areas. The account will be activated immediately and a passwordPassword
A password is a secret word or string of characters that is used for authentication, to prove identity or gain access to a resource . The password should be kept secret from those not allowed access....
sent to them via SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
.
Customer Service Centres
Those without mobile phones or online access can visit any of the operators’ customer service centres to register and collect their passwords. Users can also check with their operator of choice for other registration methods.Mobile phone
Visitors to the country can receive free 24 hour Wireless@SG accounts by calling a computer-operated phone number at SingTel. An SMS with a username and password will be sent shortly afterwards.Coverage Areas
To access Wireless@SG, users need to be located within the respective Wireless@SG coverage areas. The latest coverage areas can be found at Google EarthGoogle Earth
Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency funded company acquired by Google in 2004 . It maps the Earth by the superimposition of images obtained from satellite...
and at the IDA portal.
West/South Region (by QMax)
- Bukit TimahBukit TimahBukit Timah is an area in Singapore and a hill in that area. Bukit Timah is located near the centre of the Singapore main island. The hill stands at an altitude of 163.63 metres and is the highest point in the city-state of Singapore...
- ChinatownChinatown, SingaporeSingapore's Chinatown is an ethnic neighbourhood featuring distinctly Chinese cultural elements and a historically concentrated ethnic Chinese population. Chinatown is located within the larger district of Outram....
- HarbourFrontHarbourFrontHarbourFront is a district situated in southern Singapore, within the Bukit Merah Planning Area. Harbourfront is also the gateway to Sentosa....
- Jurong BirdParkJurong BirdParkJurong Bird Park , is a tourist attraction in Singapore managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore. It is a landscaped park, built on the western slope of Jurong Hill. It is located within the Boon Lay Planning Area of the Jurong district and has an area of ....
- Jurong WestJurong WestJurong West is a neighbourhood in Singapore, bounded by the Pan Island Expressway, the eastern edge of Jurong Camp, Boon Lay Way, Corporation Road, Fourth Chin Bee Road, International Road, Corporation Road, Ayer Rajah Expressway, Yuan Ching Road, Boon Lay Way, and along a Canal leading into Jurong...
- Jurong EastJurong EastJurong East is a neighbourhood in Singapore, bounded by the Pan Island Expressway, a canal and the shoreline of Jurong Lake, Jurong Town Hall Road, the eastern side of Jurong Gardens, Ayer Rajah Expressway, Penjuru Road, West Coast Road, Sungei Pandan and back to the Pan Island Expressway.It is...
- Singapore RiverSingapore RiverThe Singapore River is a river in Singapore with great historical importance. The Singapore River flows from the Central Area, which lies in the Central Region in the southern part of Singapore before emptying into the ocean...
- Tiong Bahru
- Upper Bukit Timah
- West Coast ParkWest Coast ParkWest Coast Park is located in West Coast, Singapore, parallel to West Coast Highway. It is themed ‘Play Centre in the West’. The park covers an area of 50 hectares.-History:...
- Orchard RoadOrchard RoadOrchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...
North Region (by SingTel)
- Ang Mo Kio Central
- BishanBishanBishan is a neighbourhood of the city-state of Singapore situated in the Central Region, measuring approximately three by three kilometres. Primarily a housing estate, Flats here are generally more expensive compared to other estates due to its location in the central region, which commands a...
- Checkpoint
- Hougang Central
- KovanKovanKovan is a suburb and part of Hougang, in the North-East Region of Singapore. It is part of Aljunied GRC. A relatively small and almost-unknown suburb, it houses many bungalows and condominiums...
- Mandai Zoo
- NovenaNovena, SingaporeNovena is a town in Singapore, and is within the Central Region. The area falls under the Novena Planning Area, an urban planning zone under the Urban Redevelopment Authority.It is served by the North South MRT Line at the Novena MRT Station....
- OrchardOrchardAn orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
- SembawangSembawangSembawang is an area in the Northern-most portion of Singapore, encompassing the largest land mass within the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency. The incumbent Member of Parliament for the Sembawang Constituency is Khaw Boon Wan. The constituency jurisdiction extends into the Woodlands...
- SengkangSengkangSengkang is a sub-urban town in the north-eastern part of Singapore. The Sengkang Planning Area, an urban planning zone under the Urban Redevelopment Authority, covers the Housing and Development Board satellite new town of Sengkang New Town and rural Jalan Kayu.-Etymology and history:Meaning...
- Serangoon Central
- ThomsonThomson, SingaporeThomson is a relatively narrow area stretching from Novena in the Central Region of Singapore up north till Yishun. The area is mainly located within the central catchment area where some of Singapore's reservoirs are located, including MacRitchie Reservoir, Upper Peirce Reservoir and Lower Peirce...
- Toa PayohToa PayohToa Payoh is a district located in the Central Region of Singapore. It commonly refers to the Housing and Development Board housing estate of Toa Payoh New Town, one of the earliest satellite public housing estates in Singapore....
- WoodlandsWoodlands, SingaporeWoodlands, or the Woodlands New Town , is a suburban town in northern Singapore, part of the North West Community Development Council district...
- Yishun Central
East Region (by iCell)
- Changi VillageChangi VillageChangi Village is a modern village at the north-eastern end of Singapore. The Government of Singapore has pledged in 2005 that they would try to revive the "ghost town".-Hotel:...
- Joo ChiatJoo ChiatJoo Chiat is a residential conservation area in the eastern part of Singapore, and is located between Geylang Serai and Marine Parade Road. Joo Chiat Road is the main road in the area with rows of shophouses for residential and commercial purposes.-History:...
- Marine ParadeMarine ParadeMarine Parade is a town and an urban planning area in Singapore directly to the east of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.-Location:...
- Pasir Ris ParkPasir Ris ParkPasir Ris Park is a beach park located in the eastern part of Singapore. It stands at 71 hectares of land, including 6 hectares of preserved mangrove forests and some reclaimed land. This coastal park is among one of the largest in Singapore. The full length of the park is around 6.6 kilometres...
- SiglapSiglapSiglap is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of Singapore established in 1955, consisting primarily of low-rise residential properties. It is part of the Bedok Planning Area, an urban planning zone under the Urban Redevelopment Authority...
- SimeiSimeiSimei is a housing estate located in the eastern part of Singapore, situated next to Tampines New Town across the Pan-Island Expressway. The name Simei is pinyin for "four beauties" in Chinese. Initially, the roads in this area was named after the four great beauties in Chinese history...
External links
- Wireless@SG Official Portal
- Wireless@SG Program Introduction
- Extension of Free Access to Wireless@SG (the news by IDA Singapore)