Telecompaper

StarHub has won the contract to operate Singapore's next-generation broadband network, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore announced. StarHub will establish the Next Gen NBN OpCo, called Nucleus Connect, to design, build and operate the active infrastructure. The government will provide a grant of up to SGD 250 million to Nucleus Connect to support the infrastructure deployment. The government has already allocated SGD 750 million to OpenNet, the SingTel-led company that will manage the passive infrastructure on the fibre-to-the home network. Nucleus Connect will manage wholesale services over the network, providing retail operators with capacity to offer a range of services. Wholesale prices are set at SGD 21 per month for a 100 Mbps residential connection and SGD 121 for 1 Gbps, while non-residential premises, such as offices and schools, will have a wholesale price of SGD 75 for 100 Mbps and SGD 860 for 1 Gbps. Starhub said it expects to start commercial services over the new network in Q1 2010, while the government targets universal service in 2013. StarHub beat bids from three rival groups, including the IntelliNet Consortium (Axia NetMedia and Cisco Systems), MobileOne and Singtel. Nucleus Connect expects to spend about SGD 1 billion on the active network over the 25-year period of the licence.