Broadband business hub set up in S'pore

SINGAPORE--Companies in Singapore will be able to enjoy cheap broadband access with the partnership between DBS Land and broadband network provider 1-Net.

The two companies have created a broadband business park in Chai Chee which will allow tenants to sit on 1-Net's ATM backbone.

"Tenants will sit on the Singapore ONE backbone, which means they have access to virtually unlimited bandwidth and at a very low price," said Mock Pak Lum, chief executive of 1-Net.

Tenants will get access speeds from 10 Mbps to 155 Mbps at rates lower than those offered to non-tenants. This is because tenants save money from not having to get leased lines from SingTel.

For example, a 45 Mbps connection to SingaporeOne will cost S$6,500 for tenants, while non-tenants pay S$9,360 a month.

1-Net itself will be the anchor tenant at Chai Chee Industrial Park, which will have an additional 30,000 sq ft of space available for rental. The rent will range from S$2.40 and S$2.50 per square foot, depending on the size taken.

So far, about 50 percent of the space has been taken up.

Besides providing bandwidth on demand, 1-Net will also offer tenants hosting, technical support, network management, video conferencing services and rental of conference rooms. It will be investing S$7 million to set up the facilities. Services will be available by mid-December this year.

Target tenants include cybermall operators, portal service providers, systems integrators and e-business application providers.

1-Net expects to recoup its investment in three years.

DBS Land has committed S$18 million till mid-next year to develop the area. This includes upgrading existing buildings, setting up recreation areas and food courts and developing an additional 170,000 sq ft for the hub. It is also now trying to change the name of the place to Technopark @ Chai Chee.

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