imagine your world/media/imda/files/about/resources/ida ar 0506.pdfin2015 < imagine your world...

YourWorld...

Imagine

Annual Report 2005/06

ISSN-0219-7286

Intelligent Nation, Global City

02 Chairman’s Message04 Board of Directors08 Senior Management10 Infocomm Statistics13 Key Highlights in FY200516 Snapshot Future...

Building Opportunities Ahead24 Transforming Experiences...

Innovative Sectoral Developments

32 Big Picture...Infocomm for Everyone

38 Building Competency...Gearing Up for Tomorrow

43 Singapore Network Information Centre Pte Ltd

45 Financial Statements

Twenty-five years ago, Singapore implemented the firstnation-wide computerisation plan. Back in 1981, the goalwas clear – to harness infocomm technology forSingapore’s social-economic development.

Twenty-five years on, as Singapore celebrates the silveranniversary of Infocomm developments in Singapore,we marvel at how enduring our vision has been.

We remained steadfast to this goal even as we launchediN2015, our latest infocomm masterplan. However, thelandscape and challenges we now face have taken anentirely different shape and form.

iN2015 < Imagine Your WorldIntelligent Nation 2015 (iN2015) is a masterplan thatharnesses the potential of infocomm in the comingdecade to transform every aspect of daily life and business.It is the culmination of a collaborative effort, reflecting theideas and vision of the people, public and private sectors.

iN2015 is Singapore’s sixth infocomm masterplan since1981 and was launched in June 2006 by Dr Lee BoonYang, Minister of Information, Communications and theArts. The development of Singapore’s ten-year masterplankicked off in May 2005 when a high-level steering committeechaired by Chairman of IDA was formed. In tandem withgathering inputs from the industry, IDA launched Express IT!iN2015 to gather views and ideas from the public. Over 3,000entries were received from the enthusiastic public.

iN2015 aims to transform Singapore into an intelligent nationand a global city by the year 2015 and it hopes to achievethese targets:

be Number 1 in the world in harnessing infocomm toadd value to the economy and societyachieve a 2-fold increase in value-add of infocommindustry to $26 billionachieve a 3-fold increase in infocomm export revenueto $60 billionadd 80,000 jobs, both infocomm and non-infocommachieve 90% of home broadband usageachieve 100% computer ownership in homes withschool-going children

{002} Imagine Your World... Chairman’s Message

CONNECTED SINGAPORE

In early 2003, IDA developed theConnected Singapore blueprintto develop new sources ofgrowth for Singapore. Muchof what was set out in thefour strategies of ConnectedSingapore has been achieved.

In tandem with our efforts toestablish Singapore as a leadingglobal centre for the distributionand trading of digital goods, thevalue of Digital Exchange revenuestransacted through Singapore hasincreased. We also scored a worldfirst, in the successful managementand digital transmission of a full-length Hollywood movie via theCross-Continent Digital ContentTransmission (CCTx) initiativelast year. This placed Singaporeon the world map as a globaldigital exchange and trustedinfocomm hub.

IDA has also been working closelywith the industry to seek outopportunities in non-traditionalmarkets and have facilitated localinfocomm enterprises to seal multi-million dollar deals in markets suchas Bahrain, Kuwait and Turkey.

The infocomm sector has donewell in 2005. The revenue of theindustry grew by a remarkable8.9% to reach $37.89 billion.Globally, the technology sector isgrowing as key business sectorssuch as manufacturing andhealthcare continue to invest ininfocomm. Besides high growthmarkets like China and India,infocomm is also flourishingin emerging markets of theMiddle East and EasternEurope. All these augur wellfor the infocomm industry here.

IDA continues to focus its effortson strengthening Singapore’sstatus as a trusted infocomm hub,spur greater market diversificationand deepen industry capability.

This has in turn raised the profileand branding of Singapore infocommenterprises, paving the way forgreater access to these markets.

We have been in collaborationwith the industry to implementflagship projects to transformbusinesses in key economicsectors such as healthcare,logistics and banking. For example,the implementation of theTradeXchange project will enableseamless flow of informationbetween the industry andgovernment agencies, anchoringglobal logistics activities inSingapore and help the sectorsave an estimated $75 millionover ten years.

IDA also embarked on apublic sector-wide infocommstandardisation exercise last yearwith the $1.5 billion Government’sStandard ICT Operating Environment(SOE) Programme. The programmeaims to enhance operationalefficiency in the Government andis expected to result in substantialsavings when fully deployed.

Chairman’sMessage

Annual Report 2005/06 {003}

BUILDING ON SUCCESS

We have laid a good foundation overthe last 25 years. When Singaporefirst embarked on nationalcomputerisation back in 1981,we had only 850 IT professionalssupporting the country. Today,we have over 111,000 infocommprofessionals and a vibrantinfocomm sector that continuesto grow strongly. Singaporeanshave also grown to be highlyinfocomm-savvy, as evident inthe mobile and broadbandpenetration statistics. Co-ordinatedefforts arising from a series ofinfocomm masterplans haveresulted in world-class infocomminfrastructure with goodinternational connectivity.

Singapore is today recognisedinternationally to be at the forefrontwhen it comes to harnessingtechnology for socio-economicdevelopments and is consistentlyranked among the top ininternational rankings. Nonetheless,we have to continually transformourselves and find new ways ofharnessing infocomm, to stay ontop of the game.

THE VISION OF iN2015

To meet new challenges andcreate new possibilities, IDAtogether with the industry embarkedon an ambitious effort to developa new ten-year infocommmasterplan. The Intelligent Nation(iN2015) masterplan is Singapore’sstrategic response to the rapid globalchanges and seeks to differentiateSingapore from the pack.

iN2015 is a plan for every individualand business in Singapore and wasin fact a collaborative effort of thepeople, public and private sectors.Singaporeans were invited to bepart of this co-creation effort. IDAreceived over 3,000 submissionsof ideas from the people sector.More than 350 industry andgovernment leaders also providedinvaluable opinions and suggestionsto make this plan relevant for all.

The journey forward will have itsfair share of challenges given therapid pace of socio-economicand technological changes. Newpossibilities will emerge and thelandscape may change dramatically.It is therefore important to ensurethat iN2015 is a living plan thatevolves with change.

To conclude, I am grateful for theinvaluable contributions of ourBoard members. I would like totake this opportunity in particular,to thank our former Boardmembers who have completedtheir term of appointment. Theyare Mr Lee Seiu Kin, Mr Low CheckKian, Mr Charles Ormiston, Mr SengHan Thong and Mr Wong Toon King.I also like to take the opportunityto express my gratitude to IDAstaff, our partners in the industry,and other agencies for theirsupport in the past year.

LAM Chuan LeongChairman, IDA

chairmanLAM Chuan Leong

Ambassador-at-LargeMinistry of Foreign Affairs

BOON Swan FooManaging DirectorAgency for Science,Technology and Research

deputy chairmanYONG Ying-IPermanent SecretaryMinistry of Health

CHAN Yeng KitChief Executive OfficerInfocomm DevelopmentAuthority of Singapore

CHEW Hock YongDeputy SecretaryMinistry of Community Development,Youth and Sports

Frank BROWNDirectorColorzip SEA Pte Ltd

{004} Imagine Your World...

Board ofDirectors

LEONG Wai LengChief Financial OfficerTemasek Holdings Pte Ltd

Charles LIMPrincipal Senior State CounselAttorney-General’s Chambers

LIM Chin HuPresident &

Chief Executive OfficerFrontline Technologies

Corporation Ltd

Rupert G KEELEYPresident & Chief Executive OfficerVisa InternationalAsia Pacific

HENG Chiang GneePresident & Chief Executive OfficerSembCorp EnvironmentalManagement Pte Ltd

Christopher CHIAChief Executive OfficerMedia Development Authority


SEAH Chin SiongCountry Managing DirectorAccenture Singapore

ONG Peng TsinFounder & ChairmanEncentuate Pte Ltd

TAN Kian ChewChief Executive OfficerNTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd

SAW Ken WyeVice PresidentSales & MarketingAsia Pacific RegionMicrosoft OperationsPte Ltd

Stephen LIMChief Executive Officer &

Managing DirectorSQL View Pte Ltd

Not in picture:

LEE Seiu Kin(Until 30 November 2005)

Second Solicitor-GeneralAttorney-General’s Chambers

LOW Check Kian(Until 30 November 2005)

ChairmanNewSmith Capital Partners(Asia) Pte Ltd

Charles ORMISTON(Until 30 November 2005)

Managing PartnerBain & Co., Singapore

SENG Han Thong(Until 26 January 2006)

Assistant Secretary-GeneralNational Trades Union Congress

WOON Toon King(Until 30 November 2005)

Co-Chairman& Chief Executive OfficerSilkRoute Holdings Pte Ltd


Board ofDirectors

Development Committee

chairmanSAW Ken Wye

BOON Swan Foo

Frank BROWN

Christopher CHIA

HENG Chiang Gnee

Stephen LIM

ONG Peng Tsin

CHAN Yeng Kit

Establishment Committee

chairmanYONG Ying-I

Rupert G KEELEY

SEAH Chin Siong

TAN Kian Chiew

CHAN Yeng Kit

Audit Committee

chairmanLEONG Wai Leng

CHEW Hock Yong

Charles LIM

LIM Chin Hu

SEAH Chin Siong

PAA /GAA Committee

chairmanYONG Ying-I

HENG Chiang Gnee

Rupert G KEELEY

ONG Peng Tsin

(PAA – Project Approval Authority)(GAA – Grants Approval Authority)


Members of IDABoard Committees

KHOONG Hock YunAssistant Chief Executive

(Infrastructure &Manpower Development)

THAM Ai ChynAssistant Chief Executive

(Industry & Cluster Development)

Andrew HAIREAssistant Director-General(Telecoms)

WU Choy PengDeputy Chief Executive &Government Chief Information Officer(Until 14 July 2006)


SeniorManagement

TAN Geok LengChief Technology Officer &Senior Director (Technology & Planning)

CHAN Yeng KitChief Executive Officer

LEE Fook ChiewChief Financial Officer &Senior Director (Corporate Development)

LEONG Keng ThaiDeputy Chief Executive &Director-General (Telecoms)



InfocommStatistics

Total Infocomm Industry Revenue by Market Segments (2003-2005)Source: Annual Survey on Infocomm Industry for 2005

2005 7%($2.71b)

9%($3.29b)

14%($5.52b)

19%($7.15b)

51%($19.22b)

$37.89b

2004 8%($2.69b)

10%($3.41b)

15%($5.23b)

20%($6.82b)

47%($16.62b)

$34.77b

2003 8%($2.73b)

10%($3.23b)

16%($5.10b)

20%($6.64b)

46%($15.13b)

$32.83b Hardware

TelecommunicationServices

Software

IT Services

Content Services

In 2005, the revenue of the infocomm industry grew by 8.9% to reach $37.89 billion.

Number of Employed Infocomm Manpower (2003-2005)Source: Annual Survey on Infocomm Manpower for 2005

104,30049%(51,600)

51%(52,700)

2003

111,40050%(55,800)

50%(55,600)

2005

2004 108,00050%(54,100)

50%(53,900)

InfocommOrganisations

End-UserOrganisations

The number of infocomm manpower employed grew by 3.1% to reach 111,400 in 2005.

For communicating(e.g: sending or receiving emails,visiting chat rooms/sites)

96%

89%

63%

59%

For getting information(e.g: general web browsing,Information on goods/services)

For leisure activities(e.g: playing or downloadingcomputer/video games, downloadingor uploading digital photos)

For dealing with governmentorganisations/public authorities(e.g: completing or lodging formsonline, downloading forms)

Over 96% of Internet users used the Internet as a communication tool.


Infocomm Usage in Singapore Households (2003-2005)Source: Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage in Households and by Individuals for 2005

The proportion of households with access to the Internet at home was 66% in 2005.

HomeInternetAccess

2003 65%

2004 65%

2005 66%

The proportion of households with access to a computer at home remained unchanged at 74% .

HouseholdComputerOwnership

2003 74%

2004 74%

2005 74%

Broadband subscribers increased to 638,700 in 2005.

Number ofBroadbandSubscribersat endDecember 05

2003 421,700

2004 545,500

2005 638,700

Source: Statistics on Telecom Services for 2005

Home broadband penetration rate was 51.9% in 2005.

HomeBroadbandPenetrationRate at endDecember 05

2003 36%

2004 45%

2005 51.9%


Mobile phone penetration rate exceeded 97% in 2005.

MobilePhonePenetrationRate at endDecember 05

2003 86%

2004 94%

2005 97.8%

InfocommStatistics

28 April 05

Government Embarked onStandard ICT OperatingEnvironment (SOE) Project

IDA announced the $1.5 billionSOE project which will compriseof a standard desktop environmentand a standard networkenvironment. The SOE wouldenhance the operating efficiencyin government and is expected toreduce time needed to deploy newICT services and improve the abilityto respond to ICT security threats.

24 May 05

IDA Issued Six WirelessBroadband Access (WBA)Spectrum Rights

IDA issued six WBA spectrumrights in the 2.3 GHz and 2.5GHz frequency bands throughan auction. Successful biddershave to offer services within 18to 36 months and could startdeployment of networks from1 July 2005.

13 - 14 June 05

Singapore Hosted InauguralimbX Ministerial ICT Forum

As part of the week-long imbXevent, Singapore hosted the firstMinisterial ICT Forum. Ministersand senior officials from 11countries from the region wereengaged in a fruitful discussionon VoIP.

IDA also hosted the 5th Asia PacificForum on Telecommunicationsand ICT Policy and Regulationduring the week.


Key Highlightsin FY 2005

4 July 05

SGNIC Trials MultilingualDomain Names

SGNIC launched a trial forChinese and Tamil domain names.The trial offered users an additionaloption to make their Internetpresence felt.

08 May 05

IDA Formed High-LevelCommittee to SpearheadNew Masterplan

A high-level committee was formedto spearhead the development ofSingapore's 10-year masterplan,Intelligent Nation 2015 (iN2015).The masterplan will grow theinfocomm sector and transformkey economic sectors. Thedevelopment of iN2015 was anational co-creation effort and thepublic was invited to contributetheir “wish lists” through a nationalcompetition – Express IT! iN2015.

22 June 05

IDA and AGC Embarkedon Review of ElectronicTransactions Act (ETA)

IDA and AGC started on the reviewof the ETA that was enacted in July1998. A public consultation wasconducted to invite commentsand inputs.

22 July 05

Singapore Opened First RFIDTest and Compliance Centre inSouth East Asia

NOL and Sun Microsystemsopened the Advanced TechnologyCentre which is South East Asia’sfirst RFID test and compliancecentre. The Centre will help positionSingapore as a leading RFIDinfrastructure provider and enhanceits competitiveness as a globalintegrated logistics hub.

8 September 05

IDA Launched ElectronicNumbering (ENUM) Pilot Trial

IDA appointed SGNIC to conductan ENUM pilot trial to test thetechnical and commercial feasibilityof innovative ENUM services.

Companies invited toparticipate in the trial wererequired to provide a suiteof services such as ENUMregistration, server hosting andother ENUM-based services.

27 August 05

IDA Awarded 20 NationalInfocomm Scholarships (NIS)

Twenty bright infocomm studentswere awarded the NIS which wasset up in partnership with leadinginfocomm companies inSingapore. This is alsothe only government-industryscholarship which allows scholarsto be nurtured by leadinginfocomm companies during theircourse of study and attachment.

13 September 05

Singapore and Kuwait FurtherCollaboration on e-Government

Singapore and the State of Kuwaitsigned a second Memorandumof Understanding (MOU) one-Government co-operationfollowing the success of the first.

The two states will collaborate intwo areas. First, Singapore willserve as an Advisor to Kuwait onIT and e-Government matters. Inaddition, both states will selectsuitable private sector suppliers toimplement projects identified underthe e-Government Blueprintestablished earlier.

14 September 05

IDA Distinguished InfocommSpeaker Series – Scott McNealy,Chairman, Sun Microsystems

Scott McNealy shared his viewson the role of technology in theAge of Participation and howtechnology can provide universalconnectivity between individuals,communities and organisations.

14 October 05

IDA and Cisco SystemsCollaborate to ExploreNext-Generation Network(NGN) Technologies

IDA and Cisco Systems signedan $18 million three-yearMemorandum of Intent toadvance Internet Protocol (IP)networking in Singapore. Theinvestments focused on threeareas: the deployment of NGNtechnologies; the developmentof skilled infocomm networkprofessionals; and theestablishment of a SingaporeSolutions Centre in Singapore tohelp local enterprises bring theirproducts and solutions to market.


Key Highlightsin FY 2005

17 November 05

IDA Announced InfocommManpower DevelopmentRoadmap

The S$150 million InfocommManpower DevelopmentRoadmap is a joint effort betweenthe government and industryto develop infocomm professionalsinto globally-competitive players,enable general workforce to besavvy infocomm usersand nurture students to befuture infocomm talents.

The Express IT! iN2015competition launched on 6 May2005 sought views from the publicon the topic “Infocomm and I in2015: How Technology can HelpMe Learn, Work and Play”. Over3,000 entries were received.Winning visions of a colourfulinfocomm future for Singaporewere presented through poetry,multimedia, essays and drawings.

24 October 05

IDA Approved Revisions toSingTel’s ReferenceInterconnection Offer (RIO)

IDA approved revisions to SingTel’sRIO which provides the telecomsindustry with a standard agreementwhen leasing or connecting toSingTel’s network.

The revision followed theconclusion of IDA’s first triennialreview of the TelecomsCompetition Code in March 2005.The RIO is now better aligned tothe revised Code requirements.

3 March 06

Singapore Announced NextGeneration National InfocommInfrastructure (Next Gen NII)

Plans for Singapore's Next GenNII were announced in Parliament.It will have two components: awired broadband network that willdeliver ultra-high broadbandspeeds to all homes, offices andschools; and a wireless broadbandnetwork that will offer pervasiveconnectivity around Singapore.

2 February 06

IDA Appointed Six New BoardMembers

IDA appointed six new membersto the Board. The new members,which included four industrycaptains and two public sectorofficers, will bring to the Boarddiverse experience from boththe Infocomm industry and thepublic sector. The 17-memberBoard will guide the work ofIDA and help shape Singapore'sinfocomm landscape.

16 March 06

NIS Expanded to IncludeFast-Track Programme

NIS was expanded to include40 positions for a special fast-track Singapore ManagementUniversity (SMU) – CarnegieMellon University Programme.

The 4 1/2 year programme will allowSMU students to graduate with aBachelor of Science (InformationSystems Management) degreefrom SMU and a Master's degreein an IT specialisation from CarnegieMellon University.

13 March 06

First Infocomm InternationalAdvisory Panel (IAP) Convenedin Singapore

The high-level panel convened inSingapore to provide feedbackand new ideas for Singapore tocapitalise on growth opportunitiesin the global marketplace.

The business leaders at the firstmeeting included William Green(Accenture), Narayana Murthy(Infosys Technologies), AnnLivermore (Hewlett-Packard) andCraig Mundie (Microsoft).


Snapshot Future...Building Opportunities Ahead

The industry registered healthy growth andcontinued to serve as an engine of growthfor Singapore.

In 2005, the revenue of the infocomm industry grewby 8.9% to reach $37.89 billion. External demand,up by 11.0%, provided much of the growth impetus.

The numbers provide aquantitative measure ofSingapore’s achievements asa regional Infocomm Hub. Thedevelopments that contributedto these figures tell an even moreexciting story.

BUILDING WORLD-CLASSINFOCOMM ENTERPRISES

Local enterprises continued to growbeyond the local market. In thepast year, IDA’s internationalisationefforts facilitated multi-milliondollar contracts for companies.This included the $40 millionTurkish e-Government GatewayProject clinched by home-grownIT services provider CrimsonLogicin December 2005.

To be jointly developed byCrimsonLogic and its Turkish partnerOyak Technologies, the one-stopelectronic services portal willallow 70 million Turkish citizens andbusinesses to interact and transactwith over 30 public sector agencies.

Besides e-Government contracts,local infocomm companies suchas System Access and NCS havebeen pursuing opportunities infinancial services and logisticssectors. These companies havealso started to penetrate emergingmarkets in the Middle East,Eastern Europe and Africa.

China remains a key market formany local companies. Togetherwith the Singapore infocommTechnology Federation (SiTF),IDA continued to help Singapore

companies enter the China marketthrough activities of the SingaporeSolutions Centre in Shanghai.

In the Middle East, IDA hashelped to increase the brandingof Singapore infocomm companiesthrough collaborations withseveral governments in the areaof e-Government consultancy.

Strategic CollaborationsLast year, IDA strengthenedcollaborations with Oracle, SunMicrosystems, Hewlett-Packard,IBM, Cisco Systems and localenterprises in areas such as gridcomputing and next generationnetworking technologies. Throughpartnership programmes such asthe infocomm Local IndustryUpgrading Programme (iLIUP)and Overseas Development


CrimsonLogic and Oyak Technologies to jointly developthe Turkish e-Government Gateway Project.


Programme (ODP), IDA helpedforge winning partnershipsbetween infocomm MNCsand local enterprises.

To date, the strategic partnershipshave resulted in more than 80 newinfocomm products and generatedabout $46 million in revenues fromboth local and overseas markets.The collaborations also deepenedthe capabilities of local infocommenterprises that have participatedin these partnerships.

As an infocomm hub in the region,Singapore continues to attractMNCs. IDA hosted prominentpersonalities such as Bill Gates,Chairman of Microsoft Corporationand Scott McNealy, Chairman ofSun Microsystems under the IDADistinguished Infocomm SpeakerProgramme. These speakersprovided the local industry withinsights of infocomm trends andbusiness strategies.

Web ServicesWeb Services continued to gainmomentum in Singapore as thecollaborative technology stimulatedsome $70 million investment spend,created more than 290 jobs andgenerated $450 million in infocommrevenue over the past three years.With this, adoption of Web Servicesamongst businesses now standsat 14%, up from 8% in 2003.

DEEPENING MANPOWERCAPABILITIES

The number of employed infocommmanpower grew by 3.1%, from108,000 in 2004 to 111,400 in 2005.This is a new high in infocommemployment. In the same period,the number of job vacancies hasalso doubled with an increase inthe demand for higher-end andvalue-added jobs. The jobs willbe in areas such as technologyresearch and development,digital media, web development,

infocomm consultancy andproject management.

IDA continues to work with theindustry to develop the requiredtalent pool to support the growthof the infocomm industry and thedemand for infocomm professionalsin other economic sectors.

Infocomm ManpowerDevelopment RoadmapIn November 2005, IDAannounced the InfocommManpower DevelopmentRoadmap to boost Singapore’sinfocomm landscape. Jointlydeveloped with the industry,the Roadmap aims to developinfocomm professionals that areglobally-competitive, complementedwith a general workforce which isinfocomm-savvy. It also aimsto develop future infocommprofessionals who have not onlytechnical knowledge but domainskills and business sense,to be techno-strategists.


Bill Gates - one of the speakers for theDistinguished Infocomm Speaker series.

Infocomm ClubsA key part of this manpowerdevelopment strategy includespublic education and engagement.And when it comes to education,IDA believes in nurturing potentialinfocomm manpower from young.

Some of the programmes underthe Roadmap are being rolled outin primary and secondary schools,and junior colleges. These includethe Infocomm Clubs initiativewhich excites students about theopportunities in the infocommindustry and profession. TheInfocomm Club is now offered asa Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) inschools nationwide. As of March2006, more than 40 InfocommClubs with over 2,000 membershave been formed.

National InfocommScholarships (NIS)To further attract top talents to theInfocomm profession, IDA togetherwith 14 industry players committedto sponsoring the best and brightestto drive future growth through theNIS programme. An additional $30million was injected into NIS anda total of 200 scholarships will beoffered over the next five years.

The NIS was expanded to include afast-track programme which is acollaboration between the SingaporeManagement University (SMU) andCarnegie Mellon University (CMU).The programme will allow SMUstudents to graduate in a shortertime with both a Bachelor’s degreefrom SMU and a Master’s degreewith specialisation in IT from CMU.

STRENGTHENING THEINFRASTRUCTURE ANDCREATING A CONDUCIVEBUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Together with a world-classmanpower, a sound infrastructureand competitive businessenvironment form the foundationsof a vibrant Infocomm industry.

As technologies improve andbusiness conditions change, thereis a need to upgrade and fine-tunethe physical infrastructure andpublic policies to ensure bothprivate enterprises and the publiccan take advantage of the newopportunities in the industry.


Singapore Management University& Carnegie Mellon University signeda MOU on 16 March 2006.


Building a New DigitalSuper-HighwaySingapore’s plans to build the NextGeneration National InfocommInfrastructure (Next Gen NII) wasannounced in Parliament byPrime Minister and Minister forFinance, Mr Lee Hsien Loong.This infrastructure will have two keycomponents: an ultra high-speedNext Generation National BroadbandNetwork (Next Gen NBN) and apervasive Wireless BroadbandNetwork (WBN).

When completed, the Next GenNBN will offer ultra-high broadbandsymmetric speed of 1Gbps andabove, connecting all homes,schools and businesses includingthose in the HDB heartland andprivate developments. The WBNwill offer pervasive connectivityaround Singapore, complementingthe Next Gen NBN for broadbandaccess on the go. These networkswill position Singapore as a leadinginfocomm nation and enhance itseconomic competitiveness.

On March 2006, IDA invited theindustry to contribute their ideasand suggestions for the Next GenNII through a Request-For-Concept(Next Gen NBN) and a Call-For-Collaboration (WBN). A formalRequest-For-Proposal will beissued for Next Gen NBN whilethe Call-For-Collaboration for WBNwill be awarded later this year.

Securing and ProtectingInfrastructureTo further enhance Singapore’sreputation as a trusted infocommhub goes beyond installing reliablephysical infrastructure. Informationthat flows through the network willneed to be well-protected.

Towards this end, IDA embarkedon various initiatives as part ofthe Infocomm Security Masterplanas well as the National TrustFramework of the iN2015Masterplan so as to enhance thesecurity of Singapore’s infocomminfrastructure assets and services.

Within the Singapore Government,measurements for infocommsecurity preparedness andbusiness continuity readinesswere initiated to assess Singapore’spreparedness in cyber security.Similar initiatives are also plannedfor the rest of the nation.

Singapore will open a NationalCyber-Threat Monitoring Centre(NCMC) which will provide real-timecyber threats detection and responseto enhance network and informationsecurity on a 24/7 basis. This will beachieved through the establishmentof the Cyber-Watch Centre (CWC)and the Threat Analysis Centre (TAC).Where imminent cyber-threats orongoing attacks are detected by theCWC, government agencies will bepromptly notified to take preventiveand remedial actions. The TAC hasbeen operational since April 2005and regularly publishes analysisreports for the Government.


Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of Statefor Information, Communications and theArts, announcing the Infocomm ManpowerDevelopment Roadmap at the Express IT!iN2015 Competition Award Ceremony.

Singapore has become part ofthe international Common CriteriaRecognition Arrangement(CCRA) pact since July 2005.The CCRA is a mutual agreementwith signatories from more than20 countries that are responsiblefor the maintenance of theCommon Criteria standard.Singapore is the first in ASEANto participate in CCRA.

The Common Criteria is aninternational standard concernedwith the evaluation and certificationof the security of an IT productof system.

In the area of infocomm securitymanpower development, thereare ongoing efforts to establish anassociation for infocomm securityprofessionals to transforminfocomm security into adistinguished profession akin to thatof the accounting, legal and medicalprofessions, with a recognised

professional body. The industrywas invited to provide feedbackon the standardised qualifications,established career paths, andcareer development programmesthat were developed.

Business Continuity and DisasterRecovery (BC/DR)Efforts in strengthening thephysical infrastructure and policyenvironment, coupled withthe nation’s macroeconomicstability, have given Singaporea competitive advantage indeveloping BC/DR activities.

In November last year, HewlettPackard validated this by openingthe HP Recovery Centre, its secondBC/DR facility in Singapore. The10,000 square feet centre can caterto as many as 100 customers tomaintain, recover or resume theircritical business processes in theevent of unforeseen disruptions.

To further enhance Singapore’sstatus as a leading BC/DR hub,IDA proposed the world’s firststandardisation and certificationprogramme for BC/DR serviceproviders. Developed by IDA andthe IT Standards Committee (ITSC),the standard specifies stringentrequirements that companies haveto adhere to, in order to ensurethe quality of service delivery.The programme was introducedin Singapore and is currently beingdeliberated by the InternationalOrganisation for Standards andthe International ElectrotechnicalCommission Joint TechnicalCommittee 1 (JTC1) for adoptionas an international standard.

Levelling the Playing FieldIn October 2005, IDA also completedthe review of the SingTel’s ReferenceInterconnection Offer (RIO). Thisreview follows the conclusion of thefirst Telecoms Competition Code



(Code) triennial review in March2005. The RIO is now betteraligned with the revised Code andwill allow industry players betteraccess to bottleneck facilities.

Supporting Convergenceand InnovationAs Internet Protocol (IP) Telephonyphenomenon gains momentum inthe region, IDA also started preparingthe ground for this new wave ofconvergence in Internet andtelecommunications technologies.

IDA introduced a new policyframework for IP Telephony andElectronic Numbering (ENUM)in June last year to facilitate entryof companies interested inoffering IP Telephony servicesin Singapore. IDA awarded VoIPnumbers to operators and somehave already started offering IPTelephony services.

SGNIC, a wholly-owned subsidiaryof IDA, announced an ENUM pilottrial scheme in September andinvited the industry, notably IPTelephony providers, to participatein the trial. The aim was to see hownumbers can be used innovativelyacross fixed-line, mobile andIP telephones.

Separately, IDA also respondedto recent market developmentand public sentiments to start areview on the number portabilitysolutions for both fixed-line andmobile phone services. Thereview was aimed at promotingcompetition and will furtherenhance consumer benefits.

In the area of legislation, IDAtogether with the Attorney-General’s Chambers alsostarted the final phase of thegeneral review of the Electronic


Transactions Act (ETA) andthe Electronic Transactions(Certification Authority)Regulations (CA Regulations)last year. The ETA was enactedin July 1998 to create thelegislative framework forelectronic transactions onthe Internet and facilitateselectronic commerce. With newtechnologies and alternativesmade available, it is timely toreview if ETA amendments arenecessary to accommodatethese advancements.

Transforming Experiences...Innovative Sectoral Developments

For the past year, IDA continues to spearhead theimplementation of infocomm flagship projects inkey economic sectors. These projects transformbusinesses and services in sectors such as digitalmedia, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics.

Companies in the various economicsectors are also fast becomingsophisticated in the use of infocommtechnology as they embrace it tocreate new business models andoptimise business operations.

MANUFACTURINGAND LOGISTICS

Chem eStandardsSingapore-based chemicalmanufacturers and their supply chainpartners can now tap into a set ofglobal process standards thatpromise cost efficiency and easeof secured online communicationthrough a common e-business XML-based language called ChemeStandards. The standards wereextended to Singapore last June andchemical companies can expect

savings of 10% – 15% annually inthe costs of order transaction,inventory, accounts receivable andtransport administration. IDA hasfacilitated the adoption of ChemeStandards and will continue topromote further adoption and toinitiate pilot projects in Singapore.

Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) TechnologyDeployment of RFID technologygained momentum locally,particularly in areas to improvethe efficiency of supply chains.

In just under two years, significantprogress has been made since IDAlaunched a $10 million RFID initiativeto catalyse the development andadoption of RFID in Singapore.Besides being the first country inAsia to allocate RFID frequency, set

up RFID test centres and trainingcourses, numerous capabilitydevelopment and adoption projectswere also seeded. All these haveresulted in commitment by 27companies to invest more than $30million in RFID projects and over 380professionals were trained.

The manufacturing, logistics and fastmoving consumer goods industrieshave been the earliest to embracethe technology. Chain mastercompanies in Singapore, frommanufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard to retailers such as NTUCFairprice and Cold Storage, havecommitted to use RFID to track andmonitor supply chains carryinggoods worth more than $900 million.Logistics companies such as NOLand YCH are also at various stagesof implementing RFID to manage


Dr Lee Boon Yang,Minister for Information,Communications and theArts, at the opening of thefirst RFID test and compliancecentre in South East Asia.


their trans-shipment supply chainswhich, when fully implemented, willhandle goods worth hundreds ofbillions of dollars.

In July 2005, Singapore opened thefirst RFID test and compliance centrein South East Asia. This centre, acollaborative venture between NOLand Sun Microsystems, will providemanufacturers with the necessarycompliance testing and checksbefore tagging goods with RFID.For instance, the centre can helpcompanies pin-point the optimalposition to tag their products toensure accurate reading.

IDA facilitated the setup of thisCentre which not only helpedposition Singapore as a leadingRFID infrastructure provider,but also enhanced Singapore’scompetitiveness as a globalintegrated logistics hub.

TradeXchange®

By October 2007, the tradingand logistics community will havea new online trade platform thatwill make it easier to move goodsand services in and out of thecountry. Called TradeXchange®,the secured platform will supportBusiness-to-Governmenttransactions and also caters toBusiness-to-Business informationand documents exchange.

TradeXchange® will link up onlinesystems such as Cargo CommunityNetwork, Jurong Port Online,Maritime and Port Authority(MPA) of Singapore’s Marinet andPortNet, and other commercialsystems to create efficienciesin electronic data exchange.IDA is one of the managers ofTradeXchange® together withSingapore Customs and theEconomic Development Board.

Commercial service providerswill be able to use the connectionand information available in theTradeXchange® to develop andmarket new innovative services tothe trading and logistics community.The integrated system for regulators,shippers and traders is expectedto result in savings of more than$75 million over 10 years forbusinesses from reduction intrade declaration costs and willhelp anchor incremental logisticsactivities in Singapore.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

In the financial services sector,companies have benefited fromwider adoption of infocommtechnology. For instance, insurancecompanies such as American HomeAssurance Company, AXA InsuranceSingapore and NTUC Income haveimplemented web services-basedNo Claims Discount solutions forMotor Vehicle Insurance.


With this solution, organisationscan share information and processthe insurance documents moreefficiently. Now it only takes afew minutes to processdocuments that used to take15 days to process. This has resultedin improved customer service forthe companies involved.

Another example is NTUC Incomewhich adopted straight-throughprocessing technology for insurancerelated applications in October 2005.This project enabled seamless,efficient, secured and error-freetransactions in submissions ofproposals for all types of insurance,ranging from individual life andmedical to commercial insurance.This initiative helped reduceprocessing costs and turnaroundtime, enabling NTUC Income to saveoperational costs while providingfaster customer service.

DIGITAL MEDIA &ENTERTAINMENT

IDA continued its efforts to stake agreater claim in the growing digitalmedia and entertainment industryand scored a series of coup in thisarea. In addition to LucasfilmAnimation, Electronic Arts andSeasky Netjoy have established theirpresence in Singapore. TechnicolorNetwork Services partnered localcompanies to tap on Singapore’sinfrastructure to digitally distributecontent to the rest of Asia.

In June 2005, the world’s first CrossContinent Digital ContentTransmission or CCTx took place.Movie trailers were successfullytransmitted from the United Statesto Singapore.

Singapore’s position as an idealgames distribution and deploymenthub was entrenched with the hostingof the World Cyber Games last year.More than 800 international playersfrom over 70 countries competed inSingapore in the Olympics ofonline gaming.

Overall Digital Exchange activities– the processing, managing,distribution and trading of digitalassets – contributed more than$500 million transactions inSingapore last year.

HEALTHCARE SERVICES

The benefits of infocommtechnologies were also seen inthe local healthcare sector.


Singapore hosted more than800 players from over 70 countriesin the World Cyber Games.


Pushing the Frontiers ofHealthcare with InfocommWorking closely with key healthcareproviders in Singapore, IDA awardedtwelve consortia under its Call-For-Collaboration (CFC) to develophealthcare services and solutions.The pilot projects included thedevelopment of innovative solutionsto enhance patient care and safetyby using wireless technologiesto measure critical vital signs(temperature, blood pressure,ECG and pulse rate).

Nursing workflow and patientidentification were also automatedthrough the use of RFID technology.This pilot project can potentially beused for information sharing betweencommunity hospitals, acute hospitalsand nursing homes to allow bettermanagement of medication usagefor elderly patients.

An Eye for DetailThe Singapore National Eye Centre(SNEC) recently demonstrated a newtelemedicine platform using a unique3 Dimensional-High Definitionsystem to transmit a live ophthalmicsurgery procedure from AsahikawaMedical College (AMC) in Hokkaido,Japan to Singapore.

This first in the world 3D-HDtechnology transmission wassent via a new high-speed 155MbpsR&D link between Singapore andJapan. This was followed by a livetransmission of an eye surgery,using the same technology, to1,500 delegates attending aconference in Singapore.

While telemedicine is not a newphenomenon, the unique 3D-HDtechnology greatly enhanced themicroscopic images such that theoff-location doctors could viewthe exact conditions experiencedby the operating surgeon. This

successful transmission wassupported by IDA as part ofpromoting the use of infocommtechnology in the healthcare sector.

Trading Pagers for Mobile PhonesTan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) usedto rely on a pager system to reachdoctors on duty. The hospital foundthat doctors were spending anaverage of 80 minutes a day returningcalls while nurses spent between 40and 200 minutes a day paging them.

With the support of an IDA grant,TTSH doctors traded in their pagersfor mobile phones. With the mobilephones, doctors now receive textmessages with more informationand can prioritise their responses.There are plans to link the textmessaging system to acomputerised ordering systemso that doctors will be informedautomatically when their patients’laboratory results are ready. This willenhance medication managementbetween doctors and patients atthe point of care.


The SNEC demonstrated a live eye surgerytransmission from Japan using 3D-HD technology.

EDUCATION

Infocomm continues to transformour education landscape and we arecurrently focusing on providinginfrastructure, digital resources andunique applications to form anindependent learning experience.These elements form the key pillarsof the EdVantage programme.

The aim of the programme was tostrategically deploy infocomm ineducation to provide a learner-centric, collaborative environmentthat extends beyond the classrooms.

Under this programme, 15-20%of current schools will be test-bedsfor the innovative use of infocommin teaching and learning. We arenurturing an additional 5% of schoolsto experiment with emergenttechnologies that may become morewidely used in the future. TheseSchools of the Future will serveas beacons of innovative infocommusage in the education setting,for Singapore and beyond.

GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Since the launch of e-GovernmentAction Plan II in 2003, theGovernment has made significantprogress in e-Government. Today,some 1,600, or more than 98%of all public services that can bedelivered electronically, are availableonline. The aim to delight customers,whether individuals or businesses,with convenient and easy-to-usee-services is affirmed by thee-Government CustomerPerception Survey conductedin Mar 2006, where:

86% of customers who transacted with the Governmentdid so electronically at least oncein the past 12 months.

of those who transacted with the Government electronically,almost 9 in 10 were satisfied withthe overall quality of the electronicservices used.

To provide users with a seamlessservice experience, 15 integratedmulti-agency e-services wereimplemented, with each reducingcustomer interactions withgovernment by at least 50%. Oneof them was the Online BusinessLicensing Service (OBLS).

OBLS allows businesses to apply,update, renew or terminate any ofthe 82 online business licences,issued by 18 government agencies,in a single online transaction.This saves businesses from havingto make separate trips to differentcounters, completing many onlineforms at the various agencies’websites or providing duplicateinformation to multiple parties.The licence process review also ledto a 10% reduction of the licencesissued. Since its launch in January2004, more than 55,000 transactionshave been made. OBLS wasawarded the prestigious UnitedNations Public Service Award in



An enhanced learning experience for studentsfrom River Valley High through the use of tablet PCs.

the category of "Application ofInformation and CommunicationTechnology (ICT) in Government:e-Government" in May 2005.

In an effort to enhance operatingefficiency and corporate identity,IDA announced in April 2005 thatthe Government will embark on aStandard ICT Operating Environment(SOE) project. A standard ICToperating environment meansthat agencies will have a standarddesktop environment and astandard network environment.

A standardised environment willreduce the time and costs requiredto implement new ICT services andminimise incompatibility problems.For example, anti-virus patchescan be distributed speedily toall desktops and servers in theevent of a virus threat. Today thiscannot be done centrally, personalsite visits have to be made. With astandardised environment, service-wide systems can also be deployedfaster and at lower cost, as there isno need to test the new system inmultiple environments.


After accounting for setup cost aswell as recurrent costs, theGovernment is expected to realiseat least 30% net savings per yearonce the SOE is fully deployed.

INNOVATIVETECHNOLOGY THATTRANSFORMS EXPERIENCES

IDA remains cognizant thatinfocomm adoption is not anend in itself, but rather a tool toenhance efficiency and effectivenessacross private and public sectors.At the end of the day, it is thetransforming experiences of theusers that matter most.

Big Picture...Infocomm for Everyone


For the last three years, Singapore has beenranked among the top two most NetworkedReady nations by the World Economic Forum(WEF) Global IT Report1.

WEF’s report is reflective of IDA’sfindings. Based on data2 from 2005,74% of households had access topersonal computers, with 28%owning two or more in each home.Two out of every three suchhouseholds (or 66%) enjoyedInternet access with 52% alreadyon broadband. The Internet has alsobecome the preferred mode ofinter-personal communications inSingapore, with nine in ten (or 90%)using the Internet to send orreceive emails.

In the area of telecommunications,mobile phone penetration inSingapore crossed the 100%3

mark with more than one mobilephone subscription per Singaporean.The subscriber base for 3G servicesincreased ten-fold from 21,000subscribers to 317,6003 since itwas launched in 1 January 2005.

Singaporeans are increasinglybecoming more sophisticated inthe use of infocomm technology.Besides using the Internet tosend and receive emails or retrieveinformation, they are also using it fortransaction purposes such as onlinebanking or accessing e-services.

DELIGHTING ANDCONNECTING CITIZENS

IDA continues to work closelywith various agencies to improvethe online delivery of governmentservices. Today, all governmentservices that can be placed onlineare already available on the Internet.Nearly 9 out of 10 Singaporeanswho need to transact with theGovernment did so throughelectronic means4. Of this group,85% of them were satisfied withthe online service experience.


1 The report ranks more than 100 economies in ICT usage among individuals, businesses and government, as well as scores the environmentfor ICT deployment and the readiness of economies to participate in and benefit fromICT developments.

2 Annual Survey of Infocomm Usage in Households and by Individuals for 2005

3 As at the end of March 2006.

4 IDA/Ministry of Finance e-Government Perception Survey 2005


A new search engine called theSingapore Government OnlineSearch Engine was implemented onthe Singapore Government OnlinePortal. The new search engine servesto enhance the relevance of searchresults obtained for searches onGovernment-wide information andservices on the Internet through theuse of metadata tags. This will notonly provide customers with morerelevant search results, but alsoconsistent user search experience.

In order to provide seamlessexperience in transacting with theGovernment, integrated e-serviceshave been implemented. To date,15 integrated e-services whichcut across agencies have beenimplemented. These includeinformation and servicespackaged for specific segmentsof customers, including NSmen, youths, and senior citizens.

CitizenConnectTo further increase e-serviceaccessibility to the public,a pilot community projectnamed CitizenConnect waslaunched in October 2005.CitizenConnect aims to helpcitizens or residents who donot have access to, or need helpwith using computer or Internet, totransact online with the Governmentin their neighbourhoods.

In this community initiative, freeaccess to the Internet is providedat selected community clubsand staff are on hand to helpcitizens access the SingaporeGovernment Online Portal andperform online transactionswith government agencies.

Affordable PCs for AllTo create an inclusive informationsociety, IDA had launched theNEU PC programme which helpssubsidise the cost of PC purchasesby low-income families. Since 1999,close to 20,000 PCs have beendeployed to needy households inSingapore, of which nearly 75% whobenefited are families with school-going children. This communityoutreach was made possible withthe philanthropic support of industrypartners Microsoft, Pacific Internetand Trend Micro, with help fromcommunity associations like theAssociation of Muslim Professionals(AMP), Chinese DevelopmentAssistance Council (CDAC),Singapore Indian DevelopmentAssociation (SINDA), Society forthe Physically Disabled (SPD)and Yayasan MENDAKI.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister of Statefor Finance and Transport at theCitizenConnect launch at The Serangoon.

The visionof infocommtechnology inthe year 2015.


In line with the growing sophisticationof technology today, IDA continuedto work closely with industry partnersand associations to improve theNEU PC Programme in terms ofscale and enhancement of theassistance package, so as tobetter meet the needs of students.The goal as identified in the iN2015Masterplan is to have an all-inclusivedigital society where no studentwill be denied a computer andInternet access because offinancial difficulties at home.

EnterpriseOneBusinesses can now access afull suite of government ande-services using the EnterpriseOneportal that was launched inFebruary 2006. This portal issupported by a telephone hotlineand Enterprise Development Centressuch as the Association of Smalland Medium Enterprises (ASME).

iGov2010Singapore is already recognisedinternationally as a leadinge-Government. From 2002 to 2006,Singapore topped the GovernmentReadiness component sub-index ofthe World Economic Forum GlobalIT Report. Accenture had also rankedour Government within the top threeplaces in their Global e-GovernmentLeadership Report since 2000.

Moving ahead, the “iGov2010”, anew five-year infocomm masterplan,will guide public agencies in reapingsynergies and exploring newopportunities as an integratedGovernment. By doing so, theGovernment hopes to do even betterin delighting our customers, andconnecting our citizens.

SECURING ONLINETRANSACTIONS

As Singaporeans become moreaccustomed to electronictransactions, online securitywill be a concern for both usersand providers alike. IDA launchedthe Infocomm Security AwarenessProgramme to promote securityawareness among Internet usersand equip them with knowledgeand tips on infocomm security.In 2005, an Internet SecuritySurvival Kit CD-ROM wasdeveloped and distributedto customers of InternetService Providers.

TrustSg, the nationwide trustmark initiative to recognise onlinemerchants with sound e-commercepractices, continued to see anincrease in the organisations applyingfor accreditations. To date, morethan 450 organisations are TrustSg


Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Prime Minister'sOffice and Second Minister for Finance andForeign Affairs unveiling iGov2010.

accredited. This shows thatbusinesses offering e-transactionsstrive to adhere to high commercialstandards specified in codes ofpractice. The TrustSg portalalso recorded good visitorship,evidence that consumer haveconfidence in the trust mark.

SHAPING THE INFOCOMMFUTURE TOGETHER

During the planning of iN2015,Singaporeans were invitedto express how they believeinfocomm technologies would

change the way they live, workand learn in the future. Over3,000 entries were receivedfrom people from all walksof life. Many of the ideas weretaken as inputs by the iN2015committees when developingthe infocomm blueprint.

The significance of the joint-planning exercise lies beyondthe awards; it reflects IDA’scontinuing commitment tocreate an inclusive infocommfuture that is for everyone.


Building Competency...Gearing Up for Tomorrow


At IDA, the people drive every aspect of theorganisation’s public service mandate. IDA investsresources and time to develop its people to reachtheir fullest potential. No effort has been sparedto create a corporate environment that fosterslearning and innovation.

IMPACTFUL ANDEFFECTIVE ORGANISATION

An effective organisation structurebrings out the best in people toachieve national and corporateobjectives. In preparation for theimplementation of the iN2015masterplan, IDA made adjustmentsto its organisational structure in2005. Groups and divisions werebetter aligned with the key thrustsof iN2015.

In addition, various internalorganisational excellence initiativeswere undertaken to improvethe operational efficiency andeffectiveness of IDA’s processesand human resources. IDA continuesto leverage on the Net EconomicValue (NEV) and Singapore QualityClass (SQC) frameworks toachieve organisational excellence.

PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

Leadership ManagementAn organisation structure is only aseffective as the quality of its peopleand leadership. In conjunction withorganisation structure reviews,IDA also refined its talentmanagement and developmentsystem to better identify andgroom high potential staff forsuccession into leadershippositions. Succession plans wereput in place to ensure minimaldisruptions to IDA operationsshould key appointment holdersleave to pursue other interests.

As part of leadership management,the inaugural IDA LeadershipConference was held in February2006, bringing together themanagement team to share andforge a common understandingof IDA’s roles and goals.

People ManagementTo accommodate the need for careerchange and progression, the IDApeople management programmecontinued to focus on competency-based training, job rotation andexternal attachment stints for staff.This will enable IDA to continueto keep the best talents, whilesatisfying their desire for growthand development.

IDA introduced a private sectorattachment programme whereselected staff is sent to a privateorganisation within the industry fora two-year stint. This opportunityallows the staff to gain deeperinsights of the industry and to buildup their capabilities. On their return,IDA will also benefit from the staff’sunderstanding of the industry’sbusiness and challenges.


IDA Staff participating in team building games at the Junior Executive Programme.


High potential staff are sent forexecutive development programmesand given stretch assignments. Forjunior staff, IDA introduced a juniorexecutive programme to enhancethree key areas of competencies.Known as C3, the programmefocuses on communication (writtenand verbal), change managementand customer service.

Learning ExchangesCollectively as an organisation,IDA is rich in experience when itcomes to managing national-levelprojects and working with theindustry. To preserve organisationalknowledge and cross-divisionlearning, a series of sharingsessions such as Brown BagProject Sharing, visits to customers’sites and leadership experiencesharing by senior managementcontinued to draw good attendance.

ENGAGING THE PEOPLE

IDA continued to invent channelsfor staff to contribute ideas that willimprove the working environment.In addition to the annual OrganisationClimate Survey and the semi-annualstaff conferences, an online forum –i-Jam was introduced to allow staffto provide more regular feedback.i-Jam was an effective tool to gatherstaff suggestions and a total of 355ideas were received via this channelin the last financial year.

After successful rounds of theReach-Out & Re-Charge (R&R)programme to engage Heads ofDepartments, this programme wasextended to a wider group of middlemanagers and junior executives. Theprogramme allowed staff to havebetter appreciation of IDA corporateobjectives and helped built betternetworking and team bondingamongst them. The programmegarnered good feedback fromalmost 200 participants.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

In 2005, IDA was presented the SilverAward by the Health PromotionBoard in recognition of its efforts indriving workplace health promotion.Some of the health-related eventsorganised were health checks andfitness programmes for staff.

IDA continued to promotepro-family activities such assupporting the “Eat with your Family”initiative and a dedicated nursingroom was set up for staff whoare new mothers.

FUN@IDA

Fun@IDA is IDA’s recreation clubwith an objective to bring emotional,social and physical wellness to allIDA staff. It offers a myriad of leisure,social and sporting activities for staffand their families.

IDA held the inaugural Leadership Conferenceto groom talents for future leadership positions.

One of the mosaic pieces created by themanagement at the Leadership Conference.


Community OutreachIn December last year, Fun@IDAorganised a pre-Christmas DuckTour outing for the residents of itsadopted home, the SingaporeCheshire Home. Everyone was in afestive mood as they sang Christmascarols during the tour. IDA staff weregratified by being able to give andshare during the festive season.

To help staff better manage thestress of urban living, IDA regularlyholds health talks on stressmanagement and relaxationtechniques. In addition, FUN@IDAalso organised talks that arebeneficial to the staff like parentingtalks to help staff learn aboutcommunication with their children.

Strengthening BondsThe ever-popular Chill-out and MovieMania sessions continue to beFun@IDA's main-stay programmeto build strong relationships amongststaff outside professionalinteractions. Last year, our staffthronged the cinemas to watchHollywood blockbusters MissionImpossible III and HarryPorter & the Goblet of Fire.

Fun@IDA also set aside a specialday each year for staff to bring theirchildren into the office with them. TheKidz@Work programme gave childrenthe opportunity to see their parentsat work and they in turn get to beentertained with educational activitiesat the end of the day.

Staying ACTIVETo encourage staff to keep a healthylifestyle, Fun@IDA organised weeklyexercise classes in the clubhouse.Staff can choose Pilates, kick-boxing,Yoga and even belly-dancing.

The IDA ACTIVE Day kicked off atthe Marina Promenade on 2 March2006. Staff gathered for an afternoonof fun and perspiration as theyparticipated in the work-out sessionsand the jog around the promenade.

GEARING UP FOR TOMORROW

At IDA, we believe the best way tocope with the challenges of the futureis to be ready for them. And there isno better preparation than equippingthe very people who will face thesechallenges with the necessary skills.


A fun workout for staff at ACTIVE Day.IDA staff and residents of Cheshire Homeon the amphibious Duck Tour.


Singapore NetworkInformation Centre Pte Ltd

The Singapore Network Information Centre(SGNIC) is a fully owned subsidiary of the IDA.Set up in October 1995, SGNIC administers theInternet domain name space in Singapore. Asthe national registry for “.sg” domain, SGNIC alsoadministers the registration for second and third-level domain names for com/org/net/edu/gov/per.sgdomains via accredited registrars.

SGNIC formulates domain name registrationpolicies in Singapore and collaborates withthe international, regional and local Internetcommunities to ensure a stable and efficientoperation of the “.sg” domain name space insupport of applications provided over the Internet.

chairmanLEONG Keng ThaiDeputy Chief Executive &Director-General (Telecoms)

directorAndrew HAIREAssistant Director-General (Telecoms)

directorTAN Geok LengChief Technology Officer &Senior Director (Technology & Planning)


Singapore NetworkInformation Centre Pte Ltd

MULTILINGUALDOMAIN NAMES

In line with the aim of becoming aregional infocomm hub and giventhat Singapore is a multi-racial,multi-lingual society, SGNICconducted a six-month trial forChinese and Tamil “.sg” domainnames in July last year. It wasopen to individual and organisationsboth in Singapore and overseas.

The trial served as a good platformfor SGNIC to address manytechnical and operational issuesof registering non-traditionalalphabetical characters as domainnames. SGNIC is in the processof formulating the registrationpolicies and refining the technicalimplementation for a commercialIDN launch by early 2007.

BOOSTING COMPETITIONFOR ‘.SG’ DOMAIN NAMES

SGNIC implemented a packageof enhancements to its pricing andregistrar accreditation frameworksin September and October 2005respectively. This was part of theregular reviews of domain nameregistration policies for “.sg” domainnames. These enhancementsinclude a reduction of domainname prices for registrars anda more robust accreditationframework being implemented.

The reduction of domain nameprices offers registrars cost-savingswhich they could then extend totheir customers. The enhancedaccreditation scheme on theother hand, provides for a morerobust framework which balancesthe need to protect consumerswith that of encouraging morecompetition in the domainname registration market.

ASIA PACIFIC TOP LEVELDOMAIN (APTLD) MEETING

Besides overseeing a competitivelocal environment for the domainname registration, SGNIC alsohosted the APTLD Members andBoard Meeting in July last year.

The APTLD is a regionalmembership-based organisationfor country-code Top Level Domainmanagers in the Asia Pacific.At the meeting, representativesfrom eight countries includingAustralia, Hong Kong, Japan,and Sri Lanka discussedtechnological and operationalissues of national registries andcountries’ response to globalInternet governance policies.

imagine your world/media/imda/files/about/resources/ida ar 0506.pdfin2015 < imagine your world...

Documents