M1 drops WiFi

Sinagapore’s second largest cellco MobileOne (M1) has dropped its WiFi broadband plans after testing the system earlier this year. The trial service, known as Sunsurf ,was launched in early February and was initially available to both M1and other users high speed access to the internet through 60 hotspots across the country. Results from the free trial run have proved disappointing and the cellco’s original plan to increase the number of hotspots and add the service to subscription packages has now been abandoned. Although about 80% of the population carries a mobile phone only 3%-4% use laptops and M1 claims that the market is not ready for the commercial launch of services. Instead the company has now decided to focus on its 3G capability; it has pledged to invest SGD150 million on development over the next two years.