The Straits Times reports that Singaporean fixed, mobile and broadband provider M1 Limited has struck a deal that will enable it to connect its business customers to the city-state’s Next Generation National Broadband Network (Next Gen NBN), a task previously undertaken alone by network builder NetLink Trust, formerly OpenNet. Frustrated at the slow pace of deployment and continued delays, M1 yesterday inked an agreement with NetLink Trust to carry out its own fibre installation works. The deal means M1 will no longer have to wait for the appointed installer to set up an end user’s fibre connection before they can access the internet – suggesting that currently, some customers face a two-month delay for their service. Some of the delays, however, are said to be down to uncooperative owners delaying access to their buildings.
It is not the first time NetLink Trust has encountered problems. In May last year the company, which in its previous guise, OpenNet, was bought out by Singtel business trust in August 2013, was fined SGD240,000 (USD181,000) by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) for delays in connecting customers. Under local regulations, NetLink Trust must connect 80% of new business sign-ups within four weeks of the order date and the remaining 20% within eight weeks. However, it is seemingly failing to meet these targets, and another internet service provider (ISP) ViewQwest claims that 95% of its business orders are taking longer than four weeks to complete.