Singapore’s self-styled ‘upstart broadband provider’ MyRepublic has stepped up its bid to become the city-state’s fourth mobile network operator (MNO) by announcing that it will stage a ‘mobility trial’ in October 2015, in Jurong East. 500 members of the public will be picked to test the network, and will be provided with smartphones and SIM cards to do so.
In related news, the company has promised to give all would-be mobile customers a complimentary subscription – if it secures the concession in question. A statement on the company’s website reads: ‘In the event MyRepublic Mobile becomes a reality, we want to celebrate with you, our passionate supporters. As long as you’re a MyRepublic customer who has signed up for a fibre broadband plan by 30 September 2015, you will get free twelve months subscription on a 24-month local unlimited data plan that MyRepublic will launch if our mobile bid is successful.’
As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, in July this year the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) said it was considering offering a substantial discount on radio spectrum in order to entice a would-be fourth operator to enter the market. With the newcomer expected to deploy a nationwide service by the end of September 2018, the regulator has proposed slashing the SGD100 million (USD73.9 million) reserve price on the 60MHz block of airwaves on offer to SGD40 million. As it stands, the details of the 4G spectrum auction are expected to be finalised by end-2015, with bidding due to follow soon after.