By Peter Griffin: I’ve just got into balmy Singapore where I’ll be visiting some technology companies over the next couple of days and touring a semiconductor fabrication plant run by chip-maker AMD. I’m looking forward to it.Singapore really gets technology and how to encourage innovation and investment in the sci-tech area. Its Government is also keenly aware of how important good broadband infrastructure is and has a ten-year “master plan” to become number one in the world in “harnessing infocomm to add value to the economy and society”.Here’s a flavour of what Singapore wants to achieve by 2015:
- A two-fold increase in the value-add of the information communications industry to S$26 billion.
- A three-fold increase in information communications export revenue to S$60 billion.
- Creation of 80,000 new jobs (55,000 in ICT).
- 90 per cent broadband penetration (currently 75.5 per cent).
- 100 per cent computer ownership in homes with school-going children.
The Singapore Government is currently considering proposals for fixed-line and wireless network upgrades that will underpin the 2015 strategy.