President's Message

ATiS President’s Message, 2011

2011 sees many countries in the midst of or planning to deploy Next Generation Broadband Networks (NGBN) around the world and Singapore is proudly one of the leaders in this initiative, due to the foresight and initiative by the InfoCommuincations Authority of Singapore (iDA).

With exponential growth in Mobile networks and Data and the user driven need for faster services, the demand for bandwidth and services which can be provided by larger bandwidth pipes, the developed world is now romping ahead and providing enhanced services to users, with greater challenges for the Operators and Service Providers

In stark contrast to this, half the world’s population resides in rural districts and far flung communities and this half, amounting to some three billion people, represent the poorer, less educated, and more deprived cousins of our urban citizens.

Indeed, latest figures indicate that as many as 70 per cent of the developing world’s 1.4 billion extremely poor people, live in rural areas and they are also amongst the least connected to the benefits of ICTs.

We cannot allow this situation to continue.

Some countries are also now moving towards recognising Access to Broadband as a 'Human Right'

Many countries are now facing problems with their citizens who are demanding better rights, some of them basic Human Rights and Social Networking sites like Facebook have been used as a Communications Tools during these troubles and Governments in some countries have even tried to deny access to the Internet.

Also the recent devastating events in Japan this year and Chile and Haiti in 2010, demonstrate the fragility of our Mobile, Fixed and Submarine infrastructures.

Against this backdrop, the Association of Telecommunications Industry of Singapore (ATiS) has a role to play with our Members and as an Association, we can then offer:

1. Continued close collaboration and support of InfoCom Development Authority of Singapore (iDA) in its regulatory role and to sit on TSAC and TSTC committees, participate in Consultation Paper submissions and support Bi-Lateral meetings with regional Regulators, when so requested

2. Organise Key Industry Events like World Telecommunications and Information Society Day, which in addition to the social and business networking benefits, offers insight into the state of technology deployment in Singapore and the region. Attendees have given rave reviews on recent ATiS discussions on technology.

3. Assist ATiS members in regional and International initiatives as a group rather than as individual companies, offering tremendous leverage and economy.

4. Alliances with complementary associations through ATIE (Asian Telecommunications Information Exchange) as we seek to expand business opportunities for our members.

5. Revamping the ATiS website into a Portal to reflect the growing demand for updated information, collaboration, business generation and technology reviews.

6. .....................and much more as we approach 25 years as an Association

I would like to personally welcome on Board the new ExCo and am confident that 2011 will be a memorable year in the history of ATiS

Finally thanks to Mr. Mike Ang, President 2010 for his committment and hard work, who has recently stepped down and now assumes the role of Immediate Past President