China surging ahead in digital technology

oxford mushroom SG

Since Mao's death in 1976, China has changed enormously, racing to catch up with the rest of Asia.

Mobile phones and cameras have become must-haves - everywhere you go, people are talking, texting, and surfing.

An explosion of capitalism has given cities like Shanghai and Beijing futuristic skylines. Big business and consumer technology alike have found a new home here......

Dorothy Yang, research director at IDC Analysts, told Click: "About 70 to 80% of internet users use broadband. One reason is that broadband access is quite cheap in China - it only costs about $10-15 a month for unlimited internet access."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/4586914.stm

(BBC 7 Jan 2006)

Singtel's monopoly and high broadband prices have stifled Singapore's growth in the IT industry....how can we lead the region in new technologies such as gaming when in China, 70-80% of internet users use broadband? If I were to invest in gaming technology, I would go to China or Hong Kong...

DailyFreeGames.com SG

You are damn right about Singtel’s monopoly, and it is restricting the growth that should be for Singapore, but then again, companies are mostly after profits, who cares about your growth when their company is growing faster with more profits rolling in month after month. This is a regretable situation to be in, but I don’t know what we can do to change it.

huaqing SG

agree to a certain extent

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Originally posted by oxford mushroom:
Since Mao's death in 1976, China has changed enormously, racing to catch up with the rest of Asia.

Mobile phones and cameras have become must-haves - everywhere you go, people are talking, texting, and surfing.

An explosion of capitalism has given cities like Shanghai and Beijing futuristic skylines. Big business and consumer technology alike have found a new home here......

Dorothy Yang, research director at IDC Analysts, told Click: "About 70 to 80% of internet users use broadband. One reason is that broadband access is quite cheap in China - [b]it only costs about $10-15 a month for unlimited internet access."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/4586914.stm

(BBC 7 Jan 2006)

Singtel's monopoly and high broadband prices have stifled Singapore's growth in the IT industry....how can we lead the region in new technologies such as gaming when in China, 70-80% of internet users use broadband? If I were to invest in gaming technology, I would go to China or Hong Kong...
[/b]

It is indeed stifling Singapore's growth. However, 3 new operators and 1 existing operator (Starhub) will be starting their operations. If I didn't remember wrongly, it would be around March this year. They have already received the go-ahead by the government to start business.

But this doesn't mean you will have cheaper broadband plans. As Singapore is a small country with that limited number of people, they may decide to charge higher.

Atobe SG

Even if there will be three or four additional telephone service providers, the Singapore Government a.k.a the Ruling Party will find a way to slot in one of the Government Linked Companies to take up equity shares in the new operations.

We will still have uncompetitive rates compared to what other countries are enjoying.

While the Government has always said that Singapore size is too small to allow 'economies of scale', somehow we still do not enjoy any further reduction when the local Telecoms Company started to expand overseas and leveraging on a larger scale of operations.

Being a captive market that is a 'goose that lays the golden eggs' for the local Telecoms Companies, it is unlikely there will be any incentive for the local Telecoms Companies to reduce rates any further - unless they compete more aggressively with each other.

Somehow they seem to have reached an equilibrium pain threshold that they all no longer wish to exceed.

With newer players that do not have any GLC participation, we can perhaps see a more realistic program that encourages higher technology development with benefits for local users.

See reference site:

Broadvoice
http://www.broadvoice.com/

Atobe SG

Back to the topic - "China surges ahead in digital technology" - is it any surprise that China will be the No 1 in digital technology within the next twenty years.

With a strong educational foundation, enterprising, resourceful and intelligent people - all with a huge capacify to learn and absorb knowledge; and foreign industries so enthusiastically willing to transfer 'older' technologies to be manufactured in China, it will not be too long before China come up with their own technolgoies based on some being learnt, others through local research & development, and some others through clever reverse engineering technique.

China has not much antiquated 'high tech' industries that need to be destroyed, and much of the 'high tech' industries have been introduced into China by foreign companies looking for cheap land, labor, resources, and a large consumer market.

Basic 'high tech' products will have double use for domestic and military applications, and much 'high tech' designs may have helped China to improve its own military capabilities.

China has a strong economy that enjoys annual budget surplus that builds up its national reserves, which will help itself to compete with the World's No ONE - commercially, politically, and militarily - if need be.

oxford mushroom SG

China has not much antiquated 'high tech' industries that need to be destroyed, and much of the 'high tech' industries have been introduced into China by foreign companies looking for cheap land, labor, resources, and a large consumer market.

That is true. Whereas companies like M1 and Starhub (and their clients) had to pay through their noses for the lines leased by Singtel, Chinese telephone companies went straight to the mobile phone market esepcially in areas where the infrastructure is weak. It is probably easier and cheaper to put up telephonbe masts rather than lay lines. As a result they have moved ahead of us...

Wireless technology is the way to go and Singapore does have an advantage in our small size. I hope the entire island will be covered by Wi-Max very soon and that the price would be low. The government must understand that charging high fees may earn them revenue now but in the long run, we will lose if it stifles new wireless-based industries.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Originally posted by Atobe:

Even if there will be three or four additional telephone service providers, the Singapore Government a.k.a the Ruling Party will find a way to slot in one of the Government Linked Companies to take up equity shares in the new operations.

We will still have uncompetitive rates compared to what other countries are enjoying.

While the Government has always said that Singapore size is too small to allow 'economies of scale', somehow we still do not enjoy any further reduction when the local Telecoms Company started to expand overseas and leveraging on a larger scale of operations.

Being a captive market that is a 'goose that lays the golden eggs' for the local Telecoms Companies, it is unlikely there will be any incentive for the local Telecoms Companies to reduce rates any further - unless they compete more aggressively with each other.

Somehow they seem to have reached an equilibrium pain threshold that they all no longer wish to exceed.

With newer players that do not have any GLC participation, we can perhaps see a more realistic program that encourages higher technology development with benefits for local users.

See reference site:

[b]Broadvoice
http://www.broadvoice.com/

[/b]

The possibility of this could be reduced. One of the operators that is starting is a foreign company. A China company to be specific. Have heard some rumours about what this company is going to offer. The rates they are offering are very attractive, comparable with those in HK and China (although higher). Not quite sure if the government will try to slot any government officers inside. As this is a foreign company, I think the government will be doing some planning before they consider slotting one in.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

I don't think in the coming five years Wi-Max will be implemented. It took us a pretty long time to implement just Wi-Fi. Plus, Wi-Max is only being tested at a few locations only. Whereas US (some states only) already have plans to implement it, Singapore has just started testing it.

archon1234 SG

Sg Wi-Max will be very slow. This WiMax will poise a serious threat to the 3G operators who fork out tons of $$$ just for a piece of paper license for operating 3G. In term of geographical consideration, Sg city state layout is the best ideal location to roll out WiMax. Too bad, all our big player has put their chip into the 3G

LazerLordz SG

WiMAX in it's current state, if given to community- based providers, will dent our GLC's profits. Rolling Eyes and that's what they are fearful of.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

But they can't deprive us of the technology!!!! Mad

oxford mushroom SG

I know that as well. But the government must surely realize that the gains by one GLC can hurt the government's own attempt to move into the gaming industry. They should look at the bigger picture.....and I thought they are the ones who keep telling us that!

lovespecter SG

Dorothy Yang, research director at IDC Analysts, told Click: "About 70 to 80% of internet users use broadband. One reason is that broadband access is quite cheap in China - it only costs about $10-15 a month for unlimited internet access."

[/b]

right. broadband in singapore is very expensive. 80 for starhub and 88 for singtel. in china, we only pay 80renminbi per month Confused