Fixed internet: open-access fibre, who runs what, and why resilience is high

Singapore’s home and business broadband is almost entirely fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP). The passive fibre infrastructure (ducts, splitters, last-mile strands) is owned and operated by NetLink Trust under the national Next-Gen NBN model. Retail telcos then sell service on top of that fibre:

• Retail service providers (RSPs): Singtel, StarHub, M1, MyRepublic (plus a few niche players).
• TV over IP: Singtel TV and StarHub TV+ ride on the same fibre, alongside OTT apps.
• What this means for outages: a cut or fault in NetLink’s passive layer can impact multiple RSPs in the same building or street; a retail core-network fault usually affects only that RSP’s users.

How the network was built. The Next-Gen NBN was engineered as an open-access platform separating passive fibre from active/retail layers to drive competition and reliability. Trunk routes are diverse, last-mile fibre is dense, and exchanges are power-protected.

Is it solid and resilient? Yes, by design:

• Diverse routes and underground ducting reduce weather risk.
• Exchange power backup and strict operational standards limit large-scale downtime.
• Most incidents are localised: building ONT faults, fibre splices, accidental civil works cuts, or scheduled exchange work.

Regulator information. The IMDA sets QoS rules, audits operators, and publishes guidance on performance and service restoration. Operators must notify planned works and maintain complaint-handling SLAs.

Mobile networks: the three incumbents, the 4th entrant, and digital/MVNO brands

Singapore has four mobile network operators (MNOs) running their own radio + core networks:

• Singtel
• StarHub
• M1
• SIMBA (ex-TPG)

On top of these sit digital brands/MVNOs that resell capacity:

• GOMO (Singtel’s online sub-brand)
• Circles.Life, Zero1, VIVIFI, MyRepublic (MVNO) and others (hosted on one of the MNOs)

Coverage and tech. 4G is ubiquitous. 5G Standalone (SA) is widely deployed in town, MRT tunnels, malls and business districts. Voice uses VoLTE/VoWiFi; eSIM is common. Backhaul is mostly fibre, so a fibre cut can affect clusters of sites even if radios are healthy.

Who does what.

• MNOs: build and operate RAN + core, spectrum, national coverage.
• MVNOs / sub-brands: sell plans and apps; rely on host MNO’s coverage and restoration timelines.

Step-by-step: what to do if your internet or mobile is down

A) Home fibre broadband (Singtel, StarHub, M1, MyRepublic…)

1. Check power & lights. ONT (PON/LOS) and router LEDs should be normal. If LOS is red/blinking, it’s a fibre signal fault.
2. Reboot in order. Power off router and ONT → wait 60–90 s → power ON ONT → wait for PON lock → power ON router.
3. Test wired. Plug a laptop by Ethernet to the router. If wired works but Wi-Fi doesn’t, it’s a local Wi-Fi issue.
4. Consult status pages. Check your provider’s alerts and live reports on GeoBlackout.
5. Open a ticket with your ISP if the LOS/PON issue persists or if multiple homes are down.

B) Mobile data/calls

1. Quick reset. Toggle airplane mode 10 seconds, then off; or reboot the phone.
2. Check your host. MVNO issues often mirror the host MNO. If your brand is down, check the host’s status too.
3. Outage confirmation. Review GeoBlackout reports; large spikes usually indicate a wider problem.
4. Report with detail. Share postal code, time, and service affected to speed triage.

Quick reference: who’s who

• Passive fibre infrastructure: NetLink Trust
• Fixed retail (RSP): Singtel, StarHub, M1, MyRepublic
• MNOs (own mobile networks): Singtel, StarHub, M1, SIMBA
• Digital/MVNO brands: GOMO (Singtel), Circles.Life, Zero1, VIVIFI, MyRepublic (MVNO)