April 2009 Issue No. 18
 
TOP STORY
 
StarHub Wins Bid for Singapore''s Broadband Network Project
A firm endorsement of StarHub''s competitive standing is demonstrated by its latest win to build and manage the Operating Company (OpCo) for Singapore''s Next-Generation National Broadband Network ( NBN), a nation-wide pervasive and ultra-high speed broadband network linking business users at the workplace, and Singaporeans at home, schools, learning institutions and other premises. Singaporeans can expect to have ultra-high broadband connectivity of up to 1Gbps in 95% of homes and offices by June 2012, a ten-fold enhancement from the fastest broadband plan available today.
 
   Hooray For the Bidding Team
 
Called Nucleus Connect, the OpCo will design, build and operate the active infrastructure of the Next-Gen NBN.  It will also provide wholesale broadband connectivity to other operating companies and downstream operators, in particular, retail service providers. StarHub is committed to start up Nucleus Connect as a wholly-owned subsidiary within the year, with an eye to begin commercial operations in 1Q-2010.    
   

CORPORATE NEWS

StarHub Clinches Coveted Telecom Awards
Congratulations to StarHub for starting 2009 on a jubilant note clinching top awards from renowned international and regional agencies. It won two coveted awards - ‘Telecom CEO of the Year’ and ‘Best Broadband Carrier’ at the 12th Telecom Asia Awards. StarHub is the only Singapore-based telecom service provider to be honoured at this year’s Award ceremony held in Hong Kong on 30 March.
 
StarHub''s Kwek Buck Chye &
Jeannie Ong (1st & 2nd from left) at the Award Ceremony

 
Global Crossing scores double honours in key customer experience
ATLANTIC-ACM, a leading telecommunications research consultancy accords Global Crossing top placing in both the Billing and the Provisioning categories in its 2009 U.S. Wholesale Carrier Scorecard survey and report. The Provisioning category assesses the carrier''s ability to meet the contracted date of installation.
 
SVP Carrier Sales, Greg Spraetz (at right)
accepting the Awards

 
BUSINESS SCORE CARD
 
Global Crossing Invests in Networks in Latin America
Global Crossing’s recent network enhancement and expansion in Venezuela and Brazil reaffirms its commitment to better serve its customers'' needs in Latin American. In January, Global Crossing has completed a new 126km fibre-optic network in the interior region of the state of São Paulo, interconnecting the cities of Hortolândia and Sorocaba, between which many industrial companies are located. In response to Venezuela’s increasing Internet traffic and demand for broadband applications, Global Crossing has also upgraded its primary IP platform in Caracas to provide greater Internet access service capacity. Global Crossing has a significant presence in Latin America. Besides its IP-based fibre-optic network, Global Crossing has 15 metropolitan networks and 15 world-class data centres in the main business centres of Latin America.
 

INNOVATION
 

StarHub, the 1st Operator in Asia-Pacific to launch HSPA+ Network

StarHub’s customers will be among the first in the world to experience the fastest mobile broadband speed and superior services with StarHub''s HSPA+ network which offers ultra-speeds of up to 21Mbps, almost double its previous 14.4Mbps capability.       
With this network, customer will be able to experience unparalleled response time for high-definition video streaming, high-speed web surfing, web conferencing and other next-generation wireless applications.
 
 
COMMUNITY
 
ST Telemedia Joins the Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore in its Fundraising Event
On 21 March, the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) of Singapore held a fundraising event at the Singapore Turf Club where His Excellency Mr Martin Harvey, New Zealand’s High Commissioner, was the Guest-of-Honour. In recognition of ST Telemedia''s long-standing support, RDA honoured the company by naming the 8th race as "ST Telemedia Stakes" and the company''s representative also presented the prizes to the winners of that race. 
 
RDA provides therapeutic horse riding lessons to children and adults with disabilities. Since 2005, ST Telemedia has been a supporter, sponsoring two ponies, 32-year old Chester and 28-year old Fraggle.
 
StarHub Spreads the Joy of Giving with its Rewards Programme for Charity
StarHub has introduced a new component in its Rewards loyalty programme which gives its customers the option to redeem a donation to charity with their StarHub Rewards Monthly Points. To celebrate the launch of its new initiative, StarHub donated S$100,000 to MINDS Towner Gardens School, a school for the intellectually challenged, to fund the purchase of equipment for the school.