Digital transformation is the cornerstone of Singapore’s Smart Nation vision. What is Singtel doing to support Singapore’s digital initiatives?
Bill: As Asia’s leading communications technology group, we are leveraging our core strengths and leadership in telecoms and information technology which will help serve as the digital backbone upon which our Smart Nation is built. As we continue to deepen our capabilities in new growth areas like cyber security, cloud, IoT, advanced analytics, AI and robotics, we will provide solutions and services from these digital technologies that will allow us to contribute even more meaningfully to Singapore’s digital transformation.
Singapore will need to develop the right talent pool if it is to fulfil its Smart Nation dreams and this is also a key area where Singtel is contributing. We have partnered with institutions of higher learning to develop curriculum in emerging fields such as cyber security, digital marketing and robotics for instance to help groom a digitally savvy workforce.
How do you see these new digital technologies operating in the Singapore of tomorrow?
Bill: These new technologies will transform the way we live, learn and work. In the realm of public services, Singaporeans can expect smart apps and digital services which will mean more ease of use for citizens and greater productivity and efficiencies for organisations. Digital payments will increasingly become a way of life for many, and this will rapidly transform the interactions between consumers and enterprises, allowing them to better serve their customers, drive productivity and scale their businesses regionally and globally.
In the transportation sector, we are in the midst of developing the next generation Electronic Road Pricing system for the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
By using satellites, the LTA can manage traffic flow more flexibly by pricing road usage based on the distance travelled by motorists on busy roads, while providing commuters information to better plan their journeys.
How is Singtel contributing to Singapore’s Smart Nation development?
Bill: In the smart urban infrastructure area, we are using data from IoT sensors to help the Housing & Development Board (HDB) and the town councils monitor lifts and other common facilities to ensure continuous operations. This improves the management and maintenance of critical facilities at HDB heartlands.
IoT will also be a critical lever for enterprises to transform themselves digitally and innovate in line with the government’s roadmap to bring industries into the new economy. Singtel is trialling a range of IoT applications for deployment across manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, real estate and utilities sectors.
In the healthcare sector, we are deploying robotics technology in hospital pharmacies to help speed up the dispensing of medicines, reduce the wait times for patients and boost productivity of healthcare workers.
A Smart Nation also needs to be digitally safe. What is Singtel doing to ensure enterprises are being protected?
Bill: The global impact of last year’s Wannacry and Petya malware incidents clearly demonstrate the cross-border nature of cyber threats. Enterprises with operations around the world cannot continue using standalone cyber defences to protect their local offices. They will need a global, 24/7 view of such fast-evolving threats to better protect themselves. Given our network of advanced SOCs across Asia, Australia and Europe and the Americas, we are well-positioned to provide close monitoring of cyber threats. In March, Gartner recognised our cyber security arm Trustwave in the Leaders' Quadrant for the Global Managed Security Services category. Coupled with the swift, coordinated responses to these global threats, we can strengthen companies’ defences around-the-clock.
Additionally, we have bolstered our cyber defences through the newly-created Global Telco Security Alliance with Telefónica, SoftBank and Etisalat. The alliance will further enhance our global footprint with a combined reach of more than 1.2 billion customers in over 60 countries. We are also developing deep information security capabilities for critical infrastructure in the transportation and utilities sectors.
Technology is constantly evolving. How does Singtel keep up with technological advancements?
Bill: We have intensified our innovation drive by forming strategic partnerships to make Singtel future-ready. Our partnerships, corporate labs and collaboration with NUS, NTU and A*STAR last year underscore our efforts to create intellectual property and speed up the development of innovative products and services that will help solve the real world challenges of many enterprises.