| Risks associated with electromagnetic energy are of particular interest
to the telecommunications industry. A number of health concerns has
been raised globally regarding the potential exposure to electromagnetic
energy associated with the operation of mobile devices and the related
infrastructure including towers and base stations. While there is no
substantiated evidence of public health risks from exposure to the levels
of electromagnetic energy typically emitted from mobile devices, perceived
health risks can be a concern for our customers and regulators. |
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| Radiation Emissions from Base Stations |
| Mobile phones communicate by transmitting radio frequency (RF) waves
through a network of fixed antennas called mobile base stations. RF waves
are EMF, and their possible impact on health is a frequently discussed issue
in the mobile telecommunications sector. Radiation is produced by mobile
devices and base stations and there has been a great deal of research
undertaken since the early 1990s related to EMF. Singtel frequently
monitors the latest developments and publications. |
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| The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been active in promoting
research and awareness of possible EMF health impact and states that a
large number of scientific studies have been performed over the last two
decades to assess potential health risks. They currently conclude that no
adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile
phone use to date[1]. |
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| In Singapore, the Centre for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Science
(CRPNS), an office of the National Environment Agency, is responsible
for all matters relating to EMF exposure. According to CRPNS, the levels
of mobile phone radiation permitted in Singapore complies with the
WHO recommended International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation
Protection (ICNIRP) standards and that radiation exposure from base
stations is far lower than that from mobile phones. Current advice from
CRPNS is that individuals can take precautionary measures to reduce
RF exposure to themselves by limiting the length of calls, or using
hands-free devices to keep the mobile phones away from the head and
body. As a further precaution, the authorities monitor the levels of RF
exposure of base stations in Singapore[2]. |
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| The radiation levels from Singtel’s mobile base stations are within the
ICNIRP acceptable limits and mobile phone handsets sold at our stores
must comply with regulatory guidelines set out by CRPNS and IDA. |
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| Please refer to the findings of our stakeholder engagement
exercise on EMF. |
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| [1] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs193/en/ |
| [2] http://www.nea.gov.sg |
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| Telecommunications access |
| As telecommunications has widened its reach through innovations
in technology, it has become an essential part of society. In order to
provide service access to everyone in the community, Singtel offers a
comprehensive range of plans and products to suit different budgets and
requirements, from simple to complex solutions. |
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| Our success in this area is evident from the high uptake of mobile phone
and internet use in Singapore. As at 31 March 2013, Singapore had 8.07
million mobile customers, representing a penetration rate of 151.9% which
is among the highest in the world. Residential Wired Broadband Household
penetration was 102.9%, while Wireless Broadband Population penetration
rates were 169.3%. The fixed-line household penetration rate was 99.7%. |
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| Singtel is a Public Telecommunication Licensee and has to meet a range of
obligations. This includes requirements to make a basic telephone service
available to any person in Singapore who requests the provision of such a
service, and to provide emergency call and public payphone services. The
telecommunications regulator in Singapore, the Infocomm Development
Authority of Singapore (IDA), also requires Singtel to meet specific
quality standards for certain services that we offer. IDA publishes regular
performance reports on broadband, mobile and fixed telephone services
offered by various operators in Singapore. These reports are found at
www.ida.gov.sg. |
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| Singtel’s 4G rollout and 3G upgrades |
| The rollout of our high-speed LTE or 4G mobile network from June 2012,
which Singtel invested S$150 million in FY2013, has enabled our customers
to enjoy a superior experience during peak periods for applications such as
video and music streaming, surfing, file downloads and online games while
on the move. Speeds of up to 150Mbps are possible and more than 300,000
customers have signed up for our 4G service since its launch. As part of
an accelerated network upgrade programme, we also enhanced our 3G
network to offer customers with compatible devices download speeds of up
to 42Mbps, which is double the maximum speed of 21Mbps they previously
enjoyed. Today, our 4G street-level coverage is 95% nation-wide. |
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| Responsible products and services |
| Cyberwellness, including cybersafety, continues to be an area of concern
as more and more information and content are stored digitally while
games and apps proliferate. We continued to promote awareness on how
customers can protect their data and how parents can protect their children
in their home and on mobile devices by keeping them safe from exposure to
inappropriate content, social networking risks and other online threats. |
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| Singtel offers a range of home and mobile protection including the Security
Suite, Home Internet Filter, Mobile Internet Filter and Mobile Security, all
powered by McAfee. These services give customers all-in-one protection
against online threats whichever device is used. |
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| By activating our Home Internet Filter, parents can protect all devices
connected to the home WiFi and filter inappropriate content and websites
from children. It also manages the amount of time spent on the internet and
allows customisation settings to block or allow certain websites. In addition,
our Mobile Internet Filter protects smartphones or tablets connected to our
mobile network. Parents can now receive SMS or email alerts when the
child attempts to access inappropriate content online. |
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| As part of our commitment to responsible products and services, Singtel
adheres to the policies and practices issued by the regulators in Singapore,
IDA and Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), relating to the
access and use of telecommunication products, content and services. |
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| Data protection for our customers |
| Customer privacy is very important to us and we have implemented a
number of practical measures to ensure that data is only accessed by
authorised employees and for authorised uses. Singtel regularly trains and
updates employees who deal with customer information, and use other
proprietary company information as part of their job function, to handle
such data with the utmost care and confidentiality. |
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| Our database management system resides on our own servers, so we have full control of the information and manage customer data to protect it from being
compromised or misused by 3rd party vendors. Only employees with authorised access can retrieve data as access is based on job scopes and roles. Sensitive customer
information, such as credit card and bank account numbers, is masked when displayed on our systems that are being accessed by our Customer Care Officers. |
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| Singtel supports the government’s intention to introduce Singapore’s 1st consumer data protection framework, the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 and we
provided feedback on the consultations prior to the Act being passed into law. The provisions of the Do Not Call Registry of the Act will come into force in early
2014 and the remaining provisions of the Act in mid-2014. |
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