Information & Communication Technologies Singapore Market Study
JANUARY 2020
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The information and views set out in this study are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of EU Gateway | Business Avenues and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. The purpose of this report is to give European companies selected for participation in the EU Gateway | Business Avenues Programme an introductory understanding of the target markets countries and support them in defining their strategy towards those markets. For more information, visit www.eu-gateway.eu.
EU Business Avenues in South East Asia
Central Management Unit
Singapore Market Study
January 2020
Submitted to the European Commission on 22 January 2020
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF ABBREVIATIONS ...... 10
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 12
2. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SINGAPORE? ...... 16
2.1. POLITICAL OVERVIEW ...... 16 2.2. ECONOMIC OVERVIEW ...... 17 2.3. TRADE OVERVIEW ...... 19 2.4. MARKET ACCESS ...... 20 2.5. BUSINESS AND COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT ...... 21
3. MARKET OVERVIEW & EU ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES IN SINGAPORE ...... 24
3.1 THE SINGAPORE ICT SECTOR ...... 24 3.1.1 Future Key Technologies in Singapore’s Infocomm Media 2025 Plan ...... 29 3.1.2 Most recent ICT industry developments ...... 37 3.1.3 Lead Agencies ...... 42 3.1.4 ICT Standards ...... 45 3.1.5 Entry Strategies ...... 45 3.1.6 Challenges & Entry Barriers ...... 49 3.2 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT ...... 50 3.2.1 Market Overview ...... 50 3.2.2 EU Entry Opportunities ...... 60 3.3 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE ...... 65 3.3.1 Market Overview ...... 65 3.3.2 EU Entry Opportunities ...... 82 3.4 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES...... 87 3.4.1 Market Overview ...... 87 3.4.2 EU Entry Opportunities ...... 94 3.5 TELECOMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT ...... 99 3.5.1 Market Overview ...... 99 3.5.2 EU Entry Opportunities ...... 107 3.6 TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES ...... 112 3.6.1 Market Overview ...... 112 3.6.2 EU Entry Opportunities ...... 120
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4. REGULATIONS ...... 125
4.1 IMPORT PROCEDURES ...... 125 4.2 GOVERNMENT TENDERS ...... 126 4.3 SINGAPORE CONSUMER PROTECTION (SAFETY REQUIREMENTS) REGISTRATION SCHEME (CPS) ...... 128 4.4 TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDS AND EQUIPMENT REGISTRATION FRAMEWORK ...... 131 4.5 RELATED ACTS AND BILLS ...... 132
5. ANNEX ...... 135
5.1 LIST OF USEFUL CONTACTS ...... 135 5.2 STARTING A BUSINESS IN SINGAPORE ...... 137 5.3 USEFUL STATISTICS ...... 142 5.4 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 172
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Lists of Figures
Figure 1: Map of Singapore ...... 16 Figure 2: Global Competitiveness Report 2019 – Singapore Economy Profile ...... 18 Figure 3: EU-Singapore Trade Flows, 2008-2018 ...... 20 Figure 4: IMD World Digital Competitiveness Index 2019 for the Asia-Pacific Region ...... 24 Figure 5: Infocomm revenue by segment (S$ billion), 2012-2017 ...... 25 Figure 6: Annual Revenue by Domestic and Export Market, 2012-2017 ...... 25 Figure 7: Top 10 Internet Activities on Desktop PCs and Laptops (Enterprises), 2018 ...... 27 Figure 8: Top 10 Internet Activities on Mobile/Smart Phones or Tablets (Enterprises), 2018 .... 27 Figure 9: Big Data & Analytics Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2013-2018 ...... 30 Figure 10: IoT Market in Singapore (US$ billion), 2012-2018 ...... 31 Figure 11: Future Communication Market in Singapore (US$ billion), 2013-2018 ...... 32 Figure 12: Cybersecurity Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2011-2018 ...... 33 Figure 13: Cognitive Computing Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2014-2018 ...... 34 Figure 14: Advanced Robotics Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2014-2018...... 35 Figure 15: Immersive Media Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2014-2018 ...... 36 Figure 16: Digital Economy Environment of Singapore ...... 38 Figure 17: Key Tech Trends Identified by the SDE Tech Roadmap ...... 40 Figure 18: Visitors at Huawei’s Booth at CommunicAsia ...... 48 Figure 19: The HBD Promotes the Use of Elderly Monitoring Systems ...... 56 Figure 20: Smartmissimo Technologies’s Powerdot 2.0 Uno ...... 58 Figure 21: Razer’s Raptor 27 ...... 59 Figure 22: Zensorium’s Tinkè ...... 60 Figure 23: Global Switch’s Woodland Centre in Singapore ...... 63 Figure 24: Withings’ Move ECG wearable ...... 64 Figure 25: What 'Smart' Lamp Posts Can Do ...... 78 Figure 26: Singapore Launched its 9th Satellite in 2019 ...... 92 Figure 27: The Nest Wifi System has a Captivating Design ...... 100 Figure 28: How Fast IS 5G? ...... 103 Figure 29: Xiomi’s New Smartphone, Mi Note 10 ...... 106 Figure 30: What Possibilities Will 5G Enable? ...... 108 Figure 31: Technogym’s App Uses Smartphones to Monitor Physical Exercise ...... 109 Figure 32: Singapore Mobile Revenue Share Forecasts ...... 113 Figure 33: Frequency of Internet Use in Singapore ...... 115 Figure 34: Time Spent with Media in Singapore ...... 121 Figure 35: Foodpanda’s App in Singapore ...... 122
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Lists of Tables
Table 1: Ease of Doing Business in Singapore 2019 ...... 22 Table 2: Additional ICT Associations in Singapore ...... 44 Table 3: Additional Trade Shows in Singapore ...... 49 Table 4: Data Centre Operators in Singapore ...... 51 Table 5: Number of Hours Spent Each Week Playing Video Games ...... 53 Table 6: Cloud Readiness Index, 2018 ...... 70 Table 7: Global Cities' AI Readiness Index ...... 74 Table 8: Perceived and Actual Proficiency Level among Tertiary Students in Singapore ...... 96 Table 9: Fixed Lines Statistics For Singapore ...... 114 Table 10: Definition of Controlled Goods and Safety Standards ...... 129 Table 11: Requirements for Controlled Goods ...... 131 Table 12 : Singapore Infocomm Industry Performance, 2012-2017 ...... 142 Table 13: Imports of Printers - for computer output, not multi-functional, separate units (HS Code 844332) ...... 143 Table 14: Exports of Printers - for computer output, not multi-functional, separate units (HS Code 844332) ...... 143 Table 15: Imports of Laptop and notebook computers (HS Code 84713020) ...... 144 Table 16: Exports of Laptop and notebook computers (HS Code 84713020) ...... 144 Table 17: Imports of Multimedia portable players - audio, video, software downloading (HS Code 84713090) ...... 145 Table 18: Exports of Multimedia portable players - audio, video, software downloading (HS Code 84713090) ...... 145 Table 19: Imports of Handheld computers incl palmtops & personal digital assistants (PDAs) (HS Code 84713010) ...... 146 Table 20: Exports of Handheld computers incl palmtops & personal digital assistants (PDAs) (HS Code 84713010) ...... 146 Table 21: Imports of Desktop computer systems, personal computers (PCs) and tower computer systems (HS Code 847149) ...... 147 Table 22: Exports of Desktop computer systems, personal computers (PCs) and tower computer systems (HS Code 847149) ...... 147 Table 23: Imports of Keyboards - for computer systems, separate units (HS Code 84716030) ...... 148 Table 24: Exports of Keyboards - for computer systems, separate units (HS Code 84716030) ...... 148 Table 25: Imports of Mouse, trackballs, joysticks for computers and other X-Y coordinate input devices - separate units (HS Code 84716040) ...... 149 Table 26: Exports of Mouse, trackballs, joysticks for computers and other X-Y coordinate input devices - separate units (HS Code 84716040) ...... 149 Table 27: Imports of Central storage units - for example RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) systems (HS Code 847170) ...... 150
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Table 28: Exports of Central storage units - for example RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) systems (HS Code 847170) ...... 150 Table 29: Imports of Optical disk drives incl CD-ROM drives & CD-R drives (HS Code 84717040) ...... 151 Table 30: Exports of Optical disk drives incl CD-ROM drives & CD-R drives (HS Code 84717040) ...... 151 Table 31: Imports of Hard disk drives (HS Code 84717020) ...... 152 Table 32: Exports of Hard disk drives (HS Code 84717020) ...... 152 Table 33: Imports of Sound cards & video cards (HS Code 84718070) ...... 153 Table 34: Exports of Sound cards & video cards (HS Code 84718070) ...... 153 Table 35: Imports of Power Supply Units (PSUs) for computer units, separate units (HS Code 850440) ...... 154 Table 36: Exports of Power Supply Units (PSUs) for computer units, separate units (HS Code 850440) ...... 154 Table 37: Imports of Network Communication System (HS Code 851762)...... 155 Table 38: Exports of Network Communication System (HS Code 851762) ...... 155 Table 39: Imports of Speakers - single loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851821) ...... 156 Table 40: Exports of Speakers - single loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851821) ...... 156 Table 41: Imports of Speakers - multiple loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851822) ...... 157 Table 42: Exports of Speakers - multiple loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851822) ...... 157 Table 43: Imports of Laser Discs for recording or reproducing video (HS Code 852190) ...... 158 Table 44: Exports of Laser Discs for recording or reproducing video (HS Code 852190) ...... 158 Table 45: Imports of Floppy Disks not over 4 mm (HS Code 85232911) ...... 159 Table 46: Exports of Floppy Disks not over 4 mm (HS Code 85232911) ...... 159 Table 47: Imports of Floppy Disks over 6.5 mm (HS Code 85232931) ...... 160 Table 48: Exports of Floppy Disks over 6.5 mm (HS Code 85232931) ...... 160 Table 49: Imports of Optical Media/Disks for Computer Use (HS Code 852341) ...... 161 Table 50: Exports of Optical Media/Disks for Computer Use (HS Code 852341) ...... 161 Table 51: Imports of Network Communication Devices in Wired or Wireless Network such as LAN and WAN (HS Code 851769) ...... 162 Table 52: Exports of Network Communication Devices in Wired or Wireless Network such as LAN and WAN (HS Code 851769) ...... 162 Table 53: Imports of Software on CD or DVD - programs or data, music or other sound (HS Code 852349) ...... 163 Table 54: Exports of Software on CD or DVD - programs or data, music or other sound (HS Code 852349) ...... 163 Table 55: Imports of Flash memory cards (HS Code 852351) ...... 164 Table 56: Exports of Flash memory cards (HS Code 852351) ...... 164 Table 57: Imports of Web cameras (HS Code 85258010) ...... 165 Table 58: Exports of Web cameras (HS Code 85258010) ...... 165 Table 59: Imports of Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders (HS Code 852580) ...... 166 Table 60: Exports of Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders (HS Code 852580) ...... 166
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Table 61: Imports of Radio navigational aid apparatus (HS Code 852691) ...... 167 Table 62: Exports of Radio navigational aid apparatus (HS Code 852691) ...... 167 Table 63: Imports of MP3 players - no video capability, with radio (HS Code 852713) ...... 168 Table 64: Exports of MP3 players - no video capability, with radio (HS Code 852713) ...... 168 Table 65: Imports of Television PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) tuner card assemblies (HS Code 85287111) ...... 169 Table 66: Exports of Television PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) tuner card assemblies (HS Code 85287111) ...... 169 Table 67: Imports of Electronic personal organisers - or palm-held portables (HS Code 85437090) ...... 170 Table 68: Exports of Electronic personal organisers - or palm-held portables (HS Code 85437090) ...... 170 Table 69: Imports of Central processing units (CPUs) - can be complete with heatsink and/or fan, separate units (HS Code 847330) ...... 171 Table 70: Exports of Central processing units (CPUs) - can be complete with heatsink and/or fan, separate units (HS Code 847330) ...... 171
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Table of Abbreviations
A*STAR Agency for Science, Technology and Research ACCA Asia Cloud Computing Association ACRA Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority AEC ASEAN Economic Community AFTA ASEAN Free Trade Area ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations CA Companies Act CABs Conformity Assessment Bodies CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate CoC Certificate of Conformity CRM Customer relationship management CSA Security Agency of Singapore CSP Cloud Service Providers DC Data centre DSTA Defence Science and Technology Agency EDB Economic Development Board EMA Energy Market Authority EPPU Expenditure and Procurement Policies Unit ERP Enterprise resource planning ERP Enterprise risk management FTA Free Trade Area GDP Gross Domestic Products GeBiz Government Electronic Business GovTech Government Technology Agency GST Goods and Services Tax IaaS Infrastructure as a Service ICT Information and Communication Technology IDA Infocomm Development Authority IDC International Data Corporation IDI ICT Development Index IDP Industry Digital Plan IMDA Media Development Authority IoT Internet-of-Things IT Information Technology ITSC IT Standards Committee ITM Industry Transformation Map ITU International Telecommunication Union M2M Machines to Machines
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MoU Memorandum of Understanding MTCS Multi-Tier Cloud Security MTI Ministry of Trade and Industry NEHR National Electronic Health Record OTT Over-The-Top PaaS Platform as a Service PAP People’s Action Party PDPC Personal Data Protection Commission PMET Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians QoS Quality of Service SaaS Software as a Service SCM Software configuration management SDoC Supplier's Declaration of Conformity SiTF Singapore infocomm Technology Federation SMEs Small-Medium Enterprises SPRING Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board TDC Tropical Data Centre TSAC Telecommunication Standards Advisory Committee UHD Ultra-High Definition UNU-EHS United Nations University for Environment and Human Security
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1. Executive Summary
Singapore is a modern bustling city which has embraced the conveniences of modern life and technology. Western culture is embraced and plays a big role in brand and lifestyle consumerism. The city-state, which is recognised as a leading financial and high-tech hub of the region, is a high-income, free-market economy in South East Asia. It offers an open and corruption-free environment to businesses in the market and attracts prominent companies from across the globe to invest and operate in the country. Currently home to a population of over 5 million, consisting of both locals and foreigners, Singapore recorded an estimated GDP of US$ 362 billion in 2018, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Singapore’s remarkable success in economic development has been strongly associated with the country’s vigorous efforts to embrace the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution to promote economic growth. Singapore has specialised in the manufacturing of hardware in particular, and today the ICT sector employs about 190.000 people in the country and has revenues of around S$ 200 billion (EUR 132 billion).1 The industry is highly oriented towards foreign markets, with exports accounting for around 70% of revenues. Among overseas markets, East Asia in the primary destination with 44.6% of exports directed towards the region. South East Asia follows with 39.2%. Moreover, Singapore has assumed the role of regional ICT hub in the ASEAN region, with international companies establishing their headquarters in the country.
Information Technology Equipment
Overall, the market is mature in Singapore, and, more than on sales of new products, retailers focus on short replacement cycles for expensive IT devices. Singapore is also a leading exporter of IT equipment to other countries in South East Asia. It is a global player in the production of electronics, especially integrated circuits, and the country enjoys a large trade surplus for IT equipment. The country’s market for server and ICT infrastructure is driven by Singapore’s role
1 As of 1 November 2019, 1 Singaporean Dollar is equivalent to 0.66 Euro http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=SGD&To=EUR
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as regional data hub, which creates a strong demand especially from financial institutions and government agencies.
Information Technology Software
Singapore remains a leading market for IT software, with future growth expected to originate from high-value large enterprises. The country is a particularly attractive target venue for companies producing enterprise software, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), and local businesses have become more open to adopting open-source software. There is also a considerable market for security software. The city-state tops international rankings for adoption of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and IoT solutions, and it is a leading FinTech centre.
Information Technology Services
Singapore's success as a regional ICT hub has been a crucial factor for the development of the local industry for IT services. Importantly, recent analyses forecast the Singaporean market for IT services to record stronger spending growth than the IT equipment and the IT software sub-sectors over the medium term. Cloud services in particular will be an important engine for growth in the market. At the same time, the rise of other emerging technologies such as Internet of Things and Big Data will create additional demand for IT services.
Telecommunication Equipment
The city-state is a major entry point serving as a distribution centre for companies selling telecommunication equipment to the region. In 2018, over 90% of telecommunication products imported into the country were re-exported for third-country consumption. In addition, Singapore country represents one of the world’s most technologically advanced telecommunications markets. The most important development in this segment is the roll-out of fifth generation cellular network technology (5G networks) in 2020 involving four telcos - Singtel, StarHub, M1 and TPG Telecom.
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Telecommunication Services
The market for telecommunication services is highly developed: in mid-2019, wireless broadband reached a household penetration rate of 185.2%, whereas 3G/4G subscription reached 8,780,100, out of a population of around 5.6 million people. The country's highly developed mobile market outperforms its regional peers, but also offers fewer opportunities for growth. The most dynamic area of the sub-sector is represented by the development of commercial IoT networks.
Opportunities
Access to South East Asia
Singapore has managed to build one of the most competitive global ICT industries, and the country is the recognised ICT hub in South East Asia. Leading international players from Europe, America, and Japan, have established regional headquarters in the country, and local companies have built an excellent network of factories, distributors and clients in the ASEAN market. European ICT companies thus have the opportunity to partner with Singaporean players to expand into the region.
Emerging technologies
Singapore is at the forefront of technological innovation in the ICT sector, and new solutions have been experimented in the country. New technologies such as Cloud Computing, Interactive Media, or Big Data have disrupted the traditional market segmentation of IT and Telecommunication. In effect, new ICT solutions and products now encompass several different sectors such as health, security, energy, or education. European companies operating in this field not only will find a receptive market in Singapore, but also an interesting test-bed for the development of new products.
Government Support
The Singaporean government is actively supporting the development of the ICT sector, and it has set the goal to strengthen the country’s leadership in the global ICT industry. In this context,
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the government has developed a 10-year ICT masterplan known as Infocomm Media 2025. The Infocomm Media 2025 plan identifies six key technology areas that present opportunities for growth in Singapore, providing insightful data on how these industries will evolve in the country. The areas are: big data and analytics; the internet of things industry; future communications; cybersecurity; intensive media; and cognitive computing and advanced robotics.
Additionally, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) introduced the Digital Economy Framework for Action in 2018 as part of its key national initiative to build Singapore’s competitive edge in the digital era through promoting collaboration and building vibrant ecosystems. The Digital Economy Framework for Action seeks to enable businesses to transform to digital businesses, empower workers with technology, and create connected citizens. It encourages collaboration and partnership to strengthen digital capabilities across the nation.
Online Channel
Revenue from Singapore’s e-commerce market is estimated to amount to US$ 4.99 billion in 2019, and is expected to show annual growth rate (CAGR 2019-2023) of 14.7%, resulting in a market volume of US$ 8.64 billion by 2023. The e-commerce ecosystem in the country has grown significantly, attracting key digital marketplaces such as Qoo10 to set up regional operations in Singapore to manage their growth in South East Asia. A study by Visa showed that 26% of Singaporeans shop online at least once a week – the highest percentage per capita in South East Asia.
The success of online players makes the e-commerce channel an attractive option for European ICT companies seeking to test the market.
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2. What are the characteristics of Singapore?
Figure 1: Map of Singapore Source: Wikimedia Commons
Singapore is a small, multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city-state of 5.6 million people in the very heart of South East Asia. Its total area is recorded at 719 km2, with 10 km2 of that made up of water. Singapore experiences hot, humid and rainy conditions all year long, with north-eastern monsoon from December to March and south-western monsoon from June to September.
The country is one of the most politically stable nations among the ten Members States that make up ASEAN. Different ethnic groups live harmoniously in Singapore, which recognises English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil as its official languages. The Chinese make up the largest ethnic group, with 74.3%, followed by Malays (13.3%), Indians (9.1%) and others (3.2%).
2.1. Political Overview
As a parliamentary democratic republic, Singapore’s parliament is very much modelled after the Westminster system. The Head of State is the President who is elected directly by the people through popular vote in a presidential election, following the amendments to the Constitution of
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Singapore in 1991. The current incumbent is President Halimah Yacob who is Singapore’s 8th President. She was elected in 2017.
Since 1959, The People’s Action Party (PAP) has been the ruling party governing Singapore. Members of Parliament are chosen through a general election for a term of five years. The last general election was held in 2015 with PAP securing a landslide victory with 69.86% of the vote, winning 83 of the 89 elected seats in parliament. The three organs of state are the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary. The Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, is the effective head of the executive branch of government since August 2004. The Supreme Court, together with subordinate courts, holds the judicial power.
2.2. Economic Overview
A leading global business hub, Singapore offers an open and trade-driven economy that was ranked third globally in terms of GDP per capita at around US$ 100,000 in 2018.2 Singapore registered a GDP growth of 3.1% in 2018, estimated at 2.4% for 2019.3
The Singapore government has pursued an outward-looking, export-oriented economic policy that encourages two-way flows of trade and investment. This has enabled Singapore to become a global trading hub with a trading capacity almost three times its GDP.
Singapore has emerged as the world's most competitive nation in 2019 according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), scoring the top place on three pillars: infrastructure, health, and labour market. It came in 2nd for institutions, product market, and financial system.4 The city-state was also named as the most competitive economy in world by the 2019 World Competitiveness Ranking by the IMD World Competitiveness Centre, driven by its advanced technological infrastructure, the availability of skilled labour, favourable immigration laws, and efficient ways to set up new businesses.
2 https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/01/weodata/index.aspx 3 https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-to-see-sharpest-slowdown-in-se-asia-this-year-with-19-gdp-growth-icaew 4 https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/explainer-why-singapore-deemed-most-competitive-economy-globally-still-can-do-better
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Figure 2: Global Competitiveness Report 2019 – Singapore Economy Profile Source: World Economic Forum (WEF)
Singapore’s major industries include electronics, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, pharmaceutical manufacturing, processed food and beverages, rubber products, aerospace and ship repair, as well as its biotechnology, chemical and petrochemical industries. Singapore has also become an important financial, trade and wealth management hub for the South East Asian region and a global hub for currency and commodity trading, transhipment and oil and gas refining.
Singapore’s economy is estimated to keep growing in the upcoming years, although recession risks may rise again due to escalating trade protectionism, global downturn and China's slowdown. However, healthy public finances, a strong net-creditor position, resilient domestic demand and solid economic fundamentals all contribute to Singapore's economic stability.
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2.3. Trade Overview
Free-trade agreements are the cornerstone of Singapore's economic policy. The country depends heavily on foreign Total EU-Singapore trade in goods grew by 9% in 2018 to trade, and has inked bilateral trade deals with the US, reach EUR 58.1 billion Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, India, and Jordan. Singapore is also a member of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), which plays a key role in Singapore’s intra-Asian trade. ASEAN has FTAs with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Singapore is a party to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as it came into effect on 30 December 2018, which helps to eliminate tariffs for 94% of Singapore’s exports to CPTPP markets.5
The European Union-Singapore Free Trade entered into force on 21 November 2019, while the Investment Protection Agreements are currently being ratified by all EU Member States according to their own national procedures.
The FTA covers tariff-free access for goods, improved market access for goods like electronics, food products and pharmaceuticals, reinforces intellectual property protection, competition policy, and technical barriers to trade and government procurement. It is also the first ‘green FTA’, designed specifically to promote green growth. Trade in goods between the EU and Singapore has seen a growing trend despite the instability in the global economic environment. Total EU- Singapore trade in goods increased by 9% in 2018, reaching EUR 58.1 billion6 and the EU retained its position as Singapore's third largest trading partner, behind only China and Malaysia. In 2018, total EU imports from Singapore reached EUR 21 billion, while the EU exported EUR 37 billion worth of goods to Singapore, resulting in a trade balance of EUR 16 billion in favour of the EU.
5 https://www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/non-financial-assistance/for-singapore-companies/free-trade-agreements/ftas/singapore-ftas/cptpp 6 http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/september/tradoc_122530.pdf
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Figure 3: EU-Singapore Trade Flows, 2008-2018 Source: European Commission / Directorate-General for Trade
Singapore’s economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, IT products, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, and on a growing financial services sector. As a strong advocate of free trade, Singapore is generally a free and open economy. It has few trade barriers except for selected dutiable goods - alcohol, petroleum products, tobacco products and motor vehicles. There are some import restrictions based mainly on environmental, health, and public security concerns.
2.4. Market Access
There are at present over 10,000 European companies of various sectors operating in Singapore. Most of these companies are using their establishment in the city-state to serve as their regional hub to Asia. European companies looking to do business in Singapore can expect integrity, adaptability and respect for intellectual capital to be emphasised by a strategic-minded administration, which is attuned to the needs of companies to protect invention and innovation.
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Using agents or distributors is a common and effective way to serve Singapore’s cultural and linguistic connections across Asia, highly qualified workforce, and the Singaporean market and, from openness to top global talent makes Singapore the here, the other countries in South East preferred location to support the global business community in their expansion in Asia Asia. Many distributors in Singapore deal not only with the local market but also with the broader regional market. Prospective exporters to Singapore should be aware that competition is high and that buyers expect good after-sales service. When business warrants, many companies have found it useful and sometimes necessary to set up offices in Singapore.
On 31 December 2015, the ten ASEAN Member States established a common market, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), a boost to South East Asia's combined economic clout as the world's seventh largest economy. The AEC has an estimated economic value of US$ 2.5 trillion annually, powered by a fast-growing market of more than 600 million people. Being part of the AEC makes Singapore an attractive choice for firms looking to tap the growth potential of the bloc.
Singapore’s strategic location in the heart of Asia enables businesses to access the region’s rapidly expanding markets. Singapore has strong business, cultural and linguistic links to many Asian markets. Singapore’s cultural and linguistic connections across Asia, highly qualified workforce, and openness to top global talent makes Singapore the preferred location to support the global business community in their expansion in Asia.
2.5. Business and Competitive Environment
Ease of Doing Business in Singapore 2018 Rank 2017 Rank Change in Rank
Overall Rank 2 2 0
Starting a business 3 6 + 3
Dealing with construction permits 8 10 + 2
Getting electricity 16 10 - 6
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Ease of Doing Business in Singapore 2018 Rank 2017 Rank Change in Rank
Registering property 21 19 - 3
Getting credit 32 20 - 12
Protecting minority investors 7 1 - 6
Paying taxes 8 8 No change
Trading across borders 45 41 - 4
Enforcing contracts 1 2 + 1
Resolving insolvency 27 29 + 2
Table 1: Ease of Doing Business in Singapore 2019 Source: World Bank
Singapore has retained its second place in 2019 World Bank Doing Business Report Ranking for the third straight year since 2017.7 The country has maintained its top ten position in the areas of most immediate interest to investors, notably starting a business, enforcing contracts, and creating a tax-friendly business environment.
Well-organised governance has given rise to some of the world's finest infrastructure, including sophisticated telecommunications networks, extensive public transportation, well-managed healthcare and education, and ultra-modern air and seaport facilities.
Singapore Changi Airport has received multiple awards and accolades, and is consistently ranked by numerous airport rating agencies as one of the best international airports in the world. In 2018, it handled a strong record of 65.6 million passengers (a growth of 5.5%), 386,000 landings and take-offs, and 2.15 million tonnes of airfreight movements, making it one of the busiest airports on the globe. Changi International Airport is linked to 300 cities in 70 countries.8
7 https://www.doingbusiness.org/content/dam/doingBusiness/media/Annual-Reports/English/DB2019-report_web-version.pdf 8 http://www.changiairport.com/corporate/media-centre/newsroom.html#/pressreleases/changi-airport-crosses-65-million-passenger-mark-in- 2018-2829095
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Singapore is one of the world’s premier hub ports, offering a breadth and range of maritime services that few can match. The Port of Singapore recorded a total of 630 million tonnes of cargo in 2018, and is currently the busiest transhipment port in the world, connecting Singapore to over 600 ports in over 120 countries. Other modern infrastructure in the country includes extensive lines of roads and railroads, which ensure efficient movement of people and goods. Singapore has sophisticated telecommunications networks, extensive public transportation, well-managed The tax system is well established and considered healthcare and education and ultra- to be investor-friendly, reflecting Singapore's overall modern air and seaport facilities favourable attitude towards foreign investment. The government is keen to attract foreign investment and is unlikely to undertake tax or other measures that might dissuade such investment. The responsibility to handle tax issues is vested in the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). It offers various taxation schemes for individuals residing and corporations operating in Singapore. Tax incentives are available to R&D activities of all industries and a special tax regime for the banking, fund management, leasing and shipping sectors.
To encourage enhancement in economic and technological development, tax incentives in the form of reduction of tax rate or exemption from applicable tax are offered to various industries including manufacturing and services, investment and financial services, shipping and trading. Apart from that, Singapore also offers regional and international headquarters tax incentives to corporations operating from the country to serve international and regional markets.
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3. Market Overview & EU Entry Opportunities in Singapore
3.1 The Singapore ICT Sector
The Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) sector in Singapore has developed rapidly over the past few years, in line with the country’s success in promoting economic growth and in becoming a global innovation hub. Based on the 2019 IMD (International Institute for Management Development) World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR)9, Singapore stood in 2nd place after the United States, topping the list for the technology factor. It was ranked 3rd in the knowledge factor and 11th in future readiness. Under the technology factor, Singapore was 2nd in the regulatory framework and 1st in the technological framework. Singapore also topped the talent sub-factor under knowledge and ranked in the 4th position in the training and education and IT integration sub-factors under the knowledge and future readiness factors respectively.
Moreover, the country was ranked 5th worldwide in the ICT adoption pillar of the 2019 Global Competitiveness Index published by the World Economic Forum (WEF)10, scoring significantly above the average for the East Asia and Pacific region (87 compared to 70.3) and following only Korea, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Sweden globally.
Figure 4: IMD World Digital Competitiveness Index 2019 for the Asia-Pacific Region Source: IMD
9 www.imd.org/wcc/world-competitiveness-center-rankings/world-digital-competitiveness-rankings-2019 10 www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf
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The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) provided the latest data showing that the ICT industry’s revenue rose by compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.1% per annum from 2016 to reach S$ 199.2 billion (EUR 132 billion) in 2017, mainly due to hardware re-exports (74.2%), IT Services (13.6%) and Software segments (7%).11 The IT Services segment was the fastest-growing, with an increase in revenue of 68.5% from 2016 to 2017.
Revenue by segment (S$ billion (2012-2017)) 250
200
150
100 S$BILLION 50
0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Telecom services 10.8 12.3 13.9 12.4 11.1 10.4 IT services 12.5 14.6 15.1 15.1 16.1 27.1 Software 12.9 19.4 19.7 19.7 15.3 13.9 Hardware 74.9 106.6 115 138.6 130.6 147.8 Total revenue 111.1 152.9 163.7 185.8 173.1 199.2
Figure 5: Infocomm revenue by segment (S$ billion), 2012-2017 Source: IMDA’s Annual Survey on Infocomm Industry
Revenue by Domestic and Export Market (2012-2017)
Domestic Market Export Market
100%
80% 69.5% 69.5% 70.3% 60% 72.7% 73.2% 72.7%
40%
20% 30.5% 30.5% 29.7% 27.3% 26.8% 27.3% 0% 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Figure 6: Annual Revenue by Domestic and Export Market, 2012-2017 Source: IMDA’s Annual Survey on Infocomm Industry
11 https://www2.imda.gov.sg/infocomm-media-landscape/research-and-statistics/survey-reports
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Singapore’s ICT export revenue has increased from S$ 77.2 billion (EUR 51 billion) in 2012 to S$ 144.9 billion (EUR 96 billion) in 2017, with the sector remaining heavily export-oriented. Domestic revenue grew from S$ 34 billion (EUR 22.5 billion) in 2012 to S$ 54.3 billion (EUR 36 billion) in 2017.
According to data from the ITC Trade Map (see Section 5.3 ‘Useful Statistics’ for more detailed review of trade data by categories), the top 5 imported ICT goods into Singapore in 2018 were Central Processing Units, Network Communication Systems, Central Storage Units, Laptops and Notebooks, and Hard Disk Drives. For these categories, the top ICT exporters to Singapore in 2018 were China (US$ 6.45 billion), Malaysia (US$ 1.61 billion), Thailand (0.51 US$ billion), the US (US$ 0.86 billion), and Taiwan (US$ 0.59 billion).
Conversely, the ITC Trade Map illustrates that in the same year Singaporean exports were dominated by Central Processing Units (CPUs), Network Communication Systems, Central Storage Units, Flash Memory Cards, and Power Supply Units. Major export destinations are dominated by non-European markets such as the US (US$ 1.89 billion), China (US$ 1.60 billion), Hong Kong (US$ 1.49 billion), Japan (US$ 1.40 billion), India (US$ 0.99 billion), and Indonesia (US$ 0.86 billion).
Even though the Singapore ICT industry is export-oriented, the local market is also strong and continues to flourish. Some recent findings noted that usage of computer, internet, and broadband among enterprises has been flourishing in demand in 2018 of over 90%, with cloud computing service usage was around 23%.12
Considering ICT usage from Singaporean businesses, ‘Mobile Phones Usage’ grew from 65% in 2016 to 74% in 2018, while ‘Sending and receiving emails’ and ‘Information Search’ were the two most common Internet activities on computers and mobile equipment. Data from the Info- communications Development Authority’s (IMDA) reveals that enterprises still prefer to use computers for government transactions (i.e., obtaining information from government organisations,
12 https://www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/Imda/Files/Industry-Development/Fact-and-Figures/Infocomm-Usage-Business/InfocommUsage_Survey- Public-Report-2018_Final.pdf
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download/ request/ complete/ send government forms). About 60% enterprises were using e-payment service to do business in 2018 in comparison to 48% in 2016, while cash and cheque are still the preferred modes of payment for several sectors like accommodation and food services, construction and manufacturing.
Send/receive emails 93%
Information search 93%
Obtaining info from govt organisations 86%
Complete/send govt forms 84%
Download/request govt forms 84%
Banking and financial services 80%
Make online payments to govt 75%
Place orders for goods/services 65%
Make payment of goods/services 63%
Receive orders for goods/services 63%
Figure 7: Top 10 Internet Activities on Desktop PCs and Laptops (Enterprises), 2018 Source: IMDA
Other communications (e.g. instant messaging) 86% Send/receive emails 73% Information search 66% Telephoning over the internet (VoIP) 38% Banking and financial services 37% Marketing/promotion activities 33% Obtain information from government organisations 31% Receive orders for goods/services 29% Place orders for goods/services 28%
Figure 8: Top 10 Internet Activities on Mobile/Smart Phones or Tablets (Enterprises), 2018 Source: IMDA
Among private households and individuals, computer, internet and broadband access rates stood high in 2018, at 89%, 97.7% and 97.2% respectively. The largest number of computer users came
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from younger population between 7-34 years old at 74% in 2018, while about 93% of internet users had fibre broadband internet connection at home, an increase of 14% from 2017. It is also noteworthy that internet usage rates have increased significantly, by 24% and 13% between 2017 and 2018, for young children and senior citizens respectively. Furthermore, a strong growth can be observed for portable equipment usage by Singaporeans aged 50 to 59 years (91%) and 60 years and above (73%). Overall, instant messaging, social networks and web browsing remained the top three internet activities for all age groups.
In terms of workforce, the country relies heavily on a foreign talent pool in the ICT sector and has been grappling with a manpower crunch, an issue that needs to be addressed as the demand of ICT manpower is expected to increase in the following years. In particular, ICT specialists in the areas of IT Development, Network & Infrastructure, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, R&D and Internet of Things are being increasingly demanded. According to IMDA estimates, the sector’s manpower needs from 2018 to 2020 require an additional 20,100 technicians.13 Most ICT specialists in the country have tertiary education (82.6%), with 70% of them being Singaporean residents (citizens and permanent residents) in 2017.
Several recent initiatives have been enacted to address the gaps in the ICT industry. One of the efforts undertaken by the government includes IMDA’s Tech Immersion and Placement Programme (TIPP) to convert individuals from non-ICT background into tech professionals through immersive tech training, and subsequently placing them into relevant tech roles, producing more than 600 IT workers since it was first introduced in 2016. Next, the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme also provides relevant ICT trainings with 61,000 training places have been taken up or committed since 2016. Additionally, the Adapt and Grow initiative was also introduced to facilitate the career mobility, assisting 1,900 locals into new jobs in the ICT and media sector in 2018.14
13 https://www2.imda.gov.sg/-/media/Imda/Files/Industry-Development/Fact-and-Figures/Infocomm-Survey-Reports/20190208-Infocomm-Media- Manpower-Survey-2018-Public-Report.pdf 14 https://www.opengovasia.com/singapore-government-responds-to-demand-for-ict-professionals/
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3.1.1 Future Key Technologies in Singapore’s Infocomm Media 2025 Plan
Singapore has set the goal to strengthen its leadership in the global ICT industry. For this purpose, the country has developed a 10-year ICT masterplan known as Infocomm Media 2025. The Infocomm Media 2025 Plan envisions to make Singapore a living lab to entrepreneurs, local and foreign companies and multinationals in the ICT space, allowing to experiment and innovate in order to contribute to sustainable and quality economic growth.
The plan focuses on the following 3 points:
◼ Capitalise on Data, Advanced Communications and Computational Technologies in order to further increase the economic competitiveness of the country;
◼ Nurturing an ICT ecosystem that encourages risk-taking and experimentation to create Singapore-made content, products, and services;
◼ Connect citizens through ICT media in order to enhance the quality of life in Singapore and to foster a stronger Singaporean identity.
The Infocomm Media 2025 Plan also identifies 6 key technology areas that present opportunities for growth in Singapore, providing insightful data on how these industries will evolve in the country. However, it is important to keep in mind that the evolution of the ICT sector is challenging the traditional industry segmentation, and many of the following areas in fact overlap among one another and with several industries.
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Big Data and Analytics
Figure 9: Big Data & Analytics Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2013-2018 Source: Infocomm Media
The Infocomm Media 2025 Plan regards this industry as important for Singapore as it will provide important insights and decisions for many sectors. The plan encourages Singapore to make use of this technology in order to improve lives, business, and government.
The International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that in the global revenues for big data and business analytics (BDA) solutions will reach US$ 189.1 billion in 2019, an increase of 12.0% from 2018. BDA revenues will maintain this growth pace following its 2018-2022 forecast with a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2%. IDC further predicts worldwide BDA revenue to be US$ 274.3 billion by 2022.15 In this context, Singapore is working on high-impact projects such as Facebook’s S$ 1.4 billion (EUR 930 million) data centre and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s first joint research institute outside of China. The data analytics industry of Singapore is poised to contribute at least S$ 1 billion (EUR 660 million) each year.
15 https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS44998419
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The Infocomm Plan predicts that Big Data technologies will be particularly in demand by sectors such as education, transportation, consumer products, electricity, healthcare, oil and gas, and finance. These technologies have important applications in the Smart City industry.
Internet-of-Things (IoT)
Figure 10: IoT Market in Singapore (US$ billion), 2012-2018 Source: Infocomm Media
The Internet-of-Things (IoT) industry is the second key industry identified by the Infocomm Media 2025 Plan and it refers to technologies that allow devices to share information and perform actions without human intervention via networks.
The number of mobile IoT connections is set to hit 4.1 billion in 2023, with an annual growth rate of 27% indicating that the IoT application market is expanding strongly, as more advanced use cases requiring enhanced network capabilities are emerging.16 Global consultancy and research firm Analysys Mason has calculated that the total IoT revenue in Singapore could reach S$ 714 million (EUR 153 million) in 2025, of which connectivity and services will account for S$ 95 million (EUR 20 million), while applications will account for S$ 349 million (EUR 75 million). According to predictions from the Infocomm Plan, products such as Wearable Computing
16 https://www.ericsson.com/en/mobility-report/reports/november-2018/iot-connections-outlook
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Devices, Machines to Machines (M2M) applications, IoT systems, and Smart City applications, will be particularly demanded in Singapore.
The proactive government policy umbrella for IoT in Singapore has already helped to attract significant investment. For instance, in October 2019 GlobalFoundries Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) announced a S$ 120 million (EUR 80 million) partnership to conduct research on resistive random access memory (ReRAM) over four years. ReRAM is a step-up from current methods of storing and managing data, allowing IoT devices to be stored in a smaller physical space, and have higher performance in reading and writing of data, while having lower production costs.17
Future Communications
Figure 11: Future Communication Market in Singapore (US$ billion), 2013-2018 Source: Infocomm Media
Future Communications is identified as the third pillar for the ICT sector in Singapore. The Infocomm Plan defines future communications as the industry comprising wireless communications (such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth); optical communications (which form the
17 https://media.ntu.edu.sg/NewsReleases/Pages/newsdetail.aspx?news=d837ee79-832b-4baf-a311-0ec9dfd13a9d
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backbone of the Internet and telecom infrastructure); and networks for interconnectivity (such as Voice, SMS, video, data, and social networks).
It is estimated that the global market size of Future Communications will rise to US$ 188 billion in 2022, at a CAGR of 3% from 2017. In Singapore, the market size of Future Communications is forecasted at US$ 567 million for 2022, at a CAGR of 4% from 2017. The Future Communications market in Singapore is expanding faster than the global market, due to the increased demand generated by 4G, 5G and the related infrastructure investments.18
The Infocomm plan predicts that Over-The-Top Content (OTT), Network Management and Multi-tenant Networks solutions, and Future Communications for Smart Cities will increasingly become important segments of the Singaporean ICT sector.
Cybersecurity
Figure 12: Cybersecurity Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2011-2018 Source: Infocomm Media
This segment is identified by the Infocomm Plan as the fourth key industry for the Singaporean ICT sector. In effect, Cybersecurity is becoming an important concern as communications, monitoring and operations of businesses and critical cyber physical infrastructure increasingly
18 https://www.imda.gov.sg/infocomm-media-landscape/services-40
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rely on networks and the Internet. Since such information systems are so intrinsically connected, any attack on, or compromise of, these systems by malicious users can cause catastrophic economic and social damage.
With the global mobile transaction volume and value estimated to have grown around 42% annually between 2011 and 2016, the threat of cybercrime in the mobile space has become greater too. Cybercrime is estimated to cost the global economy from about US$ 375 billion to US$ 575 billion yearly. The global market for Cybersecurity was around US$ 92.7 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 10.81% in the 2018-2026 period. Singapore is the leader in South East Asia with its investments in cybersecurity. The Singapore government has allocated S$ 22.7 billion (EUR 15 billion) or 30% of total spending for defence, security and diplomacy efforts in its budget for 2019. It was stated that the defence spending including cybersecurity will be maintained around 3% to 4% increase each year for ten years.
Cognitive Computing and Advanced Robotics
Figure 13: Cognitive Computing Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2014-2018 Source: Infocomm Media
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Figure 14: Advanced Robotics Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2014-2018 Source: Infocomm Media
According to the Infocomm Plan, this industry has the potential to redefine the nature of the relationship between people and the increasingly pervasive digital environment by enabling a more natural interaction between people and machines. Cognitive computing is, broadly defined, a system that simulates human thought processes in a computerised model.
A key application of cognitive computing is in advanced robotics, enabling the deployment of new- generation robots beyond manufacturing, industrial markets and into professional services. Some possible uses of robotics in Singapore include automated medication dispensing systems, robotic surgery systems and assistive care robots that accompany elderly or disabled persons. Significant opportunities for advanced robotics also lie in the field of co-robotics (robot-to-robot and robot-to-human communications).
Cognitive computing and advanced robotics are predicted to experience robust market growth in the next years. By the end of 2020, it is possible that 85% of customer relations will be managed through virtual assistants.19 In Singapore, Cognitive Computing and Advanced Robotics are still very new. While the global market for cognitive computing was estimated to be US$ 26-30 billion in 2018, Singapore’s share on the same year was calculated to be about
19 https://www.ibm.com/blogs/watson/2017/10/10-reasons-ai-powered-automated-customer-service-future/
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US$ 100 million. For robotics, the global market size was estimated at US$ 85 billion in 2018, with Singapore capturing about US$ 190 million.20 This implies that there are ample growth opportunities for the city-state. Based on a fDi Intelligence’s study, Singapore topped the list of cities from 71 locations in terms of attractiveness for artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics including in semiconductors and other electronic equipment, welcoming 22 projects between 2013 and 2017.21
Immersive Media
This is the last key ICT area identified by the Infocomm Plan. Immersive Media is defined as innovative technologies that allow users to experience a more realistic virtual reality. New media formats, delivering and accessing content through social media, and new devices like Ultra High Definition (UHD) displays and panoramic displays, are allowing users to experience new hyper- realistic experiences that are more engaging, informative and immersive. Sensory technologies like wearables and surround sound take immersion to the next level with contextual media environments and content.
Figure 15: Immersive Media Market in Singapore (US$ million), 2014-2018 Source: Infocomm Media
20 https://www.imda.gov.sg/-/media/imda/files/industry-development/infrastructure/technology/technology-roadmap/cognitive-computing-and- advanced-robotics.pdf?la=en 21. https://www.fdiintelligence.com/Sectors/Software-IT-Services/Singapore-leads-AI-destinations-ranking
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Globally, strong growth in immersive consumer products is expected from Head Mounted Displays such as the Oculus Rift and Mobile Augmented Reality consumer products. In Singapore, the immersive media market is expected to grow by 9% from US$ 195 million in 2014 to US$ 275 million in 2018. Within the Immersive Media market, products such as devices for virtual experiences and for subtitling and language translation are expected to gain particular popularity in Singapore. Additionally, the global virtual reality (VR) market is expected to increase from US$ 7.9 billion in 2018 to US$ 44.7 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 33.47%. The penetration of HMDs in the gaming and entertainment industry, massive developments in the VR market, technological innovation and rising digitisation, and the availability of affordable VR devices are the main factors that drive the overall market growth.22
3.1.2 Most recent ICT industry developments
In addition to growth of the specific sub-sectors, the ICT sector has also witnessed industry-wide developments. Some of the most recent and relevant industry developments are as follows:
In 2018 IMDA introduced the Digital Economy Framework for Action as part of its key national initiative to build Singapore’s competitive edge in the digital era through promoting collaboration and building ICT ecosystems. The Digital Economy Framework for Action comprises of three thrusts: to help industries and companies accelerate their digitalisation journeys; strengthen Singapore’s ability to compete internationally through open innovation and the fostering of new ecosystems, enabled by digitalisation; and transform the Infocomm Media (ICM) sector to deepen capabilities in frontier technologies and nurture the next generation of globally competitive digital champions.
22 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-virtual-reality-vr-market-is-expected-to-grow-from-usd-7-9-billion-in-2018-to-usd-44-7-billion- by-2024--at-a-cagr-of-33-47-300785126.html
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Figure 16: Digital Economy Environment of Singapore Source: IMDA
In support of the three thrusts of its Digital Economy Framework for Action, IMDA introduced a suite of programmes as follows:
◼ Accelerate
▪ Singapore will adopt the Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line (PEPPOL) e-invoicing standard, and will be become the national authority outside Europe, and first in Asia;
▪ A boost in Singapore’s e-commerce sector, by awarding BluPort and SingPost as the Federated Locker operators for the pilots at Bukit Panjang and Punggol respectively;
▪ A new initiative, Digital Project Management Services, to enhance the SMEs Go Digital programme, will be launched to help SMEs realise the full potential of their digital investments.
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◼ Compete
▪ The Open Innovation Platform, a virtual crowd-sourcing platform to connect and match problem owners and problem solvers was launched in 2018. The platform is supported by a structured innovation process from ideation to commercialisation, as well as a physical innovation facility for rapid prototyping;
▪ Supporting four Digital Platforms to enable AI and data services. The Digital Platforms will act as aggregators of AI and data services to make them more accessible to businesses and also drive adoption of AI and data services.
◼ Transform Infocomm Media (ICM) sector
▪ Help local media enterprises and professionals acquire new capabilities; and partnering with new digital content platforms and integrated ecosystem player through the Future of Media programme;
▪ Immersive media has been identified as one of four frontier technologies to transform Singapore’s ICM sector and drive innovation in traditional industries. IMDA will support the construction sector’s first pilot digital shared platform incorporating multi-user VR environment.
▪ ICT solutions that are cyber-secured and trusted enjoy a competitive edge. To help strengthen ICT SMEs’ cyber security capabilities, IMDA partnered Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to launch GoSecure, to offer 200 ICT companies Security by Design Consultation and Vulnerability Assessment at a nominal fee
Other significant developments include:
◼ In 2018 the IMDA outlined its Services and Digital Economy Technology Roadmap (SDE Tech Roadmap) which provides a scan on the digital technology landscape over the following 3 to 5 years, identifying the impact of key shifts and technology trends.
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Figure 17: Key Tech Trends Identified by the SDE Tech Roadmap Source: IMDA
◼ Digital Industry Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore are working with Google and United Overseas Bank (UOB) for the SME Leadership Academy, a free new training programme for 400 leaders in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to transform digitally and expand overseas, in a move to help them seize opportunities in the digital economy.23
◼ In its 2019 Budget, the Singaporean government focused on accelerating the development of digital skills and adoption of innovative solutions, strengthening cyber security, and reskilling the workforce with less reliance on foreign workers. It has set aside an additional US$ 100 million (EUR 66 million) for investment in SMEs as co-investment with private sector investment. This includes the introduction of customised support programmes such as Scale-up SG, and Innovation Agents, a two-year pilot to help firms tap industry
23 https://www.uobgroup.com/web-resources/uobgroup/pdf/newsroom/2019/UOB-Google-SME-Leadership-Academy.pdf
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professionals for opportunities to innovate and commercialise technology, supporting local firms deepening their capabilities and internationalise.
◼ The Economic Development Board established the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) in 2017 to strengthen Singapore’s connections to major innovation hubs around the world. The GIA aims at creating more opportunities for Singaporeans students, entrepreneurs and businesses to gain overseas experience, connect, and collaborate with their overseas counterparts. The GIA comprises three pillars of Innovators Academy, Innovation Launchpads and Partnership Forums.24
◼ Singapore is additionally improving the access to intellectual property. Intellectual Property Intermediary, an Enterprise Singapore affiliate, matches companies with IP that meets their requirements. It is expected to work with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore to analyse and bundle complementary IP from Singapore and overseas. Its Headstart Programme, where A*STAR partners with SMEs, also allows SMEs to co-develop IP with A*STAR. The period for royalty-free exclusive licenses is being extended to 36 months from 18 months.
◼ The Singaporean government has allocated S$ 19 billion for the RIE2020 Plan over 2016 to 2020. RIE2020 aims to use digital innovation as a force multiplier to meet national priorities and enhance productivity in Singapore’s services sector. Three focus areas where digital innovation is expected to have a decisive impact are: (1) Urban Mobility (the fusion of traditional transport engineering with autonomous technologies, real-time analytics, modelling and simulation to transform route planning, and dynamically manage real-time traffic events); (2) Healthcare ICT (Predictive analytics and machine learning, based on real- time data collected from IoT healthcare devices, which will allow healthcare to be delivered in ways that empower seniors to enjoy active and confident aging); and (3) Services Productivity (Automation of knowledge work, discovery of insight through data mining and creation of innovative digital applications can be tapped to improve the delivery of government and private sector services.)
24 https://www.mti.gov.sg/-/media/MTI/COS-2018/Factsheets/Global-Innovation-Alliance-MTI-COS-2018-Factsheet---final.pdf
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◼ Lastly, the upcoming prospects for ICT in the city-state are best underlined by the entry of two tech giants into the Singaporean market. Firstly, the Chinese tech giant Alibaba has recently decided to base one of its seven research labs in the country.25 The new labs are set to address a range of ground-breaking technologies such as the Internet of Things and human-machine interaction, with the aim of boosting efficiency, network security and ecosystem synergy for end users and businesses. Amazon has also entered Singapore with its most aggressive service yet, offering the Prime Now two-hour delivery service on everything from chilled Tiger beer to Samsung mobile phones. Amazon’s entry into South East Asia could spark fierce competition with Alibaba Group in a region where an e-commerce market is forecast to reach US$ 88 billion by 2025. However, it also signifies yet another sign that Singapore’s ICT industry is set to grow significantly over the next few years.
3.1.3 Lead Agencies
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) is a statutory board in the Singaporean government, it seeks to deepen regulatory capabilities for a converged Infocomm Media sector, safeguarding the interests of consumers and fostering pro-enterprise regulations. It was initially created as Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) in 1999 when the government merged the National Computer Board and Telecommunication Authority of Singapore, as a result of a growing convergence of information technology and telephony.
In October 2016 the Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore and the Media Development Authority of Singapore were restructured to form the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech). GovTech works with public agencies to develop and deliver secure digital services and applied technology to individuals and businesses in Singapore, whereas IMDA regulates the
25 http://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/alibaba-to-set-up-7-research-labs-one-in-singapore-as-it-doubles-rd
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telecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro- business environment.
Infocomm Investments Pte Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Infocomm Development Authority, and it manages more than US$ 200 million in an investment-led effort to develop a sustainable start-up ecosystem. IIPL has been forging partnerships with local and global accelerators from across the sectoral spectrum.
SG Tech
SGTech is the association for the tech industry in Singapore. Formerly known as the Singapore infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF), SGTech provides business outreach and opportunities for companies in the technology industry in Singapore. Within a rapidly evolving technology landscape, SGTech strives to create an ecosystem that anticipates trends and develops sustainable initiatives to strengthen the community and help the industry grow. SGTech’s 900+ members range from innovative start-ups, vibrant small and medium-sized enterprises to top multinational corporations that leverage technology as a core driver of their business. SGTech’s array of services and activities include:
◼ Conferences, seminars and dialogue sessions: provide thought leadership insights for a sustainable digital economy and address business challenges.
◼ Networking: create quality networking opportunities to explore partnerships and generate new business opportunities.
◼ Channels of communication: access to key decision-makers and act as a vital link between business and government.
◼ Talent and capabilities: Develop intelligent technology competencies to address industry concerns and resource challenges in collaboration with partners to meet evolving manpower needs.
◼ Trade missions: assist with financial assistance for exhibitions and overseas trade missions.
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◼ International alliances: secure access to world-class insights and intelligence from international trade organisations and partners across the globe
Moreover, SGTech Chapters offer focused support and development to both strategic and emerging sectors in the technology industry, namely Cloud and Big Data Chapter (CDC), Cyber Security Chapter (CSC), Digital Transformation Chapter (DxC), AI & High-Performance Computing Chapter (AI&HPC) and Smart Nation Chapter (SNC). Its Data Centre and Talent & Capabilities committees also cater to emerging industry needs. ICT companies can access SGTech’s database of members on its website (www.sgtech.org.sg) to find potential business partners or vendors.
Additional ICT Associations in Singapore Name Area(s) Website Singapore Industrial Automation Automation, Robotics, Internet www.siaa.org Association (SIAA) of Things Asia Cloud Computing Cloud Computing www.asiacloudcomputing.org Association (ACCA) Singapore Computer Society ICT www.scs.org.sg (SCS) Mobile Alliance Singapore Mobile Business www.mobilealliance.sg Association of Information Information security www.aisp.sg Security Professionals (AISP) Association for Medical and Bio- Medical and Bio-Informatics www.ambis.org.sg Informatics, Singapore (AMBIS) Association of the Telecommunications www.atis.org.sg Telecommunications Industry of Singapore (ATiS) European Mobile Media Mobile media www.emmasingapore.com Association (EMMA) Singapore
Table 2: Additional ICT Associations in Singapore
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3.1.4 ICT Standards
ICT standards in Singapore are developed on a consensus basis and are the results of the collaborative efforts amongst the government agencies, tertiary institutions, professional bodies and the infocomm industry. The Secretariat to the IT Standards Committee (ITSC), an industry-led effort supported by Enterprise Singapore (the main agency for enterprise development in the country) and IMDA, is chartered to drive and lead ICT standardisation activities in Singapore and represent Singapore in the international standardisation forum.
At present, there are 11 Technical Committees addressing ICT standards, ranging from standards for Cloud Computing and Internet of Things, to standards for IT Governance and Green IT. A list of all the ICT standards in Singapore is available through this website: https://www.imda.gov.sg/regulations-and-licensing-listing/ict-standards-and-quality-of-service
3.1.5 Entry Strategies
Singapore is considered the ICT hub for South East Asia, and with its modern infrastructure and educated labour force it is an excellent place for European companies that want to enter the regional market. Its geographical advantage and role as an active trade hub also makes Singapore an ideal base for regional growth and the country plays an important role as a sales and marketing gateway to the region. Prior to establishing a direct presence in Singapore, European ICT companies may test the Singapore market through:
◼ Partnerships
◼ Joint ventures
◼ Online commerce
◼ Tendering opportunities
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◼ Participating in a tradeshow to showcase their capabilities and meet prospective partners and clients.
Partnerships
International ICT companies are being attracted by the huge potential of the South East Asian market, and Singapore is increasingly playing the role of a gateway and springboard to the region. This trend spurs local ICT retailers in Singapore to seek collaborations with foreign companies in order to provide customers with a wider range of choices and brands.
To enter the market, European companies may find it useful to have local partners that can provide access to the domestic market, reduce labour costs, and provide immediate on-site assistance to customers, as well as liaise with customers. European ICT companies can access SiTF’s database of members to find potential business partners or vendors.
Joint ventures
Foreign companies operating in Singapore are not required to take on joint venture partners except in the few restricted industries (financial services, professional services, and media). Despite this, European ICT companies may find it advantageous to enter joint ventures, as this can expand distribution capacity, and local service providers can assist with providing after-sales repair and maintenance services. This may also be a popular option for European companies seeking to gauge their product’s potential in the wider South East Asian market.
Tendering Opportunities
European ICT companies can sell their products in Singapore through direct submission of tenders to local government agencies.26 Foreign companies are usually allowed to bid for tenders, if this is not the case it will be clearly stated. All government tenders can be found on the Singapore government official procurement website (www.gebiz.gov.sg). Government procurement needs vary and range from simple low-value purchases, such as office stationery, to complex multi-million-dollar construction contracts and technology projects. SMEs accounted
26 Please refer to chapter 4.2 for more detailed info on public tenders
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for 80% of the total contracted value of ICT tenders. In the financial year 2019 (which lasts from April 2019 to March 2020), the government will award an estimated S$ 2.5 billion to S$ 2.7 billion (EUR 1.6 billion to EUR 1.7 billion) worth of info-communications and technology (ICT) contracts.27
Online commerce
Singaporeans are increasingly purchasing goods and services on on-line platforms, drawing the attention of major players such as Alibaba, Lazada and Amazon. Singapore’s e-commerce market was estimated at US$ 4.99 billion by the end of 2019 and is predicted to demonstrate an annual growth rate (CAGR 2019-2023) of 14.7%, resulting in a market volume of US$ 8.64 billion by 2023. The Singaporean government envisioned the country to be a hub for consumer-centric innovation where companies understand and know their consumers online. It actively supports companies that leverage ICT to develop and expand their businesses.28
Tradeshows
◼ CommunicAsia is an information and communications technology exhibition and conference held in Singapore. The annual event has taken place since 1979. The CommunicAsia Exhibition is amongst the largest platforms organised for the ICT industry in the Asia-Pacific region. It draws global industry brands to showcase key and emerging technologies. The show will be running concurrently with the BroadcastAsia and NXTAsia exhibitions and conferences, all of which are operated by Singapore Exhibition Services. In 2020, the exhibition will take place on 9-11 June, and will feature a showcase of emerging technologies such as IoT, Cloud & Big Data, Security & Cyber-Security, and many others.
◼ NXTAsia is an event targeting ICT companies that want to obtain information about the latest innovations and solutions in the industry. These solutions include Big Data Analytics,
27. https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/technology/singapore-government-to-award-up-to-s27b-worth-of-ict-contracts-by-march-2020 28 https://www.export.gov/article?id=Singapore-eCommerce.
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Cloud, Data Centres, Cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning.
◼ TECHINNOVATION is a premier technology-to-industry matching event and marketplace that brings together international technology providers and enterprises to accelerate the commercialisation of emerging technologies, seed licensing opportunities and foster open innovation collaborations. It is the largest conference and exhibition in Singapore that focuses on the matching of industry’s needs to enabling and ready-to-market inventions and technologies in info-communications, electronics, materials, manufacturing, personal care, healthcare, medtech, energy and environment from global sources.
◼ BroadcastAsia is Asia’s largest representative event for the film, TV and entertainment industries. Comprehensive technological showcases cover the entire value chain from acquisition, post production to delivery, including the Content management and security, OTT, and TVEverywhere.
Figure 18: Visitors at Huawei’s Booth at CommunicAsia
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There are other ICT trade shows in Singapore with focus on specific industries:
Show Focus Website
Cloud Expo Asia Cloud solutions www.cloudexpoasia.com
Data Centre World Asia Data centre solutions www.datacentreworldasia.com
SITEX Consumer electronics www.sitex.com.sg
Consumer Electronics Exhibition Consumer electronics www.ceeshow.com.sg
IoT Asia Internet of Things www.internetofthingsasia.com
IT Show Consumer electronics www.itshow.com.sg
AsiaTVForum Media www.asiatvforum.com
Internet, Mobile, AdTech, TECHSPO techsposingapore.sg MarTech & SaaS Technology Table 3: Additional Trade Shows in Singapore
3.1.6 Challenges & Entry Barriers
Singapore is a prime destination for European ICT companies seeking opportunities in the South East Asia region: the country has a world-class ICT infrastructure, educated labour force, a supportive government, and it is set to benefit from the process of ASEAN integration, strengthening its role as a global hub for financial services and a high-tech centre. Furthermore, Singapore is a relatively open market economy, and it is less challenging to set up a business and operate in the country than in other markets within the region. However, European companies should keep in mind that some challenges are present as well. The key challenge would be the higher cost of operating a business in the country, in comparison to the other ASEAN markets. Other issues are the relatively small size of the market, the dominance of multinational corporations, and Singapore’s tight labour market, as the government has moderated the growth of the foreign workforce.
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3.2 Information Technology Equipment
3.2.1 Market Overview
The market for IT equipment in Singapore is mature, and the outlook for future growth remains limited due to relatively saturated sales for the PC segment and cloud migration limiting potential for increases in spending for IT equipment. Overall, the IT equipment market is expected to remain stagnant over the next years.29 An important characteristic of the local market for IT equipment is that retailers rely strongly on short replacement cycles for IT devices, which are expensive in the country. This trend is in stark contrast with other South East Asian countries, where the market is not yet mature, but it is growing steadily.
Singapore remains a global leader in the production of electronics, especially integrated circuits, and the country enjoys a large trade surplus for IT equipment. Importantly, Singaporean IT hardware products have an export rate of over 80%, with Hong Kong and China accounting for around 50% of Singapore’s integrated circuit exports, according to BMI Research. However, the brightest prospects lie in the IT software and services sub-sectors, where Singapore has assumed the leadership in the Asia Pacific region, with global players setting their headquarters in the city-state, and, in contrast with the hardware industry, it does not face the same intensity of competition from labour-abundant countries.
Servers and Infrastructure
The Singaporean market for servers and infrastructure is driven by the country’s role as regional centre for data services, which creates a strong demand especially from financial institutions and government agencies. These factors resulted in server spending increasing over the last years, a trend that stood in contrast to the rest of Singapore’s computer hardware market.
Spending from private companies is expected to increase, as an improved economic environment supports a revival in corporate and SME investment. It is interesting to notice that, while cloud vendors
29 Business Monitor International, Singapore, Information Technology Report
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are also investing heavily in data centres in Singapore, thus creating new demand, the fact that firms are shifting to cloud infrastructure services could erode volumes and prices in the market.
Today Singapore is the leader in the ASEAN region and one of the global leaders in data centres, accounting for around 60% of data centre capacity in the region, according to the BroadGroup Consulting Group, with a total of 370 MW of IT power supply across more than 50 operators among co-location operators. The Singapore market is driven by international demand, which makes up 65-75% of total demand, as it is a hub for serving the South East Asia region. Singapore hosts local data centres of massive-scale cloud providers such as Google, Amazon, Alibaba and Microsoft.
The country has seen an influx of new data centre capacity in the last few years, which has led to price and vacancy pressure, particularly among smaller data centre players. Data centre occupancy rates stood at around 70% in 2018. Singapore’s data centre market is expected to grow from around US$ 900 million in 2017 to US$ 1.5 billion by 2021.
Some interesting developments include:
◼ In August 2018, Google announced that it will be building a third data centre in Singapore to meet rapid user growth in the region, bringing its total long-term investment in such facilities in country to US$ 850 million. Facebook announced in September an investment of over US$ 1 billion to construct its first data centre in Asia in Singapore. The 11-storey facility will span an area of 170,000 m2.
Company Floor area (e meters) Company Floor area (m2)
Singtel 127,742+ Singtel 50,818+
Equinix 34,374+ Digital Realty 50,818+
ST Telemedia 20,439+ Ascendas REIT 82,591+
Global Switch 25,084+ AIMS 4,181+
Keppel DC REIT 18,209+ Cyxtera 8,175+
Table 4: Data Centre Operators in Singapore Source: DBS Asian Insights
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◼ Given the prospects for the sector’s growth, Singapore also wants to develop the world's first Tropical Data Centre30 (TDC), which could cut energy consumption by up to 40% and reduce carbon emissions as well. It is currently undertaking trials to test whether data centres can be operated under the high-temperature, high-humidity conditions of the tropics. If these trials are successful, it would prove that data centres need not be run in tightly- controlled cooled environments as they are now. This will expand the geographical limitation of siting data centres, and would also cut back on the existing energy requirements for the running of such centres.
◼ Moreover, Singapore is already developing a Green Data Centre Programme, which is led by the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA). The programme is exploring innovative solutions that will significantly improve the energy efficiency of local data centres. IMDA is partnering with a number of companies for the trial. The partners are providing hardware, software and expertise for analysis.
PC, Tablets and Peripherals
The market for personal computers31 is highly developed in Singapore. According to Infocomm Media Development Authority’s 2017 survey on Infocomm usage in households and by individuals in Singapore, 14% of homes own 1 computer, while 73% own 2 or more computers. As PC penetration in Singapore is already very high, there is little room for growth by sales to first time buyers. On the contrary, sales volume is driven by users upgrading or replacement, as well as by gaming PCs, which have developed from a niche segment to a strong selling mainstream product.
New demand focuses on premium PCs, including hybrid notebooks, gaming PCs, iPads and ultra-slim computers. The leading brand in this segment is Apple, which targets the more affluent households. It should be highlighted that the mass market is threatened by the popularity of smartphones.
30 A data centres that can function optimally at temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius and ambient humidity up to or exceeding 90% 31 Personal computer includes Desktops, Laptops, Notebooks, and Tablets
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According to Newzoo, a research company for games and mobile intelligence, there were 2.9 million gamers in Singapore in 2017, spending a total of S$ 318 million (EUR 210 million). Singapore is ranked 36th worldwide in terms of game revenues. Moreover, a 2019 survey has highlighted that Singaporeans are the most frequent gamers in Asia, and the third most frequent in the world, after Germany and the United States.32
Country Average Hours per Week South Korea 6.69 UK 6.76 Italy 6.79 Japan 6.88 India 6.92 France 6.97 Global 7.11 Singapore 7.44 US 7.61 Germany 7.98 Table 5: Number of Hours Spent Each Week Playing Video Games Source: Limelight Networks
It is important to highlight that an increased number of households possess multiple devices, in particular laptops, notebooks and tablets, whose sales have been higher than those of desktops over the last years, as end-users no longer see advantages in owning a stationary device.
Typically, Singaporean SMEs prefer to purchase IT hardware directly from retailers – given their low purchase volume, they are not incentivised to negotiate for better prices via business-to- business purchases.
Sales of printers are declining in Singapore as the country is becoming an increasingly paperless society. Environmental awareness, as well as the transition towards all things digital, is reducing
32 https://www.businessinsider.sg/its-official-singaporeans-spend-the-most-time-playing-video-games-in-all-of-asia-skipping-out-on-sleep-and- meals-study-finds/
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the need for printers. The rise of gaming PCs has also helped boost the sales of accessories like mice, keyboards, monitors and headsets.
Smart Devices
Wearable electronics are becoming more and more common in Singapore. The segment’s total revenues for 2019 were estimated to reach US$ 15 million, and user penetration was estimated at 5.4%.33
In the city-state, applications for wearables have a focus on healthcare and fitness. In this context, an interesting development took place in December 2017, when researchers in Singapore developed one of the smallest and most versatile sensors yet for healthcare applications with the design of a stretchable microfiber sensor with the diameter of a strand of human hair. The sensor is seen as solving one of the key challenges to the development of wearable technology – the lack of comfort in the design of sensors. Potential applications for the technology include smart socks for feet-pressure monitoring to help patients with diabetic foot ulcers, as well as smart mouth guards to assist patients who have problems with grinding their teeth. In 2019 NUS’ researchers made headlines again by inventing a new way for wearable devices to interconnect. They incorporated conductive textiles into clothing to dynamically connect several wearable devices at once. This 'wireless body sensor network' allows devices to transmit data with 1,000 times stronger signal than conventional technologies, meaning the battery life of all devices is dramatically improved. According to the researchers, wireless networks of these wearable devices on a body have future applications in health monitoring, medical interventions and human-machine interfaces.34
Various brands are available island wide, such as Pebble, Fitbit, Jawbone and Sony. Apple is the leading company in the wearable electronics segment. The company is active in development and innovation and in 2019 it launched in Singapore a new application where the Apple Watch is
33 https://www.statista.com/outlook/319/124/wearables/singapore 34 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190716095533.htm
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used to spot patients with undiagnosed heart-rhythm problems, producing low error rates. The new app has been approved by the Singapore Health Sciences Authority.35
Considering the Smart Homes segment, revenue in 2019 is estimated to amount to US$ 154 million, and it is projected to show an annual growth rate of 15%, resulting in a market volume of US$ 269 million by 2023.36
Homes with smart features are getting increasingly popular among property seekers in Singapore. According to consulting company AT Kearney, the country is among the most promising markets in Asia, largely thanks to the government’s support towards using technologies for the improvement of mobility, health, living, and service standards.37
The Housing & Development Board (HDB) of Singapore, in whose buildings 80% of Singaporeans live, is supporting the move towards a smart estate. In this context Punggol Northshore Residences, which will be completed in 2020, will showcase the first HDB blocks that come with in-built features, such as smart lighting in common areas and a Smart Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System, which uses air to move rubbish via a network of pipes connected to a centralised bin centre.38
Moreover, in 2019 the HBD launched the Smart Enabled Home Initiative, which aims to improve daily living in HDB homes by promoting the use of smart home solutions such as elderly monitoring systems and utilities management systems.39
35 https://www.apple.com/sg/newsroom/2019/07/ecg-app-and-irregular-heart-rhythm-notification-available-in-singapore-today-on-apple-watch/ 36 https://www.statista.com/outlook/279/124/smart-home/singapore 37 https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-guides/why-a-smart-home-can-make-you-feel-like-a-million-bucks-and-5-smart-homes-projects- that-will-help-you-16904 38 https://www.businessinsider.sg/singapore-is-building-smart-homes-of-the-future-heres-how/ 39 https://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/about-us/our-role/smart-and-sustainable-living/smart-hdb-town-page/hdb-smart-home-exhibition
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Figure 19: The HBD Promotes the Use of Elderly Monitoring Systems Source: HBD
3D Printing
3D printing has been highlighted by the Singaporean Government as an area of expertise with vast potential with an extensive range of applications. 3D printing is gaining traction at a fast pace resulting in initiatives like the establishment of the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) in order to speed up the development and place the city-state as the regional leader in this space.40
NAMIC has engaged and partnered with several hundred organisations globally and in Singapore, raising more than US$ 42 million (EUR 38 million) in private and public funding to support over 170 projects covering industry technology development, translation, commercialisation, standards development, training and certification, across various industry verticals.
40 https://www.export.gov/article?id=Singapore-Additive-Manufacturing
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Interestingly, in May 2019 NAMIC signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Germany- based 3D-printing network Mobility Goes Additive (MgA), which has an international network of companies, institutions and research institutes working on industrial-level additive manufacturing solutions.41 The partnership will allow local companies "to leverage plug-and-play solutions from MgA's network members", which include notable German multinational corporations such as Siemens and TÜV SÜD.
Another important step was taken in October 2018, when NAMIC, global port group PSA, NAMIC and 3D MetalForge Pte Ltd. signed an MoU with Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) to establish the world’s first on-site additive manufacturing production facility for port applications. The facility will be located at the Pasir Panjang Terminal and will be equipped with a range of state-of-the-art 3D printing systems. Presently, PSA is testing various port technologies at the Pasir Panjang Terminal. Singapore MPA also partnered with DNV GL and other companies from the Singapore Ship Association to investigate the viability of using 3D printing technologies to produce spare parts for the maritime industry.42
On the same month global technology company HP founded a new specialist 3D printing research and development lab in Singapore. Housed within Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), the HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab has been launched through collaboration with the National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF). With an estimated value of US$ 84 million, the lab comes almost one year after HP set up its headquarters in the region. Some recent 3D printing projects at the university includes construction with recycled fly-ash cement, synchronised mobile robots (also for construction), and an automotive material development project with PTT Chemical Group.43
Local Players
Smartmissimo Technologies is a Singaporean medical technology design company that owns PowerDot (formerly known as SmartMio), the world's first connected and wearable sports muscle
41 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/summit-on-3d-printing-technology-gives-insights-into-its-future 42 https://www.3dprintingmedia.network/biggest-waves-maritime-additive-manufacturing/ 43 https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/hp-nrf-and-ntu-singapore-open-84-million-advanced-3d-printing-lab-141976/
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stimulator. PowerDot is a sports accessory gadget used by athletes of all levels for strength and endurance training as well as for muscle recovery/muscle soreness (DOMS) removal. It is a compact medical grade (Class 2) electrical muscle stimulator, cleared by EU MDD (CE-marked) and US FDA, which can be applied to 14 muscle groups on the body. Despite its compact wearable form factor, PowerDot technical specifications/power outputs are on par with the most powerful muscle stimulators from the consumer and clinical range. In 2019, the firm received a major investment from Next Ventures, a venture capital firm co-founded by Lance Armstrong, a globally known cyclist and endurance athlete.
Figure 20: Smartmissimo Technologies’s Powerdot 2.0 Uno Source: Smartmissimo Technologies
Astralink Technology Pte Ltd is a leading Singapore-based Embedded Product and Cloud IT application solution provider of customised and Internet of Things Gateway devices. Founded in 1997, Astralink primarily manufactures a range of proprietary cordless products such a cordless phones, wireless video monitors, baby monitors and cordless headsets that are marketed in over 20 countries worldwide. Following the successful reception of its multi-award winning ClipFone, one of the world’s smallest cordless handsets and its fixed-line multimedia terminal over a decade ago, Astralink has ventured into smart home devices by creating Smart Elderly Monitoring and Alert System (SEMAS). In 2016, it worked with Singapore’s largest telecommunications company Singtel to install smart eldercare monitoring systems in a number of local homes as part of
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Singapore's smart nation trial. Astralink’s major international clients include Panasonic, Hello Direct and Graco.
Razer Inc is a leading lifestyle brand that designed and built the largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software, and services. Founded in 2005, Razer is dual-headquartered in Singapore and San Francisco with 18 offices worldwide. It is a highly recognised top brand for gamers in the United States, Europe and China. Razer’s award-winning hardware ranges from high-performance gaming peripherals (for the PC and console platforms) to the Razer Blade gaming laptops. Razer’s software platform, with approximately 60 million users includes Razer Synapse (IoT platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimiser and launcher). In services, Razer zGold is one of the world’s largest virtual credit services for gamers.
Figure 21: Razer’s Raptor 27 Source: Razer Zensorium is a Singaporean company founded in 2011 focussing on developing e-health devices. Since its foundation, the company has grown steadily and in 2014 it won the Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Mobile Health & Wellness Tracking New Product Innovation Award. To date, Zensorium has successfully launched two products: Being (Wearable Tracker) in 2015, and Tinké (Spot Monitor Tracker) in 2012, which are also sold in Europe. Targeting a public concerned about their health and wellness, the Tinké is a compact device that measures heart rate, heart rate
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variability, blood oxygen level, and respiratory rate. The product needs to be connected to a smartphone and it is offered in 2 versions, for Android and iOS. Being is a wearable fitness monitor that differentiates good stress from bad, tracks personal activity with heart rate sensing, and provides advanced sleep science insights with REM/NREM. Zensorium also advertised on its LinkedIn profile that it is looking for companies to partner with.
Figure 22: Zensorium’s Tinkè Source: Zensorium
3.2.2 EU Entry Opportunities
◼ Data centre capacity is expected to expand. Medium to large enterprises increasingly leveraging co-location services for dealing with exponential growth in data storage and management, along with increased compliance requirements on data security and privacy (from implementation of Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulations or GDPR), are expected to underpin growth in the segment.
◼ Around 79% of young couples in Singapore would consider living in a condominium enabled with smart technologies, according to results from an online survey carried out by Qingjian Realty. 63% of the couples reported they are willing to pay S$ 30,000 (EUR 20,000) to S$ 40,000 (EUR 26,000) to furnish their home with smart technologies, including security features, electronics and appliances.44
44 https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-management-news/2016/3/118737/79-of-young-couples-will-consider-a-smart-home-survey
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◼ Singaporeans exhibit a preference for mobility and personal devices such as tablets and ultra-light notebooks. Although the market is showing signs of saturation, local vendors will continue to profit mostly through replacement sales.
◼ The main opportunity for PC vendors in Singapore will be targeted, high-value personal device sales – with hybrid notebooks expected to outperform. This group of more affluent consumers exhibits shorter replacement cycles, and is more likely to replace devices for new features and designs. Because of saturation and longer replacement cycles, the market for tablets is forecasted to contract sharply over the next few years. However, the sale of tablets will still outperform desktops until 2021.
◼ Laptops are becoming increasingly versatile and mobile to compete with tablets in Singapore. Manufacturers launched several innovative models that are lightweight, thin and flexible, as well as possessing touch-screen capabilities. A good example of this trend is the Lenovo Yoga Pro 3, which won The Straits Times Digital Life Editor’s Choice Award for best thin and light laptop.
◼ Convertible tablets45 are having success among Singaporean customers, and these products are being heavily advertised in the country. Examples of these products include Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and Acer Aspire A7, as well as the winner of The Straits Times Digital Life Best Hybrid Laptop Award, Asus Transformer Book, with all having a strong effect on the industry.
◼ Singapore has a large gaming population, and the country is the ASEAN member with has the highest per capita spending on gaming. Local gamers are willing to invest on equipment and accessories for the best gaming experience.
◼ Wearable electronics are successful products in Singapore within the health and fitness group of customers. When purchasing such devices, Singaporeans expect wearables to last at least for several days before re-charging. Moreover, local consumers demand fashionable products, and it is crucial for manufacturers to find a balance between design and
45 Convertible tablets are tablets that can be converted into laptops
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functionality. Leading brands include Fitbit, Jawbone, Pebble and Sony, whose gadgets are easily accessible in the country.
◼ Concerning 3D printing, EU companies could consider partnering with NAMIC, which has been collaborating with international partners in diverse sectors. For instance, it tied up with US-based Intellectual Ventures to create a method for authenticating 3D printed products. The co-developed technology allows printers to watermark unique identifiers using a variety of materials. First implemented in stainless steel, the Embedded Identifier Module is now close to impossible to remove or alter, and can be read with a commercially available readers and sensing methods.46
European Players
Global Switch
UK-based Global Switch is a leading owner, operator and developer of large-scale, carrier and cloud neutral, multi-customer data centres in 12 locations over Europe and Asia-Pacific. Founded in 1998, Global Switch is one of the highest credit rated data centre companies in the world with investment grade credit ratings from Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s.
Global Switch has a direct presence in Singapore, offering two site data centre solutions in Tai Seng and Woodlands. The Singapore Woodlands data centre was launched in 2019 in partnership with China Telecom Global and Daily-Tech, incorporating some of the latest energy efficient technologies, a prime example of an environmentally sustainable data centre. The building is designed to a Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) of 1.34, the lowest available in Singapore and the first project in Singapore to adopt prefabricated mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) modular techniques on a large scale.
46 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/news-and-events/insights/innovation/unleash-the-power-of-3d-printing-.html
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Figure 23: Global Switch’s Woodland Centre in Singapore Source: Global Switch
Bosch
The Bosch Group is a German multinational engineering electronics company supplying technology and services in four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected manufacturing, using its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services of its own IoT cloud.
Bosch has been in Singapore since 1923, where it has located the headquarters for the region with subsidiaries in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Singapore also houses its IT Center for Asia Pacific and an IT R&D facility to design and develop global IT platforms and systems for Bosch. Bosch has provided industry power tools, automotive components and large CCTV installations at Changi Airport, Changi Prison and for the Thomson- East Coast MRT line. In 2018, Bosch became part of Singapore Polytech’s Advanced Manufacturing Partners Network to develop the first SP-Bosch Smart Connected Solutions Lab and the SP-Bosch Rexroth i4.0 Innovation Lab on the polytechnic’s campus. Moreover, a Bosch Rexroth Regional Centre will be set up in 2020 in partnership with SkillsFuture Singapore, Singapore Polytechnic and JTC Corporation.
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Withings
France-based Withings is a manufacturer of consumer electronics and health-focused products such as connected body scales, smart thermometers, smart sleep systems, wireless security cameras, and a wide range of automatic activity tracking watches. Primarily known for its world's first Wi-Fi scale, Withings has received numerous awards for its products. In 2019, Withings won the best wearable award at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show for its fully-fledged hybrid wearable Move ECG, which offers an electrocardiogram (ECG) function that can track atrial fibrillation (ABfib) symptoms. In Singapore, Withings products are distributed nationwide via Apple Store, Hachi.tech and Lazada, a leading regional online shopping mall. Singapore is the only country in South East Asia that has direct local resellers.
Figure 24: Withings’ Move ECG wearable Source: Withings
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3.3 Information Technology Software
3.3.1 Market Overview
Overall, the market for IT software is mature in Singapore, and spending in the sub-sector is forecasted to slightly decelerate. Future growth for software will originate from SMEs’ modernisation and high-value large enterprises investing in complex solutions. It is estimated that sales of software for 2019 amount to US$ 1.9 billion (EUR 1.7 billion).47
However, Singapore remains a leading market for IT software. The country is a particularly attractive target for companies producing enterprise software such as enterprise resource planning (ERP). Large global software vendors are the leaders in the core application market in Singapore, and include SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle and Infor.
Businesses have become more open to adopting open-source software as such applications can be scaled quickly and effectively. The software is also typically available at little or no cost, providing an inexpensive method to create new solutions. Singaporean companies appreciate open-source technology for its ease in developing and deploying new IT projects, ability to improve cybersecurity posture, and enhanced scalability.
Enterprise Software Solutions
Singapore is a leading market for the Enterprise Software (SCM, CRM, ERM)48 industry. The local market is currently dominated by several enterprise software giants such as SAP, Microsoft, Salesforce and Oracle. The industry in Singapore is dynamic, as highlighted by the following key points:
◼ Over the upcoming years, Singapore-based SMEs will be crucial drivers for demand of e-business applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM), as small and medium-sized companies are looking to
47 https://www.export.gov/article?id=Singapore-Computer-Hardware-Software-and-Peripherals 48 Software configuration management (SCM); customer relationship management (CRM); enterprise risk management (ERM)
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enhance productivity through the automation of essential functions. The government is actively encouraging this trend, and in April 2017, the Infocomm Media Development Authority SMEs will be crucial drivers for demand of e-business (IMDA) launched the SMEs Go Digital applications such as ERP and programme which helps SMEs with digitalising. CRM, as SMEs are looking to enhance productivity through the The IMDA budgeted some S$ 80 million automation of essential functions. (EUR 53 million) for potential beneficiaries over four years.49
◼ Larger companies in Singapore are well-positioned to benefit from the continued expansion of Singapore's e-government systems and e-commerce. As controlling costs is increasingly becoming a focus, cloud computing software is also growing in popularity, as it allows resources to be saved. In addition, large firms are becoming increasingly interested in business analytics solutions that provide them with a real-time view of operational data to assist with decision making processes. The Singaporean government is also expected to be an important source of demand for business intelligence and data mining solutions. It has made utilising data analytics technology a priority and has been consulting with vendors on the best way to achieve this. Defence and homeland security are among departments where advanced applications are being pursued the most.
◼ Microsoft recently announced the successful certification of its Azure and Office 365 under the Level 3 Multi-Tier Cloud Security (MTCS) Standard for Singapore (SS 584), effectively making Microsoft the first and only global Cloud Service Provider to obtain certifications across its IaaS, PaaS and SaaS50 services in Singapore. Its CRM Online has been certified with level 2 MTCS and is the only CRM that has been MTCS certified. The milestones achieved by Microsoft have increased its attractiveness to clients who seek official security credentials or recognition, and this poses a great challenge to Microsoft’s competitors.
49 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-budget-2019-smes-to-continue-getting-up-to-70-per-cent-subsidy-to-go-digital 50 Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS); Platform as a Service (PaaS); Software as a Service (SaaS)
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◼ In 2019 enterprise software vendor Beezy announced the opening of an office in Singapore. The Silicon Valley-headquartered company will make Singapore the headquarters of the Asia-Pacific region.51
◼ In 2013, the German giant SAP opened a co-innovation lab in Singapore, a part of its Global Research and Business Incubation Centre. The laboratory provides SAP’s cloud infrastructure for member organisations to experiment with hardware and software combinations. Companies such as Cisco, Intel, NetApp and CMware provide support to the laboratory in the development of new tech solutions.
Cybersecurity Solutions
There is a considerable market for cybersecurity solutions in Singapore with sales expected to grow over the next years as the government, enterprises and individuals acquire increased awareness of potential threats. In order to take advantage of the exponential growth in the market as well as the technical capabilities offered by the city-state, global organisations and multinational corporations, such as Boeing and INTERPOL, have established cybersecurity centres in Singapore in recent years, thus lending credence to the country’s vision of becoming Asia’s leading security solutions hub.
According to PwC, the compromise of employee records, followed by customer records, make up the top two issues organisations in Singapore experienced as a result of security incidents. Singaporean businesses have come to understand that combining digital business models with cybersecurity can enable them to confidently create entirely new digital platforms, products and services. Many are modernising their businesses by adopting cloud computing, sophisticated data monitoring and analytics, and open source technologies, and integrating digitalisation with cybersecurity and privacy.
In effect, Singapore is at risk as a target of cyber criminals and cyber terrorists. A particularly disruptive cyberattack took place in July 2018, when non-medical personal details of around
51 https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/enterprise-software-vendor-beezy-sets-up-office-in-singapore
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1.5 million patients, including name, national ID number, address, gender, race and date of birth, were illegally accessed and copied, and information on the outpatient dispensed medicines of about 160,000 of these patients was exfiltrated from the database of Singapore's largest group of healthcare institutions.
Consequently, the Singaporean government is putting increased attention on cybersecurity, committing to over 20% of its total ICT spending on ICT security. According to global research company Gartner, the country’s cybersecurity spending is expected to outpace the global growth, reaching S$ 1.15 billion in 2019 (EUR 760 million). Moreover, Singapore has dedicated S$ 190 million (EUR 126 million) until 2020 to the National Cyber Security R&D Program (NCR) to develop R&D expertise and capabilities in cybersecurity for Singapore, as well as S$ 8 million (EUR 5.3 million) to help fund the National Cyber Security R&D Laboratory located at the National University of Singapore.
Singapore took a crucial step in 2015, when the country established its Cyber Security Agency (CSA) which has since had a key role in coordinating activities as well as strengthening the country’s cyber security ecosystem. In October 2019 the CSA unveiled a new OT Cybersecurity Masterplan to protect operational technology (OT) systems from cyberattacks that can cripple Singapore’s water supply, transport and other critical sectors. Under the plan, a new OT Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Analysis Centre will be set up together with threat- intelligence hub Global Resilience Federation. Moreover, the Masterplan will bolster defence against such cyberattacks by growing the talent pool and facilitating the exchange of information between the public and private sectors. 52
According to the 2018 Singapore Cyber Landscape report published by the CSA, although the number of common cyber threats detected in Singapore saw a decrease in 2018, the country continues to be the target of cyber-attacks by advanced actors:53
52 https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/new-cyber-security-masterplan-for-operational-technologies-launched-to-protect-critical-sectors 53 https://www.csa.gov.sg/news/press-releases/fewer-cases-of-common-cyber-threats-detected-in-singapore-in-2018
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◼ 605 website defacements were detected in 2018, as compared to 2,040 in 2017. There was a 30% decrease in phishing URLs with a Singapore-link, from 23,420 URLs in 2017 to 16,100 URLs in 2018. 21 ransomware cases were reported to CSA in 2018, a decrease from 25 in 2017.
◼ Cybercrime continued to rise, with 6,179 cases reported in 2018 and accounting for about 19% of the overall crime in Singapore.
◼ The report expects that Singapore will witness more frequent data breaches, increased threat to global supply chains and more disruptive attacks against the Cloud, as hackers leverage on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to search for vulnerabilities and create smarter malware.
Cloud Computing
The cloud market, including Software-, Infrastructure- and Platform-as-a-Service (SaaS/IaaS/PaaS), is one of the most advanced in the Asia Pacific region in terms of adoption rates and the complexity of solutions. Singapore’s cloud ecosystem has emerged as a result of its position as a technologically advanced market, government support, advanced and affordable network infrastructure, and the strength of political institutions. According to the IMDA, the country’s cloud computing industry is expected to see strong growth in the next years, and cloud spending by local enterprises was estimated at S$ 920 million (EUR 609 million) in 2018, an increase of around 80% from S$ 512 million (EUR 339 million) in 2013.54
According to the 2018 report of the BSA Global Cloud Computing Scorecard, which tracks annually the international policy landscape for cloud computing, Singapore has developed one of the most advanced national broadband networks and the overall policy environment for cloud computing was ranked 6th worldwide. Furthermore, according to the results of a study55 conducted by the Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA), Singapore ranks 1st in the Asia Pacific Region in terms of cloud adoption. The study gives a higher score to Singapore, Hong Kong,
54 https://www.imda.gov.sg/news-and-events/Media%20Room/archived/ida/Speeches/2014/speech-by-ida-assistant-chief-executive-mr-khoong- hock-yun-at-cloudasia-2014-at-suntec-city-convention-centre 55 Cloud Readiness Index (CRI), 2018
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New Zealand and Australia than those given to markets such as Germany and the US, showing that Asian economies are indeed leading the world in cloud readiness.
Annual Rank/Country Score change 1. Singapore 76.6 +1
2. Hong Kong 74.1 -1
3. New Zealand 71.1 -
4. Japan 67.1 +1
5. Taiwan 66.9 +1
6. Australia 66.3 +2
7. South Korea 64.8 -
8. Malaysia 61.0 -
9. Philippines 53.6 -
10.Thailand 50.6 - Table 6: Cloud Readiness Index, 2018 Source: Asia Cloud Computing Association (ACCA)
Cloud computing is a key focus for many Singaporean enterprises set to capitalise on ICT’s agility to support business growth and lower capital costs. All types and sizes of businesses are predicted to be accelerating the adoption of cloud infrastructure and services. There are a number of strong players in the local market to service this growing demand. Currently, major Cloud Service Providers (CSP) that have established cloud data centres in Singapore include Amazon Web Services, Fujitsu, IBM, Microsoft Azure, Savvis, and Tata Communications. Local CSPs include Alatum (SingTel), Iconz-Webvisions, M1, nGrid, PTC, Clearmanage, Readyspace, and Starhub.
At least 57% of large enterprises in Singapore intend to move their finance systems to the cloud, according to a 2019 report released by Workday, on ‘Finance disrupted: the changing role of the CFO in large enterprises’. The report also found that one-third of these companies expect to do so in the following 6 to 12 months.
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As well as promoting private sector cloud adoption, the public sector is itself an important source of cloud services demand in Singapore. For example, the government has initiated a cloud strategy called G-Cloud, a next generation government infrastructure that aims to maximise cost savings for local businesses and public entities. With G-Cloud, all the government boards and ministries have been placed in a private cloud infrastructure that meets all the required security assurances the government has mandated. The strategy will provide efficient, scalable and resilient cloud computing resources and will be designed to meet different levels of security and governance requirements.
Big Data and Analytics
Singapore is the leader of the big data industry in South East Asia. The country is host to high- impact projects such as Facebook’s S$1.4 billion (EUR 930 million) data centre and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s first joint research institute outside of China.
The big data and analytics industry is fast becoming a pillar of Singapore’s economy, estimated to contributing at least S$1 billion (EUR 660 million) each year.56
An important development took place in April 2018, when IMDA, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Singapore and Singapore-based start-up, DEX entered into a collaboration to co-develop a Trusted Data Framework for safe, transparent, auditable, secure and scalable data exchange. It is predicted that this development will further spur the growth of the industry as data owners and buyers can transact on a blockchain-based platform from DEX, called Ocean Protocol, to share data. There are plans to open source Ocean Protocol’s technology and provide the tools and services to allow for the replication of this model and for more solutions to be built upon it. Six industry-led pilots have been launched to support the development of this project, with participation from firms in sectors such as healthcare, retail, finance, utility, mobility and built environment. Roche Diagnostics is among the first to join, with plans to collaborate on a pilot project to look at ways to improve the transmission of data sent by heart patients undergoing blood-thinning therapy at home. Unilever aims to use the framework to gain new insights on
56 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/news-and-events/insights/innovation/singapore-s-big-ambitions-for-big-data-in-2019.html
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shoppers and help smallholder farmers in South East Asia gain access to information and services that will help them adopt sustainable production practices.
On the R&D side, in May 2017, the National Research Foundation (NRF) established a Data Science Consortium in collaboration with the National University Singapore (NUS), the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the Singapore Management University (SMU) and Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). It facilitates collaboration between Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), research institutes and industry in data science R&D, with the aim of facilitating industry adoption of cutting-edge data science and analytics technologies. The Consortium is working in partnership with EDB and IMDA to engage companies in six sectors: finance; healthcare; customer and retail; manufacturing; logistics; and transport.
One of the latest trends in finance is the merger between financial services with big data and analytics and other segments of the ICT industry. From this a new term has been coined, namely Financial Technology, or more popularly “FinTech”. Known for its transparent and well-run regulatory system and effective collaboration between the government, private sector and key constituents, Singapore has established itself as a leading FinTech centre. It has over 400 FinTech companies. Payments, Banking, Insurance, Wealth Management, and Crypto currencies constitute major FinTech segments, incorporating technologies from blockchain, cloud computing, AI and machine learning. According to the Ernst & Young Global Fintech Adoption Index 2019, Singapore experienced a sharp rise with 67% adoption rate in 2019 from 15% in 2015. The report also found that the fintech adoption rate among Singapore consumers jumped from 23% in 2017 to 67% in 2019.57 The country’s FinTech investments also hit S$ 1 billion (EUR 660 million) in 2019, with most of the funding going into payment start-ups, for 34% of total investments.58 Six out of 400 FinTech companies based in the country made it to the KPMG Fintech 100 list in 2018. Grab, South East Asia’s leading ride-hailing app also made it to the top 50. Other rising stars in the field include InstaReM, Kyber Network, TenX, Funding Societies and Singapore Life.
57https://fintechauscensus.ey.com/2019/Documents/ey-global-fintech-adoption-index-2019.pdf 58 https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/singapore-fintech-fundraising-rises-sharply-in-2019-to-date-driven-by-spike-in-average-size-of- payments-and-insurtech-deals-accenture-analysis-finds.htm
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In line with the country’s national thrust towards building the first smart nation in the world by 2030, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) along with other stakeholders is working on building a smart financial centre, giving birth to the Financial Sector Technology and Innovation Scheme, which seeks to attract financial institutions to set up innovation centres of excellence or labs in Singapore to test-bed innovative ideas and roll out market solutions. It should be noted that the payment ecosystem in Singapore is also one of the best and strongest in the world due to close and effective collaboration between government entities, private players and telecommunications companies.
Some of the most recent developments and opportunities in the Singaporean FinTech industries include the followings:
◼ UK-based fintech start-up Rapyd managed to obtain a remittance licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in 2019 to scale its digital remittance services in the Asia-Pacific region. The remittance licence will enable Rapyd's corporate customers to extend digital payments services to their networks, that is, enabling them to send and receive money across over 100 countries globally in more than 160 currencies. It is also partnering with OCBC Bank to enable real-time bank payments for Singapore consumers and online retailers.
◼ Hyderabad-based payment and customer retention solution provider Paynear has acquired Singapore-based GoSwiff worth around $US 100 million, and will provide Paynear a wide access to 20 new markets in South East Asia, Middle East, Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern European markets.
◼ In August 2019, MAS has announced Sandbox Express to provide firms with a faster option to test innovative financial products and services in the market. Eligible applicants can begin market testing in the pre-defined environment of Sandbox Express within 21 days of applying to MAS, instead of taking a longer time to customise their sandboxes under the existing FinTech Regulatory Sandbox.
◼ In 2018, the Intellectual Property office of Singapore (IPoS) launched a FinTech FastTrack (FTFT) initiative to expedite the file-to-grant process for FinTech patent applications in as fast as 6 months as opposed to 42 months initially. Additionally, MAS launched a market
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place committee earlier in the year and plans to establish guidelines for the use of AI in the industry.
Artificial Intelligence
Singapore has been ranked as the most prepared city for the next wave of technology disruption that will be brought about by artificial intelligence (AI), according to an Oliver Wyman Forum index on AI readiness that ranks 105 global cities.59
Rank/Country Score
1. Singapore 75.8
2. Berlin 67.3
3. Chicago 65.1
4. Seoul 65.1
5. Washington 64.5
6. Hong Kong 63.9
7. Toronto 61.9
8. Dallas 61.8
9. Houston 58.7
10.Atlanta 57.4 Table 7: Global Cities' AI Readiness Index Source: Oliver Wyman Forum
About S$ 900 million (EUR 596 million) worth of funds have been put towards research and development of AI, robotics and supercomputers. This effort is under the National Research Foundation’s (NRF) five-year fund which is to end in 2021.60
59 https://www.opengovasia.com/singapore-tops-ai-disruption-readiness-index/ 60 https://www.opengovasia.com/singapore-tops-ai-disruption-readiness-index/
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A 2017 Accenture survey showed that Singaporeans are increasingly ready to embrace AI, with over 30% of the population now ready for hyper-personalised services.61 Moreover, a 2018 survey conducted by IT market research and advisory firm IDC, titled IDC Asia-Pacific Enterprise Cognitive/AI survey, found that 35% of organisations in Singapore have plans to adopt AI within two years, the highest among Asia-Pacific countries.
The Singaporean government is one of the few to have developed an AI governance framework for tackling ethical dilemmas related to the use of AI. The framework was developed in collaboration with the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution (WEF C4IR). The Model Artificial Intelligence Governance Framework is the first of its kind to exist throughout Asia and provides detailed and readily implementable guidance to private sector organisations using AI.62
Some leading R&D initiatives include:
◼ In July 2018, regional ride-hailing leader Grab and NUS launched an AI lab with a joint initial investment of US$ 6 million. The Grab-NUS AI Lab leverages data from Grab's platform, which operates in 225 cities in eight South East Asian countries. It also uses data from NUS' other research units, including data from Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) and taxi giant ComfortDelGro.
◼ In February 2018, NTU and Alibaba launched a joint research institute focusing on AI. The collaboration will start with 50 researchers from both organisations, with the aim of combining NTU’s AI technology — which has been applied to areas such as health, aging, homes and communities — with Alibaba’s capabilities such as computer vision, machine learning and cloud computing.
◼ NTU launched the new Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Research Centre at the end of 2017. It has S$ 8 million (EUR 5.3 million) in funding up to the end of 2020, more than
61 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/news-and-events/insights/innovation/why-singapore-has-become-a-thriving-hub-for-ai.html 62 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-releases-model-governance-framework-for-ai
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60 scientists and researchers on staff, and the support of leading global companies including PayPal and Nvidia.
◼ AI Singapore (AISG) is the national AI programme launched by the National Research Foundation (NRF) to anchor national capabilities in Artificial Intelligence. The programme office is hosted by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and brings together all Singapore-based research institutions and AI start-ups and companies developing AI products to perform use-inspired research, grow the knowledge, create the tools, and develop the talent to power Singapore’s AI efforts. The programme was launched in 2017, with an investment of S$ 150 million (EUR 100 million) over 5 years.
IoT Solutions
The Singapore IoT market size is estimated to be US$ 1.1 billion in 2022 at a CAGR of 20% from 2017 to 2022.63 Singapore tops the list of cities that will spend most money on smart city projects, together with New York City, Tokyo and London.64
Some of the key factors for this growth include the current Industry 4.0 drive in the Manufacturing and Logistics sectors, as well as the Smart Nation initiative, under which the government seeks to facilitate developments across five domains, namely, smart mobility, smart building and environment, smart industry, smart health and smart governance. Favourable infrastructure such as high fibre connectivity, data centres and submarine cables and investments in low power networks and 5G networks by operators are likely to further drive the adoption of IoT in the country.
Recent developments include:
◼ Singapore is the smart city hub Asia, and its government is currently collaborating with a wide range of multinational firms that are participating in Singapore’s smart city transformation. Some examples include:65
63 https://www2.imda.gov.sg/-/media/Imda/Files/Industry-Development/Infrastructure/Technology/Technology-Roadmap/WG1-Executive- Summary-for-Future-Communications-and-IoT.pdf 64 https://www.cio.com/article/3339543/singapore-to-spend-us1-billion-in-smart-city-initiative-during-2019.html 65 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/news-and-events/insights/innovation/asia-s-testbed-for-smart-cities.html
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▪ In February 2019, American tech giant Cisco launched its first innovation centre in the region to pull in industry players, government organisations and start-ups, focusing on regional issues in cyber security and the Internet of Things. The company also set-up a Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (CCX) in partnership with Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) to boost its Asia-Pacific threat intelligence research and response capabilities related to the IoT industry.66
▪ Philips Healthcare, a subsidiary of Dutch multinational technology firm Philips, is working with Singapore’s Changi General Hospital and the Eastern Health Alliance - a group that includes hospitals and clinics in Singapore's eastern part - on a pilot tele-health programme to track heart patients’ health after they return home, to reduce their risk of readmission to hospital. It is also partnering the country’s insurance group NTUC Income on a separate tele-health trial for heart patients with the same goal.
▪ In 2016, Singapore became the first country to introduce on-demand driverless taxis, as part of an ongoing trial conducted by the LTA and United States-based transport firm nuTonomy. The Singapore government has established the Singapore Autonomous Vehicle Initiative to help firms in the sector to research, develop and test-bed their technologies, applications and solutions.
▪ South Korean electronics conglomerate Samsung Group has worked with the government to develop and test its products. It partnered with the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to trial a sensor to be placed under mattresses to detect people’s heart rate, respiratory rate and movement, for example to monitor elderly people’s health.
◼ The Singaporean government is in the midst of a large-scale project, titled Lamppost-as-a- Platform, involving the conversion of all of the nearly 100,000 lampposts in the country into an interconnected network of wireless sensors. The idea is to leverage existing infrastructure to build a platform where the government, as well as the private sector can place their sensors. In October 2018, ST Engineering won a S$ 7.5 million (EUR 5 million) tender to fit
66 https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/cisco-opens-first-se-asian-co-innovation-centre-cybersecurity-centre-of
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the lamp posts with sensors and cameras that can collect a wide range of citizen surveillance data.
Figure 25: What 'Smart' Lamp Posts Can Do Source: GovTech, Straits Times
◼ A*STAR opened two smart factories, at the Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC) and at the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) in 2017 and 2018 respectively, to allow companies to experiment and learn new manufacturing technologies, and enable SMEs to test new technologies with the help of public sector researchers before adopting into their factories.
◼ In January 2018, IMDA, JTC Corporation (the government agency responsible for development and management of industrial estates), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA; Singapore government’s urban planning agency) jointly unveiled the masterplan for the Punggol Digital District (PDD). PDD will be
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the first district in Singapore to adopt an integrated masterplan approach that brings together a business park, a university and community facilities. JTC’s business park buildings will house key growth sectors of the digital economy, such as cybersecurity and IoT.
Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technologies play a key role in the development of the local digital economy, with impacts on sectors like engineering, media, healthcare, education and retail. The global industry is projected to reach US$ 209.2 billion by 2022 and is one of the technology frontiers that IMDA is focusing on.67
Key developments and examples of applications in Singapore include:
◼ An interdisciplinary research team at Nanyang Technological University has initiated a project aiming at using virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tools to help build up the confidence of the elderly and empower them with relevant skills. The project funded by SkillsFuture Singapore aims to provide a cost-effective VR and AR learning system for elderly Singaporeans through the creation of virtual and augmented reality self-support training programmes (VRSTPs).
◼ In 2017 EON Reality Inc., one of the world leaders in VR- based applications for industry, education, and edutainment, together with partners Epson, a global leader in projection technology and visual communications, and SO Sofitel Singapore, released the first augmented reality smart glasses design experience within a hotel for South East Asia. Guests can look forward to a true see-through immersive experience with the Moverio BT-300’s HD high-contrast display, which uses Epson’s cutting-edge silicon-based OLED (organic light emitting diode) digital display technology.
◼ Virtual Reality has also found educational applications.
▪ The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is currently teaming up with some of the world’s best environment creators at Side Effects Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (SEAP) to work
67 https://www2.imda.gov.sg/infocomm-media-landscape/SGDigital/tech-pillars/Immersive-Media
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on Virtual Reality technology systems for advanced clinical training. The new systems enable trainees to experience realistic 3D medical emergency scenarios, allowing digital feedback and overlay information to be integrated with existing medical images.68
▪ Similarly, the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) medical school has developed a system called Virtual Interactive Human Anatomy (VIHA) which allows students wearing a Virtual Reality headset to delve into the anatomy of a human body by freely manipulating and looking inside different parts and structures, using a controller in their hand.69
◼ The media industry is a keen utiliser of VR and AR technologies. Singapore’s government through IMDA has undertaken efforts through its Future of Media Strategy (FoM) that aims to grow the local media industry through content partnerships and capability development, and leveraging new data and technology to engage audiences both locally and internationally. This is in addition to the recent initiative in June 2019 by the Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore and IMDA to establish the Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), which serves as a single interface for the industry to better support the growth of the technology sector in Singapore.
Local Players
Synergix Technologies was founded in Singapore in 1990 and started off as a pure provider of accounting software. The company has made progressive advancements into the development of a customisable, web-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This ERP System is considered as the most integrated Cloud-based ERP software offered in Singapore, containing 25 fully integrated modules, namely Project Management, Sales Management, Procurement, Inventory Tracking, Accounting and Human Resource Management and several others. It also caters mainly for businesses in the Building and Construction, Marine Engineering, Manufacturing, Wholesale and Distribution, Rental and Services industries. Synergix Technologies has an extensive customer base spanning across 20 industries of over 500 companies, ranging from small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to multinational
68 https://www2.imda.gov.sg/news-and-events/impact-news/2016/12/the-dawn-of-virtual-reality-in-healthcare-and-medicine 69 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/virtual-reality-injects-life-into-medical-training-at-nus
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corporations. It operates not just in Singapore, but also in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and China. Synergix Technologies currently partners with IBM, Singapore Manufacturing Federation and TIBCO Jaspersoft.
Group-IB is a provider of solutions aimed at the detection and prevention of cyberattacks, online fraud, IP protection, and high-profile cyber investigations. With its global headquaters recently opened in Singapore, Group-IB has been pioneering incident response and cybercrime investigation practices since 2003, with 60,000 hours of cyber security incident response accumulated in one of biggest forensic laboratory and a round-the-clock center providing a rapid response to cyber incidents—CERT-GIB. Group-IB’s Threat Hunting Intelligence system has been named one of the best in class by Gartner, Forrester, and IDC. In 2019, the firm managed to uncover Android Trojan, dubbed as Gustuff, capable of targeting global banking apps, cryptocurrency and marketplace applications. Gustuff was expected to potentially target users of over 100 banking apps in the US, Poland, Australia, Germany, India and users of 32 cryptocurrency apps. Group-IB is a partner of INTERPOL, Europol, and has been recommended by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) as a cybersecurity solutions provider. The company also has offices in London, New York and Dubai.
Cloud Innovates is a Singaporean interactive design innovation company aiming to assist companies in automating their businesses’ day to day operations in the area of augmented intelligence. Cloud Innovates specialises in fully integrated business process automation (BPA) that is cloud-based to various industries across the globe. It consists of Immersive Experience (XR, AR, VR), Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), which works on edge computing. The solutions are based on the in-depth knowledge in the industries that are tailored to the business needs and are designed to enable organisations to drive success. Established in 2013, Cloud Innovates Business Solutions runs across devices and across platforms, and can be accessed anywhere at any time regardless of the size and location of their business for almost all industries. Cloud Innovates’ expertise lies in building mobile apps and scalable cloud-based enterprise systems such as ERP, Supply Chain Management (SCM), Warehousing with
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barcoding and VR, AR, AI, and IoT. It has worked with various industries such as marine, logistics, construction, real estate, and retail.
3.3.2 EU Entry Opportunities
◼ German giant SAP opened a co-innovation lab in Singapore. By using SAP’s infrastructure, the laboratory offers an environment for SAP, partners and customers to collaborate on the development of current and future technologies such as cloud computing, mobility, big data analytics and in-memory computing. The lab exists to allow member organisations to experiment with both hardware and software combinations using SAP’s cloud infrastructure. Several companies have already utilised this opportunity. For instance, an early use of the lab was by YFind Technologies, which tested its indoor location positions product to establish a means to integrate SAP’s broader retail software products.
◼ To help bolster regional cyber-security capabilities, Singapore in 2019 launched a new centre for ASEAN member states to work together to conduct research, share knowledge and train to respond to cyber threats. The ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (ASCCE) will spend S$ 30 million (EUR 27 million) over five years to offer policy and technical programmes for its participants. It will also collaborate with other international partners including Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Britain and the United States.70
◼ This is in addition to the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) and CSA’s collaboration with HackerOne, a leading hacker-powered security platform in 2018 to work with local and overseas hackers on a government bug bounty initiative to further protect Singaporean citizens in line with ongoing commitment to build a secure and resilient Smart Nation.
◼ The Singaporean government has adopted a structured approach towards the adoption of AI in the government, as well as the economy, taking into account all factors including job loss, ethics and regulations. EU companies with relevant expertise can be a part of this effort,
70 https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/new-asean-cyber-security-centre-launched-to-train-response-teams-to-combat-online-threats
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participating in AI Singapore’s industry partnership initiatives, helping local companies implement AI technologies
◼ By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be over the age of 65, up from one in ten today. The number of residents over the age of 65 increased by 52.7% from 338,387 in 2010 to 516,692 in 2017. Technology is expected to play a significant role in addressing the challenges of an aging society and enabling aging in place, creating space in the market for companies with affordable and innovative telehealth solutions, sensor systems, robotic assistance devices and artificial intelligence platforms. Simulation platforms, including virtual reality/ augmented reality (VR/ AR) solutions could help in training caregivers.
◼ In addition to large Singaporean companies pushing up the demand for business analytics solutions, the government is making the use of data analytics technology a priority in order to achieve its e-Government goals. Defence and homeland security are among the departments where advanced applications are being pursued, and these avenues may offer additional opportunities for EU companies.
◼ Singaporean SMEs are growing increasingly interested in solutions that allow the automation of essential functions such as ERP. The Singaporean government is supportive of this trend, and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) launched the SMEs Go Digital programme, which helps SMEs digitalise.
◼ SMEs are beginning to see the cost-saving benefits of cloud technology, especially as it is increasingly difficult to hire experienced in-house IT staff in Singapore’s tight labour market. Given the relatively low penetration of cloud-based technology within SMEs, a significant growth can be expected in the coming years, especially for the more complex cloud services.
◼ As the IoT industry grows in numbers and sophistication, network operators are considering how to meet increased connectivity demands. Different standards are being explored for different categories of use cases. EU companies which can help deal with these challenges of connectivity and collecting and processing the huge volumes of data from the IoT devices should have opportunities in Singapore.
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◼ Although security software is a significant segment with growth opportunities, it is also a field that is relatively difficult for new market entrants to penetrate. That said, it is an area of high growth due to an increasing awareness of the risks to governments, enterprises and individuals. Companies and private individuals are expected to demand more IT security solutions, thus offering additional venues for security software providers to add their product mixes into the Singaporean market. In particular, there is increasing demand for secure content management (SCM) and identity and access management (IAM) software.
◼ Singaporeans are also intensive buyers of video games, and the city-state is the ASEAN member with the highest per capita spending on gaming. The outlook for this segment is promising, and companies looking for a regional media hub, capable of creating, publishing and distributing gaming content will find a favourable environment in Singapore.
◼ There is a significant potential for the Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality market to grow to the size of the current smartphone market. There may also be a disruption in the smartphone market as the development of hardware reaches a point where these immersive technologies no longer require touch devices and instead, will be done in mixed reality like the Microsoft Hololens.71 Moreover, products such as devices for subtitling and language translation are expected to gain particular popularity in Singapore.
◼ Overall, Singapore offers a very favourable environment for European FinTech companies. The country has a vibrant and collaborative FinTech ecosystem comprising of start-ups, technology companies, financial institutions, investors, research institutes, institutes of higher learning, innovation professionals, and dedicated government agencies.
European Players
Darktrace
Darktrace is one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies for cyber security. Founded in 2013, the British company built a technology that uses machine learning and AI algorithms to
71 https://www2.imda.gov.sg/-/media/Imda/Files/Industry-Development/Infrastructure/Technology/Technology-Roadmap/Annexes-A-2- Immersive-Media-and-Advanced-Interfaces-Full-Report.pdf
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detect and respond to cyber-threats across diverse digital environments, including cloud and virtualised networks, IoT and industrial control systems. The technology is self-learning and requires no set-up, identifying threats in real time and updating its understanding as the environment changes. Darktrace has identified 63,500 previously unknown threats in over 5,000 networks, including zero-days, insider threats, and subtle, stealthy attacks. With more than 1,000 employees in 25 countries and dual headquarters in the United Kingdom and San Francisco, Darktrace was named 'Most Innovative Security Company of the Year 2017,' 'Bloomberg Innovator,' and 'GSN Homeland Security' award winner.
In Singapore, Darktrace has a large number of clients including Farrer Park Group, BH Global, IBO, Phoon Huat, M1, the United World College of South East Asia and Singaporean social service organisation, AWWA, that offers services to over 10,000 people with special educational and social needs.
IFS
IFS is a global leader in developing and delivering business software for enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise asset management (EAM), enterprise service management (ESM) and other software solutions. Headquartered in Sweden since 1983, IFS supports more than 10,000 customers worldwide from local offices and through partners in more than 60 countries. IFS leads the industry in two of Gartner's Magic Quadrants: Field Service Management and single-instance ERP for product-centric midmarket companies.
IFS has been in Singapore since 2000, operating under IFS Solutions Asia Pacific Pte Ltd as its regional head office. The regional head office also oversees its neighbouring branches in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Software AG
Software AG is a German multinational independent integration, Internet of Things, analytics, process software and services company in over 70 countries. Software AG transforms business and drives enterprise innovation by connecting and integrating everything from applications and
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devices to data and clouds like DBMS, application modernisation, SOA, BPMS and ESB. In the past 50 years of working with enterprises, Software AG acquisitions have included webMethods, Inc., a market leader in integration technologies and BPM, and IDS Scheer, the market leader in process analysis and modeling. The company’s clients are more than 10,000 enterprise customers from around 70% of the world’s top 1,000 enterprises. The company is the second largest software vendor in Germany, and the seventh largest in Europe. In 2019, Software AG has partnered with Adobe to bring together customer data from across multiple enterprise systems into a centralised and actionable real-time customer profile, enhancing customer experience management for clients.
Singapore is Software AG’s Asia Pacific regional headquarter, with presence in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
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3.4 Information Technology Services
3.4.1 Market Overview
IT services are the least tradable segment of the ICT market, where local presence is an important factor for consultancy and IT solutions providers. Singapore's success as a regional ICT hub has allowed the local industry to thrive amid fierce regional competition. Recent analyses predict the Singaporean market for IT services to record stronger spending growth than the IT equipment and the IT software sub-sectors over the medium term. According to BMI Research, the IT services industry is forecasted to be worth over EUR 4 billion in 2021. Cloud services in particular will be a crucial engine for growth in the market; as trust in cloud models deepens, local companies are running more business functions on the cloud. Today, an increasing number of organisations in Singapore run IT services in the cloud and entrust their operations to cloud providers.
Singapore has a strong position as a leader among adopters of new and emerging technologies. Singaporean companies tend to be ahead of the majority of the other South East Asian markets in the adoption of new technologies. Businesses are leveraging technology to modernise in various ways: apart from embracing cloud technology, local companies are tapping into the power of web APIs; harnessing the power of big data analytics; embracing social and digital change; moving their businesses to mobile devices; developing and building online channels, as well as launching new business models. These emerging technologies are creating a demand for IT services in Singapore, as most businesses seek qualified assistance when preparing for major changes, particularly in cases where internal teams do not have the necessary resources.
The business process outsourcing segment is predicted to grow strongly in Singapore. Many companies have been spurred by the recent economic slowdown to outsource non-core functions, as enterprises are less willing to spend on in-house IT capabilities. To capitalise on this growing trend, Avaloq, for example, a technology-driven financial services provider for wealth
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management and retail banks, launched its new business process outsourcing (BPO) centre in Singapore as part of the company’s continued growth in the APAC region.72
Overall, the IT services industry is fragmented, with small players that have to compete with large multinationals. Services are likely to become gradually automated, particularly due to the adoption of cloud computing services. Brand recognition is of significant importance to Singaporean customers and many look to reputable companies for services.
IT Consulting and System Integration
Singapore boasts a highly-developed market for IT consulting and system integrator providers, a fact that reflects the advanced status of the hardware and software markets.
Some recent developments related to this segment include:
◼ In 2019 DS Global Technology launched its system integrator service in Singapore. Through their server infrastructure services, DS Global uses server virtualisation to ensure clients have backups of their data on the same hardware.73
◼ In 2018 American World Wide Technology (WWT), an award-winning systems integrator and supply chain solutions provider announced the opening of the new Singapore office and the expansion of the Asian Integration Centre in Singapore, to support the growing Asia Pacific market. The Singapore office, located at Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2, offers virtual integration with its Integration Centre, enabling new innovation work-streams and collaboration opportunities, while accelerating the development of new supply chain solutions and capabilities for the region and beyond.74
◼ On the same year Temasek Holdings formed a joint venture with StarHub to set up a cyber security firm offering IT services to enterprises and governments around the world. Ensign InfoSecurity, as the venture is called, is a merger between cyber security firms Quann,
72 https://www.verdict.co.uk/private-banker-international/news/avaloq-opens-new-bpo-centre-in-singapore-adds-deutsche-bank-wm-as-major- client-030216-4800108/ 73 http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/4473171 74 https://www.wwt.com/press-release/singapore-office-integration-centre
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a Temasek unit, and two StarHub subsidiaries Accel Systems and Technologies, and Cyber Security Centre of Excellence.75
◼ In 2017 United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) and SAP announced a partnership to offer an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to SMEs customers of the bank. The software, called SAP Business One, combines in a single package some SME functions to digitise their processes such as accounting and sales. SMEs can choose from three options, depending on the functions they require and the number of employees in the organisation, with the most basic option being complimentary.76
IT Education
The IT for Education segment is driven by the public sector. In this context, one of the most prominent actors is SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), a statutory board under the Ministry of Education (MOE), aiming at creating a system of lifelong learning through the pursuit of skills mastery, and strengthening the ecosystem of quality education and training in Singapore. Some interesting initiatives undertaken in the context of SSG include:
◼ The TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) is a SkillsFuture initiative offering various programmes to support current ICT professionals and non-ICT professionals to upgrade and acquire new skills. Its key components are:
▪ The Skills Framework for ICT, launched in November 2017, is a tool that can be used by hirers to develop career maps and articulate job requirements; by individuals to guide their skills identification and development to stay relevant; and by training providers to devise ICT courses. The skills identified in the framework can support emerging areas such as cyber security, Internet of Things, immersive media, artificial intelligence and data analytics. More than 80 ICT skillsets and more than 100 job roles have been identified.
▪ The Skills Acquisition and Validation component targets companies, coding schools, Continuing Education and Training (CET) and other organisational partners to provide
75 https://www.straitstimes.com/business/temasek-and-starhub-set-up-singapore-based-cyber-security-firm 76 https://sbr.com.sg/markets-investing/news/uob-sap-offer-enterprise-resource-planning-software-smes
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eligible individuals with various pathways to join the ICT profession, upskill and reskill themselves.
▪ The Integrated Career Services component is a coordinated career support ecosystem for job matching, group mentoring, and leadership programmes by tripartite partners that include NTUC, e2i, Singapore Computer Society (SCS), IMDA and Workforce Singapore (WSG). It provides dedicated and focused career advisory, facilitation and support services for individuals who are looking to join or develop their careers in ICT.
◼ In 2019 Microsoft signed an agreement with SkillsFuture Singapore in order to jointly offer free training and certification. Microsoft will be providing a curated list of free online Microsoft courses on the MySkillsFuture portal on topics like Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence.77
◼ On the same year it was announced that SkillsFuture Singapore and IBM Singapore will train 2,500 Singaporeans in artificial intelligence (AI) skills within the next three years, in a bid to help them apply AI in areas such as human resource, supply chain management and media.78
Other interesting initiatives include:
◼ In 2019 it was announced that students from four special education schools in Singapore will learn how to make e-payments, use emails and online chats by 2020, as basic digital skills are incorporated into their academic curriculum. The students with mild intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder are from the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) Delta Senior School, APSN Tanglin School, Grace Orchard School and Metta School.79
◼ In 2018 IBM launched the Pathways in Technology Early College High-Schools (P-TECH) School Model in Singapore in partnership with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, and Temasek Polytechnic. Singapore is the first ASEAN country to launch P-TECH, and the
77 https://vulcanpost.com/673202/skillsfuture-microsoft-courses-singapore/ 78 https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/skillsfuture-partners-ibm-to-train-2500-singaporeans-on-ai-skills 79 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/special-education-students-learn-basic-digital-skills-curriculum-11756338
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fifth globally. This education model provides ITE students early exposure to jobs in the ICT sector and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.80
Satellite Services
The Singaporean space industry is growing exponentially, as more and more private companies enter the industry, with currently around 30 companies and 1,000 staff in the industry. Consequently, ICT solutions are finding increasing applications in the satellite domain. Some notable examples and initiatives include:
◼ In March 2019, a document released as part of the European-Pacific Partnership for ICT Collaboration in research, development and innovation (“EPIC”) project involving the EU, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, suggested that Singapore and the EU should together explore “earth observation data use-cases based on their respective existing developments.” Joint activities should “go beyond the sharing of satellite data,” and include research and innovation actions and “options for developing spatial intelligence marketplaces.” The EPIC initiative was funded by Horizon 2020 and ran from February 2017 to July 2019. 81
◼ In January 2019 scientists from NTU Singapore successfully launched and deployed its ninth satellite. The AOBA VELOX-IV and SPATIUM-I are nanosatellites trailing new imaging and manoeuvring technologies in space. The NTU scientists plan to use their findings to build satellites robust enough to withstand what would be Singapore's first lunar mission. The scientists believe that a lunar mission may be achievable within five years, using satellites weighing no more than 100 kg each, which would be lighter than any satellite that has ever made the 384,400 kilometre journey.82
80 https://sbr.com.sg/information-technology/more-news/ibm-launches-p-tech-in-singapore-ict-and-stem-disciplines 81 https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/125691-euasia-pacific-cooperation-in-ict-research-to-create-a-new-roadmap-for-academia-and-industry/en 82 https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-01/ntu-ns9012219.php
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Figure 26: Singapore Launched its 9th Satellite in 2019 Source: NTU
◼ In February 2018, the Faculty of Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the DSO National Laboratories, the national defence research agency, jointly launched the Satellite Technology and Research Centre (STAR) to develop cutting-edge capabilities in distributed satellite systems. A shift towards small satellites is being viewed as an opportunity for Singapore to carve out a place for itself as a key player in the new satellite applications industry. To achieve Singapore’s aspirations of being a spacetech leader, the Centre will pioneer experimental satellite platforms, with a focus on the development of small satellites. STAR aims to build a fleet of small satellites, each weighing 20 kg, or less than one tenth of conventional satellites. These will be deployed in space in formation or constellation by 2022. The Centre is considering various applications for small satellite industry, including maritime and aerospace security, remote sensing, monitoring of environmental change as well as detecting forest fires. 83
Local Players
Hastraa Consulting Services is a global Software Testing & Quality Assurance Services organisation headquartered in Singapore. Hastraa has a testing competency and offshore
83 https://www.spacetechasia.com/singapores-nus-and-national-defense-research-agency-launch-satellite-centre/
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delivery centre in Malaysia and international offices in Dubai, UK, and India. Hastraa enjoys a strong reputation in South East Asia where it has been active for over a decade. The company has been recognised as among the Top 25 Most Promising QA /Testing Solutions companies in the APAC region by CIO Outlook magazine. Hastraa Consulting Services has strong domain experience and industry focus on Banking & Financial Services, Insurance and Telecom verticals, and the company has executed over 100+ projects for over 40 customers across South East Asia, Middle East and Europe. The company provides enterprise-wide assurance services covering Business Analysis, Test Process Consulting, Programme Test Management, Functional Testing, Mobile Testing, Business Process Testing, DWH Testing, Test Automation and Performance Assurance Solutions. Hastraa’s expert advisory and assurance services are designed to help organisations mitigate the quality risks associated with developing and deploying business critical IT solutions.
IBIZ Consulting Services is a Singapore-based leading consulting firm that specialises in delivering Microsoft Dynamics business management solutions to help businesses stimulate sustainability and growth. As a leading Microsoft Dynamics partner in Asia, IBIZ has a decade of experiences in business consultancy, solution design and implementation services for Microsoft Dynamics ERP, CRM, Portal, BI and Mobility. IBIZ works with growing businesses across industries, especially those in manufacturing, engineering, retailing, healthcare, and the wholesale distribution sector. The company has won several prestigious awards including the Microsoft’s Inner Circle award, Microsoft’s President’s Club awards and Microsoft’s Partner of the Year awards over the years. It has branches in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and other affliate offices in Thailand and the United States.
Kydon Holdings is one of the leading providers of learning technologies in Singapore and Asia. The company’s aim is to transform learning by fusing advanced pedagogies with cutting-edge learning technologies. Their innovative learning solutions include design and consultancy, digital content production, research and development, learning platform delivery, professional development services, and design of innovative learning spaces. Moreover, Kydon Holdings’ subsidiary, Kydon Learning Systems Institute (KLSI) is a research-based learning solutions
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provider for companies, enterprises, government and educational institutions in Singapore and Asia, helping organisations, schools, colleges and universities implement e-learning solutions, smart classrooms and learning management systems.
Viperlink is a Singapore-based IT managed services provider, system integrator and cloud enabler in infrastructure, messaging and security for small and medium businesses, offering a proven service portfolio for clients looking for simple monitoring services to complete managed IT solutions. Established in 1997, Viperlink’s proactive services aimed to enable clients to lower IT service costs. Viperlink’s IT services include Consultancy services, Project Management (IT infrastructure design & implementation) and Post Installation (IT maintenance, Support & outsource).
Wizlearn Technologies
Wizlearn Technologies is a leading eLearning solutions company in Singapore providing internet and intranet-based e-learning solutions with customised content services to many local and overseas corporate companies, government institutions and agencies. Founded in 2000, Wizlearn Technologies now has over 350 functions that allow for rapid customisation to user's requirements. One of its products, ASKnLearn™ is the first education solution in Singapore to obtain full SCORM 1.2 RTE3 certification in 2007 and SCORM 2004 certification in 2010. ASKnLearn™ also obtains the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) v1.0, v1.1 and v1.1.1 Conformance certification in 2014. Wizlearn Technologies provides customised e-Learning solutions to more than 300 organisations nationwide in Singapore including the Ministry of Education, Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Health Promotion Board and National University Hospital. Its current content partner is Singapore Press Holdings to provide resources to students through its products: eNewsTalk and NewsLink.
3.4.2 EU Entry Opportunities
◼ Significant opportunities exist for companies offering IT services to industries such as telecoms, electronics and healthcare in particular. For example, IBM Singapore implemented a major contract from SingHealth, Singapore’s largest public healthcare group, in order to
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standardise hardware and software platforms across its various institutions. IBM was commissioned to consolidate the varied IT infrastructure into a single platform to create a better flow for patient care delivery.
◼ Singapore has enjoyed new popularity in recent years as a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) location for financial sector organisations. There have been large outsourcing contracts from companies such as Singapore Airlines, as well as public sector organisations, and local vendors are taking advantage of the trend.
◼ Singapore is a strategic location for companies offering IT consulting solutions. As the country is the regional IT hub for South East Asia, many ICT companies have established their headquarters in the city-state. This unique concentration offers IT consulting companies the opportunity to serve leading tech-firms with operations in several countries.
◼ Singaporean companies involved in advertising, consulting and engineering are now looking to build key digital capabilities in data science, analytics and artificial intelligence as a way to innovate and harness opportunities. For example, local accounting firm Precursor Group has diversified from providing traditional audit services to also offering HR and analytics services through its proprietary cloud-based services delivery platform.
◼ The use of cloud applications for operational systems is a growing trend in Singapore, a mature market in South East Asia, as it enables businesses to respond better to changing business needs. Singapore organisations under manufacturing, retail and healthcare have started to adopt cloud-based ERP solutions to improve their overall margins and operational efficiency.
◼ The number of public-sector initiatives in the areas of IT education reveals a strong focus of the Singaporean government for this segment. However, recent studies have found that tertiary students in Singapore overestimate their actual ICT literacy standards, signalling that there is considerable room for new entrants.84
84 https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/tertiary-students-singapore-not-good-digital-skills-they-think-they-are
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Digital Skill Tested Perceived Proficiency Level Actual Proficiency Level Web browsing 74% 55%
ICT concepts 71% 72%
File & data management 73% 68%
Word processing 68% 45%
Presentation 66% 57%
Spreadsheets 60% 35% Table 8: Perceived and Actual Proficiency Level among Tertiary Students in Singapore Source: International Computer Driving License (ICDL) Asia
◼ Within the satellite services domain, many commercial applications have emerged, such as the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites for asset tracking, and the provision of satellite television programmes, telecommunication services and internet services. Moreover, it is expected that research and market collaboration between EU and Singaporean players will increase in the near future, as envisioned by a recent document within the framework of the EPIC project.
European Players
Siemens
Siemens AG is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalisation. It has been present in the Singapore market since 1908, when it first established a Technical Bureau. In 2016, Siemens launched its Digital Factory Manufacturing Design Consultancy to cover Singapore and the other South East Asian markets. Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board, this consultancy plugs a critical capability gap in the market.
In October 2019, Siemens announced that it is setting up an Advanced Manufacturing Transformation Centre in the Jurong Innovation District (JID), to be completed around 2022. This
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centre will showcase digital solutions and house its first Additive Manufacturing Experience Centre outside Germany. Siemens will also be working with Alstom, a French multinational company focusing on rail transport markets, to set up signalling simulation centres for the Downtown and Thomson-East Coast lines in Singapore, expected to be completed by 2024.
LuxCarta
LuxCarta is a French company focussing on the creation and delivery of geo-data. The company’s roots date back to the creation of GEOIMAGE in 1989. In 2013, GEOIMAGE and ComputaMaps joined under the LuxCarta banner. In 2016, the two subsidiary companies were replaced by a single global brand: LuxCarta. As one of the global leading companies for cartography and software development, LuxCarta specialises in delivering quality fit-for-purpose products and services to non-specialist and expert end users.
In 2008, ComputaMaps opened a new office in Singapore, supporting the company’s global expansion in South East Asia, for both commercial and government customers. Its office in Singapore services the Asia Pacific region. It works with companies in the telecommunications industry as well as with mobile operators to design and optimise their network. The company addresses various verticals in the region, such as urban planning, broadcasting media, property development, smart cities, navigation, among others
SAP SE
The German company SAP is a global leader in the enterprise applications market. Founded in 1972, the company has grown to more than 437,000 customers in more than 180 countries, and employs more than 99,700 people in total. Singapore is the regional headquarters for SAP in the Asia Pacific region, as well as home to SAP’s Global Research and Business Incubation centre. SAP Singapore serves 1,222 large enterprise customers and 4,585 small- and medium-sized enterprises across the region.
SAP Singapore is the leading global vendor of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and business analytics solutions in the region. It primarily serves the large enterprises in Singapore, but is also
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looking to expand its market share in the SME segment. In 2019, SAP introduced its first accelerator programme, SAP.iO Foundry Singapore, which aims to train South East Asian start- ups specialised in enterprise tech focused on business-to-business (B2B) technology. Later in the same year, SAP launched a new data centre in Singapore to allow customers accessing the SAP Commerce Cloud. This will directly link to its facilities in Australia, China and Hong Kong. Singapore was selected to host SAP’s data centre due to its geopolitical stability and adherence to data privacy, acting as the default data centre for customers in South East Asia and India.
T-Systems
T-Systems is one of the world's leading vendor independent providers of digital services headquartered in Germany with a footprint in more than 20 countries. It is also a subsidiary of The Deutsche Telekom. T-Systems offers one-stop solutions from the secure operation of legacy systems and ICT services, the transition to cloud-based services as well as new business models and innovation projects in the Internet of Things. It is currently focusing on developing an integrated network strategy to encourage the creation of a NarrowBand IoT network in eight European countries, to introduce the next 5G generation of mobile communications, developing SD-WAN solutions and providing its global customers in 100 countries with the best 4G network.
T-Systems has been present in Singapore since 1997, offering ICT services ranging from MPLS- supported (multiprotocol label switching) wide area networks through to outsourcing SAP applications for healthcare, tourism, transportation and logistics organisations. T-Systems operates a twin data centre in Singapore with a completely redundant design (meaning that its components are duplicated, so if a centre fails there is a backup), and a centre for desktop services and network operation. In 2019, T-Systems announced the launch of its Healthcare Competency Centre (HCC) in Singapore offering healthcare providers with demonstrations and use cases of SAP solutions, coupled with emerging technology. T-Systems already works closely with several customers in the Singapore healthcare sector, including IHiS, the Agency for Integrated Care, Raffles Medical Group and St Andrew’s Community Hospital. T-Systems also serves Institut Jantung Negara in Malaysia and Mitra Keluarga and EKA hospitals in Indonesia.
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3.5 Telecommunication Equipment
3.5.1 Market Overview
Singapore is a major entry point and serves as distribution centre for companies interested in selling telecommunication equipment to the region. In 2018, over 90% of telecommunication products imported into the country were re-exported for third-country consumption.85 Moreover, the country represents one of the world’s most technologically advanced telecommunications markets. Telecommunications and Internet facilities in Singapore are state-of-the-art, providing high-quality communications with the rest of the world. 3G services were rolled out in 2005, 4G in 2011, and mobile operators introduced 4G+ and LTE-A in 2014. Singapore has four main mobile telephony operators, Singtel, Starhub and M1, and Australian TPG Telecom, which won the fourth national mobile operator license in December 2016 and started offering free trials for mobile service in 2019. In May 2019, the Singapore government called for interested telecommunication operators to submit detailed proposals on deployment of 5G network and services.
Mobile penetration rate is very high in the country. As of January 2019, mobile penetration was at 149.6%, and the wireless broadband penetration rate was 203.6%. According to the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), there has been a doubling of mobile data consumption in Singapore between 2016 and 2018.
Concerning broadband adoption, government statistics show that it reached 90% in 2018 amongst all businesses in the country, and the rate was 97% for those companies with 10 or more employees. Moreover, 91% of Singaporean homes have broadband access. There has been a continued growth of household Internet and broadband access, and smart phones have replaced computers as the top equipment of choice for accessing Internet at home.
Besides a nationwide broadband network infrastructure, Singapore is well connected by multiple satellite and submarine cable systems with more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps)
85 https://www.export.gov/article?id=Singapore-Telecommunication-Equipment
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of potential capacity supporting international and regional telecoms connectivity. It has more than 17.5 terabits per second (Tbps) of international internet bandwidth connectivity to economies such as the US, China, Japan, India, as well as some countries in Europe and the ASEAN region.
Routers and Networking Equipment
The market for routers and networking equipment is almost entirely dominated by a handful of multinational companies such as Cisco, Juniper, HPE, Huawei and ALU.
Some key developments include:
◼ In 2016 Google made a big impact in the home networking space when the company launched Google Wifi. In 2019, Google updated the Google Wifi with the new Nest Wifi for the Singaporean market. The Nest Wifi system consists of a dedicated Nest Wifi Router which is plugged into a modem, and the network can be expanded with Nest Wifi Points. According to Google, the Router can cover an area of up to 120 square meters, while a Router and one Point can cover up to 210 square meters. Finally, a Router and two Points can cover up to 300 square meters.86
Figure 27: The Nest Wifi System has a Captivating Design Source: Google
86 https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/tech-news-google-nest-wifi-router-nest-wifi-point-pricing-singapore
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◼ In October 2018 networking firm Asus was the first to debut a Wi-Fi 6 consumer router in Singapore. In 2019, Samsung introduced its Samsung Galaxy S10 series of smartphones which supports Wi-Fi 6.87
◼ SP Telecom, a joint venture by ST Engineering and SP Group, is investing in building an alternative fibre broadband network to the Singaporean government backed Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (NGNBN). Instead of traditional fixed-price plans and long- term contracts, SP Telecom will allow customers to opt for usage-based charging through its business and operation support system and customer service portal, which runs on a cloud network. Singapore Telecom’s business grade fibre broadband network services is expected to fully roll out commercially in the first three months of 2020 and provide comprehensive coverage that can serve all government, wholesale and business customers by 2024.88
Smartphones
Because of the high number of devices in Singapore, the mobile population is unlikely to grow significantly in the upcoming years. The market is likely to be driven by the replacement service segment, with customers seeking to replace their devices with better quality, higher-end products.
GfK Asia's data shows that sales of smartphones in Singapore peaked at 2.81 million units in 2013, and have been falling steadily to 2.3 million in 2014 and 2.1 million in 2016. Given the high penetration rates, sales of smartphones have been stagnating.
International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that Samsung and Apple dominate the Singaporean market, making up more than 70% of the overall market. Smartphones from Chinese vendors are however rising in popularity in Singapore, even though they have some ways to go before catching up with premium favourites such as Apple and Samsung. According to GfK Asia, one in five smartphones sold in Singapore in 2017 was from a Chinese vendor - the first time combined Chinese manufacturer sales have crossed the 20% mark.
87 https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/pcs/promising-start-for-wi-fi-6-router 88 https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/sp-telecom-to-build-alternative-fibre-network-with-intelligence
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According to StatCounter, in October 2019 Apple was the leading mobile vendor in Singapore with a 33.8% share, followed by Samsung with 30.1%. Chinese brands had a cumulative share of 27.5% (Huawei 14.3%; Xiaomi 6.9%; Oppo 6.3%)
Most smartphones in the country are sold with an Android software already installed (over 60%), while iOS and Windows follow with 33% and 5%, respectively. iOS systems are exclusively installed on Apple devices, whereas other leading brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, HTC and Sony feature Android systems, which also host the largest number of applications among operating systems.
Local mobile carriers offer attractive subsidies to purchase new mobile phones to customers that choose to contract with them. These subsidies can halve the price of the phone, even allowing consumers to obtain free phones, which often lead customers to replace their devices earlier than the average period.
An interesting fact that has contributed to the gradual demise of feature phones among Singaporeans is the lift of the ban on smartphones in army camps in 2013. Previously, smartphones were not allowed in army camps, and local recruits would purchase feature phones before being enlisted.
5G Infrastructure
The 5G Infrastructure segment is one of the most dynamic within the Telecommunication Equipment market of Singapore. The most important developments include:
◼ In October 2019 it was announced that Singapore set its sights on up to four 5G networks, instead of the two initially planned for. All four networks can be rolled out by 2020, although nationwide coverage will take much longer. The IMDA’s more aggressive push to have two extra smaller 5G networks will take into account immediate industrial needs, for example, in smart ports and smart factories to remotely operate cranes or vehicles to move shipping containers or goods around-the-clock. The IMDA's decision comes after a two-month-long
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public consultation completed that heard calls for the involvement of all four telcos - Singtel, StarHub, M1 and TPG Telecom.89
Figure 28: How Fast IS 5G? Source: The Straits Times
◼ On the same month it was revealed that M1 and StarHub are expected to ink a network sharing deal ahead of the nationwide roll-out of 5G network. DBS Group Research estimates the capital expenditure for 5G to be two or three times bigger than that of 4G for similar coverage, but this can be alleviated with the setup of an island-wide 5G coverage taking 7 to 8 years versus 4 to 5 years for 4G.90
89 https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/up-to-four-5g-networks-being-planned-to-secure-singapores-digital-future 90 https://sbr.com.sg/telecom-internet/news/m1-and-starhub-may-collaborate-5g-roll-out
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◼ Unlike some countries which have banned Huawei over espionage concerns, Singapore has not barred any vendors, but says the systems must meet security requirements.
◼ In June 2019 Singapore launched a US$ 29.5 million initiative to test applications for 5G networks, ahead of the planned rollout in 2020. The project, funded by the National Research Foundation and the IMDA, will test the network in areas such as port management, manufacturing and consumer applications.91 Examples of initiatives in this context include:92
▪ Real estate firm CapitaLand, map service provider Navinfo Datatech and telco TPG Telecom will be testing cloud-based driverless car navigation at Science Park 1 and 2 over a 5G connection.
▪ Gaming accessories firm Razer and telco Singtel will be testing how 5G networks should be designed in an urban environment to allow consumers to stream and play games with rich visual details using their mobile phones.
▪ Port operator PSA International has appointed telcos Singtel and M1 to conduct trials in the third quarter of this year to explore the use of driverless vehicles to move shipping containers around the clock.
▪ The Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*Star) Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre has signed a memorandum of understanding with Singtel and industrial estate developer JTC Corporation to integrate 5G connectivity solutions into its smart Model Factory in Jurong.
◼ Since 2018, local operators Singtel, Starhub and M1 have been testing a variety of 5G applications from virtual reality content streaming to unmanned drones. Singtel is working with Ericsson, Starhub with Nokia and Huawei and M1 with Huawei. The telecommunication operators in Singapore are constantly looking for new technologies as they seek to offer advanced value-added solutions and services to their customers, including IoT such as smart home and healthcare applications.
91 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-5g/singapore-to-invest-30-million-in-5g-tests-ahead-of-2020-rollout-idUSKCN1TS0XA 92 https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/up-to-four-5g-networks-being-planned-to-secure-singapores-digital-future
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Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)
Malaysia and Singapore are the only countries in South East Asia where IPTV is widely available. However, only a small number of companies manufacture the most current IPTV systems. SingTel was the first telecommunication provider in Singapore to offer IPTV, starting from January 2007. Telecomm competitor StarHub responded by launching an IPTV service, StarHub TV on Fibre in 2013, and M1 followed suit. In early April 2015, StarHub launched its IPTV service for residential customers. The StarHub TV on Fibre service is delivered over the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network and offers HD content, personalised features and greater interactivity. With StarHub TV on Fibre customers also have access to a Simultaneous Recording service, allowing them to record up to two programmes simultaneously.
Overall, the market is showing signs of saturations, as subscription to IPTV services such as SingTel‘s SingTel TV and StarHub’s pay-TV have contracted or been stagnant.93
Local Players
Xiaomi was founded in 2010 in China by entreprenEUR Lei Jun, believing in affordable high- quality IT products and specialising in smartphones. The company allows customers to give feedbacks on its devices and it incorporates them into the product range, which currently includes the Mi Note Pro, Mi Note, Mi 4, Redmi Note, Mi TV, Mi Band and other consumer electronics. According to HS Markit Smartphone Intelligence Service 2019, Xiomi is the 5th largest smartphone maker worldwide, shipping around 31.9 million phones in 2019. Xiaomi has offices in several countries in the Asia Pacific region, including in Singapore where the company plans to move its headquarters. In Singapore, the company will be launching Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10, the world’s first penta-camera smartphone with 5G technology, of which both products have already been listed on Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority.
93 https://sbr.com.sg/media-marketing/news/chart-day-pay-tv-subscribers-down-13-907000
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Figure 29: Xiomi’s New Smartphone, Mi Note 10 Source: Xiomi
Apple – The American giant is a leading smartphone manufacturer, and its most celebrated product, the iPhone, is one of the most successful smartphones in Singapore, accounting for around 1/3 of total smartphones sales in the country. In the city-state, Apple’s products are available through its retail store, on-line shops or via authorised resellers. In July 2019, Apple officially opened its second Apple retail store at the Jewel Changi airport. Apple has also launched its Apple TV+ in Singapore with subscription fee of S$ 6.98 (EUR 4.62) per month.
Skycom Satellite Systems started as a company focussing on Satellite TV, SCV, Cable TV, RF Coaxial Network, Structured Cabling Network, Fibre Optics and IPTV systems. As technology advanced, the company developed customised digital signage solutions consisting of a network of customised digital displays that can be controlled electronically using a computer. This allows the company’s clients to remotely control the display on the TV screens so as to provide the most targeted messaging possible. Skycom’s IPTV is one of the most efficient solutions in the market for the reception and streaming of IPTV channels, allowing hotel operators, corporations, and buildings to distribute advanced IPTV and Digital TV services with maximum quality and reliability. Among its existing customers are Singapore Visitor Centre, Singapore Expo, Singapore Science Centre and Singapore Turf Club. It also provides installation and maintenance of MATV Headend for private condominiums, commercial buildings, hotels and Housing Development Board for 160,000 households.
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3.5.2 EU Entry Opportunities
◼ Singapore is a major distribution centre for companies interested in selling to the region. In 2018, over 90% of telecommunications products imported into Singapore were re- exported for third country consumption. Given Singapore’s strategic location in the region, it offers attractive opportunities for mobile device makers and suppliers to distribute higher- end replacement products domestically, as well as support the market penetration in other regional economies.94
◼ Singaporeans are increasingly opting for smartphones with larger screens, and manufacturers are responding accordingly. For example, the newest iPhones from Apple have considerably increased their size compared with previous models. Phones with large screens are preferred as they allow better video viewing and are much easier on the eyes.
◼ In recent years, the growth in smartphones sales can be ascribed not only to consumers switching from feature phones to smartphones, but also to young children owning smartphones at an earlier age, a trend that has spurred teachers to disseminate important information through classes on a safe use of smartphones.
◼ Singaporean customers are demanding increasingly sophisticated devices, and today smartphones possess new features such as touch ID technology, fitness sensors, and better photography and videography.
◼ The development of the 5G infrastructure opens new opportunities for a wide range of applications that take advantage of a surfing speed that is 20 times faster than that of a 4G network. EU companies operating in fields as diverse as telemedicine, autonomous drones, and industrial robots will find a conducive environment in Singapore.
94 https://www.export.gov/article?id=Singapore-Telecommunication-Equipment
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Figure 30: What Possibilities Will 5G Enable? Source: The Straits Times
◼ The smartphone industry is almost exclusively accessible by multi-national corporations with access to global value chains and considerable resource to invest in R&D. Smaller European players might find this industry challenging to access. However, significant opportunities exist for those players that are venturing into the Internet of Things (IoT) industry. As the following example from the Italian Tehcnogym reveals, by taking advantage of Singapore’s high smartphones penetration rate, IoT products can find a favourable operating environment.
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European Players95
Technogym
Technogym is a manufacturer of fitness equipment based in Cesena, Italy, that was founded in 1983 by Nerio Alessandri. The company has customers in more than 100 countries including 200,000 private homes, 10,000 medical centres, and 3,000 schools and universities. Also known as the official supplier of equipment for the last eight Olympic Games, Technogym specialises in the manufacturing of intelligent fitness machines, meaning computerised equipment that monitors users’ performance by giving real-time information and analyses. The company has offices in Singapore, and has also established a showroom located in the Kaki Bukit Industrial Park, which is about a 10 minutes’ drive from the Changi International Airport and 20 minutes from the city. The showroom is a Wellness lifestyle showroom, featuring all the latest Technogym innovations in fitness equipment. One of the most interesting products of the Italian company, is its application for smartphones that allows users to access their wellness data anywhere, at any time. When installed in a personal device, the Technogym App assigns a daily movement target to the user and tracks their performance throughout the day, giving detailed information and providing advice on how to improve health and fitness.
Figure 31: Technogym’s App Uses Smartphones to Monitor Physical Exercise Source: Technogym
95 No European companies producing phones are present in Singapore at the moment. However, several European IoT companies are closely related to the telecommunication equipment industry (smartphones in particular), and have established their presence in the country.
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ANTIK Technology
ANTIK Technology is a company from the Czech Republic that develops End-to-End IPTV / OTT Solutions for operators, content providers and retailers. It is one of the few global companies with own hardware and software products for complete IPTV ecosystems, from acquisition, transcoding, streaming, management, monitoring, protection to middleware and end-user devices. ANTIK Technology has more than 20 years of experience in the area of video processing, and has a team of more than 150 employees. Whereas the hardware development team is located in the Czech Republic, the company’s software development team and technical support are distributed in between the Slovak Republic and Singapore. Moreover, following the expansion of OTT, IPTV and especially hospitality TV market in South East Asia, the company opened its regional headquarters in Singapore.
Broadpeak
Broadpeak is a French company that designs and manufactures video delivery components for Content Providers and Network Service Providers deploying IPTV, Cable, OTT and mobile services. Its portfolio of solutions and technologies powers the delivery of movies, television programming and other content over managed networks and the internet for viewing on any type of device. The company’s systems and services help operators increase market share and improve subscriber loyalty with superior quality of experience. In 2012, Broadpeak opened a new office in Singapore, making it the headquarter for its operations in the Asia Pacific region. Due to the strong business growth in the Asia Pasific region in demand for Android TV, multiscreen for satellite, and local cache solutions, Broadpeak announced in 2019 the hiring of additional operational and support personnel in Singapore.
ADVA Optical Networking SE
ADVA Optical Networking is a German telecommunications vendor that provides network equipment for data, storage, voice and video services. ADVA Optical Networking has a global workforce of over 1,500 employees and its Fiber Service Platform has been deployed in more than 250 carriers and 10,000 enterprises. To meet the challenges of 5G, it has launched FSP
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150-XG118Pro in 2019, a cell site gateway device ideal for deployment at radio base stations and supports a smooth transition from 1Gbit/s to 10Gbit/s services. In 2006, the company set-up offices in Singapore, collaborating with local businesses. In 2010, the leading Singaporean telecom provider SingTel selected ADVA Optical Networking as a vendor for its high-speed managed metropolitan optical network service known as GigawaveLite, a managed high-speed, point-to-point optical service for enterprise customers needing to connect two or more sites. Moreover, in 2014 the company partnered with OrisTel, the telecom systems integration arm of Singapore Technologies Electronics, for the distribution of optical networking products to telecom service providers, government and utility customers in the Asia Pacific region.
Tripleplay
Tripleplay is a UK company that has been operating for over a decade in the digital media marketplace. Tripleplay has grown to become one of the world’s leaders in the development and provision of digital signage, IPTV, video on demand and mobile device streaming solutions. Tripleplay’s core software solutions are TripleTV, an HD IPTV solution, TripleVOD, a video on demand streaming solution, TripleSign, a world class server based digital signage system and TripleStream, a mobile device streaming application. The company has active offices and representatives located in the US, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, and Singapore. In the city-state, Tripleplay has collaborated with several local companies. In 2015 SingTel, the leading telecommunication provider in the country, selected Tripleplay for a partnership to deliver IP media solutions in Singapore. The two companies plan to design, deliver and support integrated IP media solutions into sectors including hospitality, healthcare, banking and finance.
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3.6 Telecommunication Services
3.6.1 Market Overview
In Singapore, mobile penetration is very high and the market for telecommunication services is highly developed: in June 2019, wireless broadband reached a household penetration rate of 185.2%,96 whereas 3G/4G subscription reached 8,780,100, out of a population of around 5.6 million people. The overwhelming use of 3G/4G services reflects the maturity of the market, as well as the decision of the main operators to simultaneously shut down 2G networks in 2017. The country's highly developed mobile service market outperforms its regional peers, but also offers fewer opportunities for growth. By 2021, the mobile market is forecast to have about 9 million subscribers.
Data plans are relatively affordable in Singapore, and SingTel Mobile, StarHub and M1, the main players, have upgraded their technology in order to cope with the burgeoning data demand. However, fixed telephony has so far managed to avoid being replaced by mobile alternatives due to consumers' preferences towards bundled multi-play services.
Mobile Data Services
The price of monthly subscriptions inclusive of mobile broadband, talk time and texts is between S$ 8 (EUR 5.3) and S$ 98 (EUR 65), depending on the amount of data, talk time and texting the consumer requires. According to IMDA data, in June 2019 there were 1.7 million 3G subscribers comprising 0.5 million post-paid and 1.2 million prepaid subscribers. Both prepaid and post-paid 3G subscriptions are declining as more users switch to 4G services. 4G subscriptions overtook 3G ones in 2015, reaching 7.1 million in June 2019.
According to OCBC Investment Research the dominant player within the local mobile market is SingTel Mobile, which enjoys over 50% of the total market share. StarHub and M1 follow, with around 30% and 15% of the total market, respectively. SingTel Mobile has been steadily expanding its lead in market share, at the expense of StarHub and M1, and the current market
96 https://www2.imda.gov.sg/infocomm-media-landscape/research-and-statistics/telecommunications/statistics-on-telecom-services/statistic-on- telecom-service-for-2019-jan
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share ranking is expected to persist owing to the strong brand name of SingTel and its bundled service offerings.
OCBC Investment Research has highlighted that growth in number of subscribers going forward will be limited and slow, if any. Moreover, the research group estimates that ARPU (average revenue per user) will fall amidst intensifying competitive environment, with a fourth provider, Australian telco TPG Telecom, launching mobile services.
Figure 32: Singapore Mobile Revenue Share Forecasts Source: Singapore Business Review
An important trend is the significant decline in SMS usage that can be attributed to the proliferation of alternative forms of communications such as those provided by Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms such as Skype, WhatsApp, KakaoTalk, Facebook and Twitter.
To combat the threat of OTT services, mobile network operators are collaborating with OTT service providers to stem the loss of their revenue. SingTel, for example, offers social data plans for prepaid mobile customers, which allow unlimited WhatsApp, Facebook, Line, WeChat or
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Opera Mini use without incurring additional data charges. StarHub also offers similar social data add-on plans for Line and WeChat users.
Fixed Voice Telephony
IMDA data reveals that Singapore subscribers to fixed-line data totalled around 1.9 million at the end of June 2019, which is a decrease of around 4% from the 2 million subscriptions registered in March 2019. Residential fixed-lines have previously been the key driver of overall growth in the market, but more recently they have shown signs of decline, together with corporate/business fixed-line subscriptions. As in the mobile market, SingTel is the largest supplier of fixed lines in the country.
Fixed Lines March 2019 June 2019
Total Fixed Line Subscriptions 2,001,000 1,921,200
Total Residential Line Subscriptions 1,305,000 1,298,400
Total Corporate/Business Line 695,900 622,800 Subscriptions
Fixed Line Population Penetration Rate 35.50% 33.70%
Fixed Line Household Penetration Rate 89.30% 87.90% Table 9: Fixed Lines Statistics For Singapore Source: IMDA
Internet Access
Singapore’s fixed broadband speed of 181.47 Mbps is the fastest in the world, beating the likes of Hong Kong (145.65 Mbps) and Iceland (143.62 Mbps), according to Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index. In the mobile Internet category, Singapore’s 52.84 Mbps is rated fourth fastest in the world, but still leads the ASEAN pack.97 Moreover, in 2017 the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked
97 https://theaseanpost.com/article/singapore-wins-internet-speed-race
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Singapore and Sweden as leaders in the world in terms of Internet inclusivity, meaning the ease of access that people have to a high quality and affordable Internet connection.98
According to the IMDA, in June 2019 the number of broadband internet subscriptions was higher than 12 million, with 10.5 million broadband subscriptions being wireless.
Figure 33: Frequency of Internet Use in Singapore Source: DataReportal
Commercial IoT Networks
Multiple IoT Networks have been launched in the city-state, laying the foundation for the development of IoT applications.
◼ Singtel:
▪ Following an announcement in 2017, in February 2018, Singapore’s largest telco, Singtel, in partnership with Ericsson made available the first nationwide cellular IoT network, supporting CAT-M1 and NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) devices. Since 2016,
98 https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/news-and-events/insights/innovation/singapore--sweden-top-the-global-inclusive-internet-index.html
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Singtel has been exploring IoT usage with local companies and large corporations across a diverse range of applications, including environmental sensing, asset tracking, waste management and monitoring of medicine consumption. It has been conducting trials with several partners including bike-sharing company Mobike, smart metering solutions provider EDMI Limited, and modem chip maker SIMCom Wireless Solutions. Singtel and Ericsson also signed an agreement to establish the Singtel IoT Innovation Lab to facilitate IoT deployments and the development of a local IoT ecosystem for enterprises and consumers.
▪ In July 2018, Singtel and Ericsson announced plans to launch Singapore’s first 5G pilot network at one-north, the country’s science, business and IT hub. The first trial was completed in November 2018.. Using Ericsson’s 3GPP standards compliant 5G technology with trial spectrum allocated by IMDA, the pilot network can deliver 5G coverage with enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) speed and low latency communications. Singtel and Ericsson are planning drone and autonomous vehicle trials on their 5G pilot network later this year at one-north and other designated areas. Enterprises can use the network to develop new 5G use cases and tap the business potential of 5G.
▪ In February 2019 Singtel and China Mobile International Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Mobile, the leading telecommunications services provider in China, have signed a Master Services Agreement to collaborate on accelerating enterprise adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) in the Asia-Pacific region.99
◼ Starhub:
▪ Singapore’s second largest telco, StarHub, has also launched a commercial dual band NB-IoT network which operates in both 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands. In November 2017, Nokia signed a multi-year agreement with StarHub, under which Nokia deploys network upgrades using its advanced radio access, small cells, virtualised core and IP routing technologies, as well as its cloud orchestration and signalling, network
99 https://www.singtel.com/about-Us/news-releases/singtel-and-china-mobile-international-combine-forces-to-propel-iot-growth-in
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management, security, IoT, self-organising network and session border controller software. The two companies plan to develop new IoT use cases and applications in the areas of connected living, connected vehicles, smart parking, environmental sensors and connected buildings, with commercial services being offered to customers from the first quarter of 2018.
▪ In November 2018, StarHub and Nokia completed what they described as the first outdoor pilot of 5G New Radio on 3.5 GHz frequency band in Singapore. The companies demonstrated consumer and industrial applications of this technology, such as replication of a manufacturing environment, demonstrating how businesses can use 5G-enabled video analytics to enhance efficiency and minimise production errors.
◼ M1:
▪ In August 2017, local telco M1 announced the launch of a commercial nationwide NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) network. As part of a collaboration, Keppel Electric is piloting the NB-IoT Energy Management Meter, which is expected to enable it to deploy power and water meters to its customers’ premises faster and more cost-effectively.
▪ In June 2018, M1 and Huawei announced plans to jointly showcase innovative 5G use cases in Singapore, starting with the live demonstration of 360-view Virtual Reality (VR) content broadcast. The demonstration, using 5G equipment setup at M1’s MiWorld building in Jurong, is Singapore’s first end-to-end 5G live trial using Huawei’s 5G equipment operating at the 28GHz millimetre wave (mmWave) frequency band.
▪ In January 2019 M1 announced its agreement with Nokia to leverage on the latter’s IMPACT Internet of Things (IoT) platform which will boost M1’s capabilities to provide IoT solutions in Singapore. The telco is reportedly one of the first companies in Asia Pacific to use Nokia’s IMPACT IoT platform which supports narrowband (NB) IoT and other low range protocols that provide low-power wide-area (LPWA) options for the connection of IoT devices.100
100 https://sbr.com.sg/telecom-internet/more-news/m1-inks-deal-nokia-boost-cloud-based-iot-platform
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◼ In addition to the above, UnaBiz, an IoT network operator and the exclusive network operator of Sigfox’s low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) in Singapore and Taiwan, has rolled out Sigfox coverage for the entire city.
◼ In June 2018, ST Engineering Electronics, SP Group and SP Telecom launched a new trial pay-per-use IoT-as-a-Service (IoT-aaS). The IoT-aaS is offered on a subscription basis to help enterprises and IoT partners move into the IoT space faster and more cost-efficiently. The IoT platform provides a unique advantage as a multi-protocol network solution. IoT partners can also leverage the secure network, thousands of SP Telecom hubs across the country, and a multi-edge computing IoT platform to bring their services faster and closer to their customers. Service is delivered through a centralised IoT platform with advanced data analytics to generate greater insights for predictive actions. The platform is also built to optimise shared computing resources, while maintaining independent, secure operations and control for subscribers. This creates an “Open IoT system” that operates as a hassle- free one-stop shop that is reliable and delivers end-to-end connectivity for seamless IoT deployment. This is easier than having to approach and negotiate with multiple facility owners and deploying over multiple locations.
Local Players
Singapore Telecommunication (SingTel) is the leading telecommunication services provider in the country. The company was founded in 1955 and in 1993 it was publicly listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. SingTel’s portfolio of products includes sales of mobile phones, subscription plans for fixed and mobile lines, pay television (known as mio TV) and TV streaming. The company expanded operations to Australia and incorporated Australian integrated communications provider, Optus, as a wholly owned subsidiary. SingTel has also invested in telecommunication businesses in Thailand, India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Africa and Pakistan. As part of Singapore’s Smart Nation aspiration, Singtel has announced in 2019 that it is developing a 5G Garage, a testbed where enterprise customers and other stakeholders can study things like low-latency transmission and network slicing, including real-time 4K video drones, AR/VR remote assistance, cloud gaming and autonomous vehicles. The 5G Garage
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facility results from a partnership between Singtel, Swedish’s telco company, Ericsson and Singapore Polytechnic that includes a test network running over 3.5 GHz spectrum.
StarHub is the second biggest Telecommunication Services provider in Singapore. Established in 1998, StarHub operates a HSPA + mobile network that complements its nationwide GSM network and is building its LTE network, which was commercially launched in key business areas in September 2012. Nationwide coverage was achieved in 2013. StarHub is also the country's largest cable TV operator and in January 2007 became the first operator in South East Asia to launch HDTV services commercially. With the launching of 5G mobile network on its radar, Starhub stated that it is working with AirTrunk, a hyperscale data centre (HDC) specialist, in order to offer hyperscale data centre services in Loyang from 2020. The data centre will be carrier- neutral with the ability to interconnect to the public cloud providers on site that is critical to meeting the increasing demands from enterprises such as e-gaming, e-sports and e-commerce providers. It also has partnerships with other data-centre providers such as ST Telemedia Global Data Centres and Data Centre SG.
M1 is the third largest domestic mobile operator in Singapore. M1's launch of its dual-band GSM 900/1800 MHz network in 1997 ended SingTel's monopoly of Singapore's mobile sector. M1's network currently offers 3G/4G and HSPA services, and was the first in Singapore to launch LTE services. Besides offering cellular services, M1 provides international call services to mobile and fixed-line customers. M1 ventured into Singapore's pay-TV industry with the launch of its online media entertainment offering called 1box in November 2010.
In June 2019, M1 participated in the 5G Trial Tech Call programme, a joint-collaboration between the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and PSA Corporation Ltd (PSA) to boost the performance and capabilities of maritime operations through 5G technology in Singapore. M1’s participation will play a key role in providing a significant leap in port operations through the provision of the supporting trial 5G network. M1 is also partnering Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) for the test bedding of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) in Singapore waters. The collaboration leverages M1’s ultra-
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low latency 4.5G network connectivity to establish reliable ship-to-shore communication links and to support Internet-of-Things (IoT) maritime applications.
3.6.2 EU Entry Opportunities
◼ The market is saturated and offers only limited opportunities for growth. The slowdown in net additions and new competition has led to aggressive price planning and the launch of numerous promotions as the three main operators (SingTel Mobile, StarHub and M1) compete to retain their market share. Within this competition, new opportunities are opening up for companies to bundle their products together with the services of operators as a way of promoting both companies to Singaporean customers.
◼ 3G technology is approaching its limit, and subscriptions are decreasing due to consumers adopting 4G. Moreover, Singapore’s Info-communications Media Development Authority announced in May 2017 that it would waive frequency fees for 5G network trials with immediate effect, in order to support operators preparing for rollouts in 2020. As a result, although the opportunities for 3G services may be contracting, new opportunities may open up for the development of 5G-related infrastructure and value-added services as well as support for the customer base of 4G users.
◼ Only a handful of big players operate in the Telecommunication Service industry, and smaller European companies might struggle to enter the market. However, interesting opportunities exist for mobile-app developers, which can take advantage of the very high 3G/4G penetration rate in Singapore. Moreover, at the present stage mobile operators in Singapore are experimenting this collaboration with OTT (over the top) service providers. For example, SingTel offers social data plans that allow unlimited WhatsApp, Facebook, Line, WeChat or Opera Mini usage without incurring additional data charges. StarHub also offers similar social data add-on plans for Line and WeChat users.
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Figure 34: Time Spent with Media in Singapore Source: DataReportal
◼ In addition to the above, multiple IoT Networks have been launched in the city-state, resulting in increased opportunities for the development of IoT applications.
◼ Pre-paid mobile service packages are available in Singapore, but they are not popular among locals. Most users of pre-paid services include foreign workers and tourists, as they want the flexibility to pay a lower amount than a monthly subscription.
◼ Even though the telecommunication services market does not offer many opportunities for growth, there is some potential through premium value-added services (VAS) and linkages to the Internet of Things industry. For example, Smart TVs are increasingly popular in Singapore.
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European Players101
Foodpanda
The Foodpanda group is a global mobile food delivery marketplace headquartered in Berlin, Germany, operating in 40 countries and territories. The service allows users to select from local restaurants and place orders via its mobile applications as well as its websites. The company has partnered with over 40,000 restaurants.
Figure 35: Foodpanda’s App in Singapore Source: Foodpanda Singapore
The Foodpanda app is the second most downloaded application for smartphones in Singapore.102 The mobile application connects Singaporean customers with local restaurants that offer food delivery in their area and lets them choose, order and pay online. Cuisines available in Singapore also include European styles such as Italian, Swedish, and French. Foodpanda’s application also has a review section on restaurant pages, where customers can comment on sales process, delivery, taste and overall impression of restaurants. In October 2019, Foodpanda Singapore has
101 The Telecommunication Services market has the structure of an oligopoly in Singapore, and European companies do not have tangible opportunities to offer their services. However, many European companies have exploited the very high 3G/4G penetration rate in the country to offer their mobile applications to a wide public. In addition, European players have successfully partnered with Singaporean telecom providers, and have established their presence by doing so. 102 https://www.similarweb.com/apps/top/google/store-rank/sg/food-and-drink/top-free
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expanded into delivering grocery items in partnership with some 1,000 retailers. With the new service, Foodpanda seeks to deliver groceries and other items from outlets such as Hao Mart, Caltex Star Mart, Eu Yan Sang and Mothercare to consumers' homes in under 25 minutes.
Runtastic
Runtastic is an Austrian mobile fitness company that combines traditional fitness with mobile applications, social networking and elements of gamification. Runtastic offers a range of apps that track outdoor and indoor and fitness activities, primarily known for its namesake GPS fitness- tracking app. On November 12, Runtastic announced Runtastic Results, a bodyweight training app consisting of a 12-week customised bodyweight training plan, but also has standalone workouts that can be completed outside of the training plan. Runtastic applications are among the most downloaded apps for fitness in Singapore,103 and are available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone. Singaporeans can track their progress and set goals, and at the same time Runtastic allows them to analyse a variety of metrics, such as: distance, time, pace, calorie consumption.
Eutelsat Communications
Established in 1977, the French Eutelsat is one of the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 40 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat’s satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user’s location. In Singapore, the company has established its Eutelsat Asia headquarters for the Asia-Pacific region, also collaborating with local companies. For example, in 2014 Eutelsat and Singapore-based ST Teleport, one of Asia's leading full-service satellite, fibre and IP communications solutions providers, completed the installation of a new gateway at ST Teleport's Earth Station complex in Singapore. It connects to the Eutelsat T 70B Ku-band satellite, one of
103 www.appannie.com
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the most flexible satellites serving Asian markets and connecting to Europe and Africa. The new gateway is ready to serve data, maritime, media and entertainment clients across South East Asia. It can also connect to the African and European beams of the Eutelsat 70B satellite that has the unique ability to offer secure, single hop connectivity between key business hubs, such as Singapore and Frankfurt or Singapore and Nairobi. Moreover, in March 2016 Singtel, one of Asia's leading communications groups, selected capacity on Eutelsat 70B satellite to support network connectivity in South East Asia. As of 2019, Eutelsat has been working with more than 250 Asian TV channels in distributing content around Asia and worldwide.
Vodafone
Headquartered in London, Vodafone is a British telecom company that provides mobile and broadband services. By number of customers, Vodafone is one of the largest telcos in the world, with over 640 million mobile customers, 21 million fixed broadband customers and 14 million TV customers, including all of the customers in Vodafone’s joint ventures and associates. In 2018, Vodafone expanded its NB-IoT network due to the growing demand from enterprise customers for the technology. Vodafone is one of the biggest operators using NB-IoT over other standardised low power wide area (LPWA) options such as LTE-M or non-standarised technologies including LoRa and Sigfox. Vodafone opened its regional hub in Singapore in 2010 via its Vodafone Global Enterprise to provide superior levels of local support and servicing multinational customers in its neighbouring market. Vodafone and Starhub have been in a strategic partnership since 2012. In 2017, Vodafone introduced an Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for the world’s most popular bike sharing company Mobike’s operations in Singapore, Mobike’s first outside of China. A Vodafone IoT SIM is embedded in the smart lock of each bike, allowing it to be shipped and activated anywhere in the world. The IoT hardware and software in the smart lock on the bike enables the collection of a vast library of transport data, which can be split by day of the week, distance, and more. In a long term, this data could be merged with public transport data to generate a total picture of a city’s transport infrastructure.
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4. Regulations
4.1 Import Procedures
As an open market, products and services can enter and exit Singapore relatively freely. All goods imported into Singapore are regulated under the Customs Act, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act and the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act. Imported goods are subject to GST and/or duty payment. A Customs permit is required to account for the import and tax payment of the goods. The current GST rate is 7%. GST is calculated based on customs value of the goods, plus all duties. Before the actual importation, the importer is required to obtain a Customs permit, to account for the import and the tax payment of the goods.
Importing Trade Samples
The Singapore Customs defines trade samples104 as the goods imported solely:
◼ For the purpose of being shown or demonstrated in Singapore to enable manufacturers in Singapore to produce these goods to fulfil orders from abroad or to solicit orders for goods to be supplied from abroad, or
◼ By a manufacturer for the purposes of copying, testing or experimenting before producing these goods in Singapore.
Trade samples should not be sold, consumed, put to normal use, or used for hire or reward in Singapore. Importers of trade samples that are supplied without cost or free of charge must pay GST and/or duty. The relevant import permit (if required) and supporting documents (for example, commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading/Airway Bill) for the trade samples must be produced to the checkpoint officers for verification at the time of cargo clearance. Importers must also check if their trade samples fall under controlled or non-controlled item before importation.
104 For more info on this topic, please visit http://www.customs.gov.sg/businesses/importing-goods/import-procedures/importing-trade-samples
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4.2 Government Tenders
Singapore government tenders are open to international companies. A foreign company is required to register on the Government Electronic Business (GeBiz) portal (https://www.gebiz.gov.sg/), which is the procurement portal for the government, as a GeBiz trading partner before they can participate in any electronic tenders and quotations. Information on contracts and tenders available in Singapore can be found on GeBIZ portal as well as at industry briefings.
With many international companies already present in the country, European companies that are new to the market may want to look for potential partners readily established in Singapore that can contribute to the local knowledge to license their technology or form an alliance/consortium to jointly bid for projects.
GeBIZ Trading Partners
All local and foreign suppliers are required to register on GeBIZ as a GeBIZ trading partner prior to responding to electronic tenders and quotations. A supplier that is registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) will be approved immediately.
Registration is free for the first account, while each additional account costs S$ 280 (EUR 175) per year (inclusive of GST). Apart from enabling partners to bid and tender for projects on GeBIZ, the account will also give access to archives of tender and quotation awards.
Government Procurement
Each ministry, statutory board or department is in charge of procuring its own goods and services. Some agencies also purchase common goods and services used by the entire public sector such as IT security services, courier services and paper.
These agencies are the Expenditure and Procurement Policies Unit (EPPU), Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech). In 2018, SMEs accounted for over 60% out of 500 contracts worth S$ 800 million (EUR 533 million). In the
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financial year 2019, the government plans to call for ICT tenders worth S$ 2.5 billion to S$ 2.7 billion (EUR 1.66 billion – EUR 1.8 billion). Over 60% of the ICT contracts will go towards the development of five national platforms that come under the Digital Government Blueprint, namely Singapore Government Technology Stack (SGTS), National Digital Identity (NDI), Smart Nation Sensor Platform, Moments of Life, and Adaptive Digital Workplace. Examples of previous tender procedures include the one won by Accenture in March 2016. The company won the bid to build the next-generation National Trade Platform, performing better than Singtel unit NCS and a consortium led by CrimsonLogic, thus securing the S$ 107.8 million (EUR 72 million) tender. Accenture had quoted the lowest price based on items required upfront by the Infocomm Development Authority.
Concerning private procurement, private tenders and quotations are advertised through the companies’ and organisations' websites. Otherwise, there are also e-procurement portals such as Singtel myBusiness Trading Board (mybusiness.singtel.com/trading-board). Partnered with SESAMi, the portal offers products and services from the largest enterprises in Singapore, including Singtel, Singapore Airlines, ST Electronics and OCBC bank.
The government procures goods and services through three procedures:
Small Value Purchases (Up to S$ 6,000 (EUR 4,000))
The government will buy directly from suitable suppliers with prices reflecting fair market value. The agency requiring the product or service would normally ask around for quotations and undertake direct purchase. These small value purchases are not publicised on GeBIZ. Sourcing methods include verbal or written quotes, off-the-shelf purchase, and the GeBIZ Mall Catalogue.
Invitation to Quote (S$ 6,001 (EUR 4,000) to S$ 90,000 (EUR 60,000))
The government will publish an online quote on GeBIZ to invite suppliers to quote. All suppliers registered with GeBIZ can submit a quote on GeBIZ. Sourcing methods include Invitation to Quote (ITQ), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Period Contracts and Framework Agreements.
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Invitation to Tender (Above S$ 90,000 (EUR 60,000))
Only GeBIZ trading partners can tender for projects. Tenders are fall into three categories:
◼ Open – all interested parties can bid, with tenders posted on GeBIZ.
◼ Selective – Applicants are shortlisted through a pre-qualification exercise, with tenders posted on GeBIZ.
◼ Limited – tenders are by invitation only as they concern national security or are impractical for open tenders.
4.3 Singapore Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Registration Scheme (CPS)
The objective of the Singapore Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Registration Scheme or CPS Scheme is to safeguard consumers’ interest by ensuring household products, designated as Controlled Goods, meet the specified safety standards. Undoubtedly, consumers today are prepared to pay for products that are safe and of high quality. The development of the CPS Scheme is therefore consistent with the growing sophistication of consumers in Singapore.
The CPS Scheme is administered by Enterprise Singapore as the Safety Authority since 1991 by Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) under the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations. One of the roles of the Safety Authority under the Regulations is to ensure compliance by industry on the registration of forty-five categories of Controlled Goods. The SPRING safety mark is mandatory for all manufacturers or suppliers who import controlled goods. The definitions and applicable safety standards of the Controlled Goods can be found at www.customs.gov.sg. Registration of Controlled Goods under the Consumer Protection (Safety Requirements) Regulations is based on the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) issued by designated third party Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs).
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All suppliers of Controlled Goods for consumers in Singapore must first be registered with the Safety Authority as a Registered Supplier. Registered Suppliers are required to register each model of Controlled Goods with the Safety Authority. The registration must be supported with a COC issued by designated CABs located in Singapore or MRA partners, i.e. CABs (Local) or CABs (Foreign - MRA) respectively.
Controlled Goods and their Applicable Safety Standards
Controlled Goods are required to be tested to the minimum edition of the safety standards. In addition to the specified safety standards, Controlled Goods are required to fulfil the Safety Authority’s Requirements. The Controlled Goods into three risk levels - Low, Medium, or High. The table below shows the definition and safety standards for controlled goods relating to the ICT sector.
Controlled Goods Definitions Safety Standards
AC Adaptors A device with rated voltage of not more than 250 Vac, (depends on the type and designed to supply a.c. or d.c. power for of appliances105) applications such as computers, telecommunication
equipment, home entertainment equipment or toys.
Audio and video products Audio and video products, which are electronic devices for home entertainment designed to be fed IEC 60065: 2001 from the supply mains and intended for reception, or generation, recording or reproduction, respectively of IEC 62368-1:2014 audio, video and associated signals, with rated voltage of not more than 250 Vac.
Home computer system Home computer system (inclusive of monitor, printer, (inclusive of monitor, speaker and other mains operated accessories), IEC 60950-1: 2001 printer, speaker and other which is a microcomputer and its associated or mains operated accessories, intended for household use, with rated IEC 62368-1: 2014 accessories) voltage of not more than 250 Vac.
Table 10: Definition of Controlled Goods and Safety Standards
105 For a complete list of standards please visit www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/quality-standards/consumer-protection/for-suppliers/regulations-and- guidelines-for-suppliers/regulations-and-guidelines-for-suppliers/consumer-protection-safety-requirements-regulations/controlled-goods-and- their-applicable-safety-standards
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Safety Authority’s Requirements
The Safety Authority monitors the safety of the Controlled Goods sold in Singapore by investigating all complaints, incidents and accidents reported to the authority. Acquired information will be leveraged upon to develop the operational interventions within the Safety Authority’s Requirements. These requirements are to be fulfilled in addition to the applicable safety standards. Below are the requirements for controlled goods relating to the ICT sector.
No Items Requirements Applicable to all products 1 Test report and test Test report including its test certificate (if applicable) more than certificate three (3) years shall be rejected.
2 Controlled Goods a) The additional function must be tested to its applicable safety incorporated with standard. additional function b) If a product has both functions of a Controlled Good and Non- Controlled Good, the product should be classified as a whole as a Controlled Good. The fact that it may have other functions that do not fall within the 33 categories is irrelevant. However, if the product with ‘controlled’ and ‘non-controlled’ functions are capable of being entirely and physically separated, such that it can be treated and sold as two separate and distinct products, then the registration can apply to only the ‘controlled’ product, and not the ‘non-controlled’ product.
Applicable to AC adaptor 17 Detachable power supply a) Registered Supplier who is not supplying the detachable power supply cord set not supplied by cord set together with the AC Adaptor must provide written instruction to Registered Supplier its customer on the type of approved detachable power cord set to use and declare to Conformity Assessment Body when applying for Certificate of Conformity. b) This requirement is only applicable to Registered Suppliers whose core business is supplying AC Adaptor or its Registered Supplier name is affiliated with the AC Adaptor’s manufacturer.
18 AC Adaptor incorporated with Additional tests clauses to 13, 17 and 18 of SS 246 would be required. 13A socket-outlet Applicable to computer products
19 CD/DVD ROM (used Test certificate showing that CD/DVD ROM has complied with IEC in personal computer) 60825-1 must be provided. 20 Modem Card (used in Modem card incorporated in the personal computer must be tested at personal computer) set level (sub-clauses 5.1 & 6 of IEC 60950) or at component level.
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No Items Requirements
21 Powerline Ethernet Additional tests to clauses 13, 17 and 18 of SS 246 would be required. Adaptor incorporate with 13A socket-outlet
Applicable to plasma/LCD display monitor
45 Plasma/LCD display Plasma/LCD display monitor tested to IEC 60950 would require additional monitor with TV tuner test to clauses 9 (related to antenna only), 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 and 12.5 of IEC 60065. Table 11: Requirements for Controlled Goods
4.4 Telecommunication Standards and Equipment Registration Framework
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) regulates the use of telecommunication equipment based on Technical Specifications published by IMDA. A Technical Specification is a Standard which prescribes the minimum technical requirements to be fulfilled by telecommunication equipment intended for sale and use in Singapore.
Any person, or entity, who intends to import or sell telecommunications equipment in Singapore is required to obtain a telecommunication dealer’s license from IMDA. In addition, the equipment to be imported and/or intended to be sold for use in Singapore needs to be registered with IMDA as well. These procedures are in place to ensure that the equipment complies with the IMDA’s technical specifications, is compatible with the public telecommunication networks, and will not cause any radio frequency interference to other authorised radio-communication networks.
The Equipment Registration Framework outlines the procedures to be followed and requirements to be fulfilled by equipment suppliers seeking to register their telecommunication equipment for sale and use.106 Equipment registration is based on the submission of the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC). The SDoC signifies that the supplier has carried out conformity assessment on the equipment to IMDA's Standards. The supplier declares equipment conformity based on results of conformity assessment, supported by test reports and technical documents. IDA accepts test reports, which present test results of equipment testing done according to IDA's
106 All the specific details can be found here: https://www.ida.gov.sg/~/media/Files/PCDG/Licensees/Licensing/ERF/EQRGuide.pdf
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Standards by (i) testing labs recognised by IMDA under a phase I mutual recognition arrangement; (ii) testing labs accredited by accreditation bodies recognised by IMDA; or (iii) equipment manufacturers. IMDA also accepts equipment certification by local or foreign certification bodies recognised by IMDA under a phase II mutual recognition arrangement. Further guidelines on equipment registration framework can be found here.107
IMDA also publishes Reference Specifications & Documents which describe the network and network-to-network interface standards adopted or yet to be adopted by operators in Singapore. Consistent with the policy of technological neutrality, these NNI standards are for general information of, or reference by, operators, equipment suppliers, and the public.
The Telecommunication Standards Advisory Committee ("TSAC") is formally established to provide IMDA with the recommendations related to the following telecommunication standards.
◼ Future Networks
◼ Access Networks
◼ Multimedia
◼ Wireless Systems
◼ Comms Security
In addition, IMDA regulates the performance of key services offered by operators by setting Quality of Service (QoS) and requiring the operators to submit periodic reports of their service quality.
4.5 Related Acts and Bills
The Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act (CMCA) was first enacted in 1993 to counter the illegal use of computers to retrieve or amend data. Since its enactment, a number of revisions have been made to address the rapid development of cybercrime threats in Singapore. It was last
107 All the specific details can be found here: https://www.imda.gov.sg/~/media/imda/files/regulation%20licensing%20and%20consultations/licensing/licenses/eqrguide.pdf
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modified in April 2017, expanding its scope to confront the multitude of scale and transnational nature of online crimes taking place in the country, in addition to the ever-changing tactics of cybercriminals.108
With increasing threats from cybercriminals, the government has introduced The Cybersecurity Act 2018, which came into force on 31 August 2018. The Cybersecurity Act establishes legal framework for the oversight and maintenance of national cybersecurity in Singapore109. Its four key objectives are to:
◼ Strengthen the protection of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) against cyber-attacks. The Act provides a framework for the designation of CII, and provides CII owners with clarity on their obligations to proactively protect the CII from cyber-attacks. CII sectors are Energy, Water, Banking and Finance, Healthcare, Transport (which includes Land, Maritime, and Aviation), Infocomm, Media, Security and Emergency Services, and Government.
◼ Authorise the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) to prevent and respond to cybersecurity threats and incidents. The Act confers upon the Commissioner significant powers to respond to and address cybersecurity threats affecting Singapore. These include powers to seize evidence, examine persons and conduct investigations.
◼ Establish a framework for sharing cybersecurity information. The Act provides a framework for CSA to request information, and for the protection and sharing of such information.
◼ Establish a light-touch licensing framework for cybersecurity service providers. CSA adopts a light-touch approach to license only two types of service providers, namely penetration testing and managed security operations centre (SOC) monitoring.
Cessation of 2G-only terminal sale
On 15 June 2015, the IMDA granted approval to M1 Limited, SingTel Mobile Singapore Pte Ltd and StarHub Mobile Pte Ltd (collectively the “MTOs”) to cease the operation of their 2G networks and the provision of 2G services, with effect from 1 April 2017. With the closure of the 2G
108 https://www.mha.gov.sg/Newsroom/press-releases/Pages/Computer-Misuse-and-Cybersecurity-(Amendment)-Bill-.aspx 109 https://www.csa.gov.sg/legislation/cybersecurity-act
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networks, the IMDA stopped accepting new registrations and renewals of 2G-only mobile terminals with effect from 15 September 2015. Dealers/equipment suppliers who have previously registered 2G-only mobile terminals with IDA may, however, continue to import and sell such terminals for use in Singapore. Any other models of 2G-only mobile terminals that have not been registered with IMDA may be brought in for re-export purposes only, provided the dealers/equipment suppliers have obtained a Dealer’s Individual License.110
Cessation of Registration for Sale of Short Range Devices (“SRD”) that Operate in the 450 – 470 MHz Frequency Band
The 450 – 470 MHz frequency band has been allocated by the International Telecommunication Union for International Mobile Telecommunications (“IMT”) services. To prevent potential radio frequency interference to SRD operating in the 450 – 470 MHz frequency band by the IMT services, and vice versa, equipment registration (new/renewal) for SRD operating in the 450 –470 MHz frequency band ceased from 1 January 2018, and sale of such SRD ceased on 31 March 2018.111
Introduction of Payment Services Act 2019
The Payment Services (PS) Act was passed at the Singaporean Parliament on 14 January 2019 aiming to provide licensing and regulation of payment service providers, the oversight of payment systems and connected matters under one consolidated act while encouraging innovation and growth of payment services and FinTech. In April 2019, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued its consultation paper on the Proposed Regulations. The Proposed Regulations are intended to be the main regulations for licensees and other regulated persons under the Payment Services Act. The PS Act is targeted to come into force in January 2020.
110 https://www.imda.gov.sg/regulations-licensing-and-consultations/licensing/licences/licence-for-the-sale-of-telecommunication- equipment/equipment-registration-framework 111 https://www.imda.gov.sg/regulations-licensing-and-consultations/frameworks-and-policies/equipment-registration-framework
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5. Annex
5.1 List of Useful Contacts
Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) 1 Fusionpolis Way #20-10 Connexis North Tower Singapore 138632 Tel: +65-6826 6111 Fax: +65-6777 1711 Email: [email protected] Website: www.a-star.edu.sg
Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) 10 Pasir Panjang Road #10-01 Mapletree Business City Singapore 117438 Tel: +65 6211 2100 Fax: +65 6211 2222 Website: www.tech.gov.sg
Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) 10 Pasir Panjang Road #03-01 Mapletree Business City Singapore 117438 Tel: +65 6377 3800 Fax: +65 6211 2222 Email: [email protected] Website: www.imda.gov.sg
IT Standards Committee (ITSC) 10 Pasir Panjang Road #03-01 Mapletress Business City Singapore 117438 Tel: +65 6211 0888 Fax: +65 6211 2222 Email: [email protected] Website: https://itsc.imda.gov.sg
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Ministry of Trade and Industry 100 High Street #09-01 The Treasury Singapore 179434 Tel: +65-6225 9911 Fax: +65-6332 7260 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mti.gov.sg
SGTech (formerly Singapore infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF)) 79 Ayer Rajah Crescent #02-03/04/05 Singapore 139955 Tel: +65 6325 9700 Fax: +65 6325 4993 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.sgtech.org.sg
Enterprise Singapore (formerly Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING)) 1 Fusionopolis Walk #01-02 South Tower, Solaris, Singapore 138628 Tel: +65 6898 1800 Fax: +65 6278 6667 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.enterprisesg.gov.sg
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5.2 Starting a Business in Singapore
Why Singapore?
Singapore’s high ranking as the world’s second easiest place to do business (after New Zealand) makes it an attractive investment destination. Its high standard of living, high quality education, advanced infrastructure and technology and low crime rates makes it a popular global city in which to work and live.
Singapore welcomes individuals and corporations that are interested in doing business in Singapore. Many global corporations chose to locate their headquarters in Singapore because of its political stability, attractive corporate tax rates, as well as the strength of its legal and financial system. Due to its strategic geographical location, there is an unwavering preference for Singapore as a location for business expansion efforts.
Registering your business
It is easy to register a business, including foreign branch offices, online at Bizfile112 by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA).
Generally, European companies have the following options for business formation:
◼ Singapore Subsidiary - a locally incorporated company with the foreign parent company as a shareholder. Singapore allows 100% foreign shareholding. The company is entitled to local government incentives and privileges of tax treaties, which satisfies the qualifying conditions. It will be subjected to local corporate tax rates, has a separate legal identity and its liabilities do not impact the foreign parent company.
◼ Branch Office – a locally registered entity that acts as an extension of the foreign parent. Therefore, its liabilities are extended to the parent company. The revenue generated locally
112 https://www.bizfile.gov.sg
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will be subjected to tax. It will be taxed at the prevailing local tax rate although it is a non- resident for tax purposes.
◼ Representative Office – This type of entity is for the purpose of market research, administrative or liaison purposes only. It cannot engage in revenue generating activities. This entity is a transitory arrangement only because the registration is valid for one year, renewable for up to 3 years maximum; thereafter it must graduate to a subsidiary or branch office to continue its operations here.
Business Registration Procedure
All businesses must be registered with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). This includes any individual, firm or corporation that carries out business for a foreign company. The first step is to seek the ACRA’s approval of the name of the corporation, which can be done online.
Once the name is approved, the registration papers and information can be e-filled with ACRA for the registration of the foreign company. The following documents have to be submitted as well for registration:
◼ A certified copy of the corporation’s certificate of incorporation in its place of incorporation or origin, or a document of similar effect.
◼ A certified copy of the corporation’s certificate of change of name or a document of similar effect (if applicable).
◼ A certified copy of its charter, statues, or memorandum and articles of association or other instrument constituting or defining its structure.
◼ A list of its directors stating their names, residential addresses, nationalities, passport numbers, occupations and dates of appointment as directors.
◼ A memorandum of appointment of agents together with an affidavit. There must be at least two agents who must be Singaporean citizens, permanent residents or holders of valid Employment Passes.
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◼ Notice of the location of the corporation’s registered office in Singapore to which all communications and notices may be addressed.
A Singapore address for the business will be needed during the business registration. Businesses that do not require a physical premise can provide virtual addresses, which are offered by many professional service providers. As for businesses that require a physical premise, the individual or company can choose to operate from a home office, retail outlets or flatted factories depending on the nature of the business. Premises must be operated in accordance to the approved business use by the relevant authorities. The body monitoring the requirements of the Companies Act (CA) is ACRA.
Government Agencies
The Singaporean government provides support and assistance in all kinds of aspects to help businesses grow in Singapore. European companies looking to set up, operate and establish a business in Singapore will find it easier with assistance from the following government agencies:
◼ Economic Development Board (EDB) – Provides comprehensive investor support and ensures a first-rate pro-business environment in Singapore. It initiated the Global Investor Programme to help international corporations set up and operate businesses in Singapore. Contact Singapore, an alliance of the EDB assists in this programme by linking up entrepreneurs and investors with local business networks, as well as facilitating a range of immigration processes for their entry and stay in Singapore. Further information regarding the business opportunities of the programme, as well as the application process and requirements is on the EDB’s page (www.edb.gov.sg) or Contact Singapore’s webpage (www.contactsingapore.sg).
◼ Enterprise Singapore – An agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry which is the enterprise development agency to support Singapore small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the form of grants, loans and insurance, tax incentives, as well as non-financial assistance such as start-ups hubs and business toolkits. It was formed on 1 April 2018 after International Enterprise Singapore and SPRING merged. Enterprise Singapore acts as the
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national standards and accreditation body and boosts the country’s growth as a trading and start-up hub.
◼ Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) – ACRA oversees the registration and regulation of business entities and public accountants, and also provides information on new business structures, compliance requirements and corporate governance practices.
◼ SME Portal (formerly known as the EnterpriseOne Portal) - Makes an ideal one-stop site for enterprises and entrepreneurs looking to start, sustain and grow their businesses. It features links to government information and services, in addition to industry help and how-to guides.
◼ Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) provides the formulation and implementation of labour policies related to the workforce in Singapore. The ministry oversees matters related to immigration, issue of Employment Pass (EP) or working visas to foreign talent, and work permit transactions. Its website also contains information pertaining to labour, wages and employment in Singapore.
◼ Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) – the government agency that manages all the Singaporean tax requirements including individual income taxes, corporate taxes, withholding taxes for non-resident companies and GST.
Business Locations
Businesses have a variety of options to find a commercial premise that best meets one’s needs. This ranges from the heart of Singapore’s latest financial and business district in the Marina Bay Financial Centre to suburban offices in Jurong Lake District, Tampines and Paya Lebar.
In the industrial space market, there are developers like Ascendas, Mapletree and Soilbuild that offer many contemporary space options, from stack-up factories with dedicated loading and unloading bays to spaces for wet labs and research activities. Government bodies like HDB and JTC Corporation also provide industrial land and space options for industrialists engaging in high value-added industrial activities in Singapore. An example of an innovative and environmentally- friendly industrial space concept is JTC’s multi-tenanted Surface Engineering Hub which aims to
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minimise water and carbon footprint for companies engaging in electroplating and other similar processes.
JTC also develops specialised industrial parks in Singapore like the Seletar Aerospace Park, Tuas Biomedical Park and Jurong Island to support the growth and development of key manufacturing sectors. Such specialised industrial parks provide industrialists with the necessary supporting infrastructure and allow them to leverage the potential synergies by being clustered together. These specialised industrial parks in Singapore have proven to be attractive to companies and remain a cornerstone of Singapore’s industrial development.
Finding a Distributor in Singapore
One good way to establish a local presence is by working with agents and distributors in Singapore. Qualified agents and distributors can be found for nearly all kinds of products. A number of Singapore-based agents cover the ASEAN region as well as Singapore.
Singapore-based trade associations, chambers of commerce, and foreign commercial offices within EU Member State embassies are all good places to start the search for a distributor in Singapore. International business consultants with experience in helping foreign companies can also prove invaluable by facilitating introductions to qualified distributors. It is always best to meet a prospective distributor in person, and to check references.
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5.3 Useful Statistics
Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Total Infocomm Industry Revenue
Revenue (S$ billion) 111.2 152.9 163.7 185.8 173.1 199.2
Revenue by Domestic and Export Market
% of total revenue (Domestic Market) 30.5% 30.5% 29.7% 27.3% 26.8% 27.3%
% of total revenue (Export Market) 69.5% 69.5% 70.3% 72.7% 73.2% 72.7%
Total Infocomm Industry Revenue by Segment
Hardware 67.4% 69.7% 70.2% 74.6% 75.4% 74.2%
Software 11.6% 12.7% 12.0% 10.6% 8.8% 7.0%
IT Services 11.2% 9.5% 9.2% 8.1% 9.3% 13.6%
Telecommunication Services 9.7% 8.0% 8.5% 6.7% 6.4% 5.2% Table 12 : Singapore Infocomm Industry Performance, 2012-2017 Source: IMDA
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 391,816 299,180 288,088 322,620 388,991 China 129,345 97,037 107,253 122,251 129,239 Indonesia 22,663 19,859 21,181 26,538 96,561 Malaysia 106,131 57,969 45,692 53,714 52,094 Viet Nam 66,163 70,607 47,561 48,343 47,837 Philippines 13,885 13,657 25,617 26,854 17,194 Thailand 15,463 11,050 8,389 10,419 11,865 United States of 6,046 4,267 6,552 6,830 7,038 America Japan 7,624 5,831 5,330 7,314 6,897 France 5,639 5,332 7,325 5,514 5,128 Germany 1,210 2,548 2,343 2,745 2,922 Table 13: Imports of Printers - for computer output, not multi-functional, separate units (HS Code 844332) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 584,865 520,244 472,153 539,754 561,406 United States of 72,097 77,272 71,784 58,054 73,552 America Indonesia 47,979 39,323 43,078 49,277 72,743 China 34,640 40,173 39,643 69,497 57,695 Hong Kong, China 24,481 17,734 28,923 46,799 39,099 India 40,055 25,324 21,003 30,262 34,269 Thailand 35,557 29,458 31,958 32,764 33,095 Netherlands 22,828 14,271 21,411 37,558 28,991 Malaysia 62,990 53,253 34,522 26,633 28,668 Australia 20,332 19,436 18,244 20,497 28,276 Viet Nam 40,201 40,276 31,134 20,000 21,729 Table 14: Exports of Printers - for computer output, not multi-functional, separate units (HS Code 844332) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 1,347,671 1,410,867 1,125,997 1,271,697 1,278,975 China 1,234,665 1,316,431 1,041,208 1,197,996 1,229,962 United States of 24,983 6,857 6,399 7,208 12,343 America Malaysia 53,883 60,305 49,211 17,469 11,245 Taipei, Chinese 12,498 8,876 7,452 7,899 7,689 Hong Kong, China 1,477 2,392 4,596 2,214 3,018 Australia 1,538 2,914 3,848 2,317 2,433 Japan 9,635 4,149 3,972 3,613 2,344 India 320 301 111 537 1,959 United Kingdom 2,365 2,160 1,732 1,908 1,829 Canada 327 610 226 328 975 Table 15: Imports of Laptop and notebook computers (HS Code 84713020) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 698,642 712,718 667,312 705,461 767,728 Malaysia 111,520 132,427 137,382 147,998 154,283 Philippines 85,518 90,538 98,449 109,711 137,602 Indonesia 182,435 148,267 112,506 108,748 125,525 India 57,407 75,325 82,755 79,003 56,560 Bangladesh 52,125 52,300 54,460 51,500 47,987 Viet Nam 24,597 29,755 30,428 41,554 42,201 Sri Lanka 17,478 17,382 21,137 33,029 28,659 Cambodia 16,618 22,004 17,867 20,820 22,572 Pakistan 15,515 15,492 14,193 16,413 19,875 China 16,170 26,139 11,140 15,585 19,521 Table 16: Exports of Laptop and notebook computers (HS Code 84713020) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 84,733 118,161 147,936 115,430 543,637 China 43,029 87,228 116,358 89,229 489,172 Viet Nam 3,122 479 1,548 1,316 19,117 United States of 6,601 8,332 8,387 4,944 6,889 America Malaysia 6,902 7,295 6,006 7,814 4,430 Taipei, Chinese 2,069 2,464 2,314 2,273 4,422 Mexico 681 1,609 3,137 586 3,631 Hong Kong, China 2,134 1,145 3,037 864 3,072 United Kingdom 693 1,168 1,829 1,811 2,714 Germany 2,123 1,134 574 1,110 2,453 Japan 3,170 778 628 636 1,366 Table 17: Imports of Multimedia portable players - audio, video, software downloading (HS Code 84713090) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 209,054 225,520 228,341 190,924 525,194 Malaysia 20,847 14,506 16,735 10,953 76,136 United States of 21,423 36,348 9,899 9,993 48,329 America China 2,483 10,176 18,551 12,053 42,251 Viet Nam 40,804 41,666 25,196 3,746 41,813 Indonesia 15,366 30,001 76,689 31,667 41,660 India 9,573 9,727 8,757 6,747 41,649 Australia 6,211 6,710 2,899 4,717 40,439 Hong Kong, China 16,395 17,387 10,450 13,611 34,325 Thailand 1,709 1,384 2,402 3,945 23,863 Japan 390 606 1,658 540 23,360 Table 18: Exports of Multimedia portable players - audio, video, software downloading (HS Code 84713090) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 616,055 585,430 462,855 431,119 N/A China 524,737 479,824 399,291 391,096 N/A Viet Nam 20,063 44,045 18,764 19,106 N/A Malaysia 58,095 50,993 32,140 9,069 N/A Hong Kong, China 2,533 1,183 1,958 2,542 N/A United States of 2,382 1,720 2,487 2,241 N/A America Taipei, Chinese 1,786 2,414 2,676 1,829 N/A Mexico 1,219 353 521 1,180 N/A Japan 818 473 871 989 N/A United Kingdom 315 1,152 542 466 N/A Germany 1,028 382 229 431 N/A Table 19: Imports of Handheld computers incl palmtops & personal digital assistants (PDAs) (HS Code 84713010) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 492,189 413,568 403,834 313,617 N/A Malaysia 126,630 152,903 99,447 63,092 N/A China 41,399 43,343 32,494 42,123 N/A Viet Nam 17,296 7,315 26,963 34,794 N/A India 42,270 27,111 27,593 31,026 N/A Indonesia 59,604 26,928 22,024 27,862 N/A Hong Kong, China 85,709 74,094 53,712 24,987 N/A United States of 18,301 13,828 25,731 13,910 N/A America Japan 4,620 1,556 12,364 11,966 N/A Thailand 34,618 17,052 34,908 9,714 N/A Macao, China 128 0 2,817 8,499 N/A Table 20: Exports of Handheld computers incl palmtops & personal digital assistants (PDAs) (HS Code 84713010) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 303,446 266,687 251,197 280,328 280,475 China 132,029 154,177 150,909 134,468 142,398 United States of 36,517 17,126 24,597 55,459 77,411 America Taipei, Chinese 4,778 3,037 3,422 5,479 16,434 Germany 6,811 2,684 6,353 5,696 7,414 France 1,149 2,037 2,312 3,972 5,139 United Kingdom 1,600 1,563 1,771 2,288 4,441 Canada 1,394 1,008 965 794 4,012 Netherlands 724 629 666 3,117 3,017 Malaysia 85,874 63,050 43,672 22,078 2,861 Japan 6,839 2,652 1,008 2,148 2,658 Table 21: Imports of Desktop computer systems, personal computers (PCs) and tower computer systems (HS Code 847149) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 222,836 254,912 268,883 318,725 333,246 Philippines 21,411 66,339 74,612 73,966 104,051 Indonesia 17,329 29,044 20,283 64,800 30,572 Viet Nam 31,025 43,118 33,976 39,740 29,179 Malaysia 16,268 9,163 10,425 21,277 26,239 United States of 10,717 3,880 5,641 9,236 20,741 America India 17,091 27,051 37,554 32,038 18,588 Czech Republic 3,260 3,141 2,429 6,212 15,179 Canada 205 136 225 2,879 11,946 Japan 2,935 1,568 1,618 5,161 10,044 Sri Lanka 6,386 3,431 4,095 5,149 9,706 Table 22: Exports of Desktop computer systems, personal computers (PCs) and tower computer systems (HS Code 847149) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 31,334 25,443 35,723 32,831 25,651 China 22,420 18,691 31,561 29,916 23,544 Viet Nam 635 1,479 137 217 615 United States of 2,502 944 406 508 432 America Taipei, Chinese 893 126 107 119 214 Sweden 926 305 251 213 176 Germany 407 311 452 129 166 Mexico 892 930 562 228 150 Hong Kong, China 255 158 128 373 114 France 33 43 399 64 45 United Kingdom 184 467 284 140 35 Table 23: Imports of Keyboards - for computer systems, separate units (HS Code 84716030) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 26,249 32,858 38,179 39,067 33,632 Australia 2,998 3,225 3,410 5,454 7,201 Korea, Republic of 638 866 3,106 5,750 5,564 Japan 1,190 1,725 3,310 4,790 4,917 Thailand 893 596 2,936 4,384 3,632 Malaysia 8,216 13,716 6,608 3,991 2,126 Hong Kong, China 514 1,083 2,412 1,266 2,055 Philippines 769 774 550 651 1,298 China 2,251 1,577 2,082 2,074 937 United States of 1,218 849 511 2,410 926 America India 2,304 2,031 1,671 1,069 675 Table 24: Exports of Keyboards - for computer systems, separate units (HS Code 84716030) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 28,602 49,846 42,179 41,274 38,339 China 13,736 27,362 23,997 25,844 18,850 Korea, Republic of 9,132 14,914 12,463 9,073 12,247 Japan 2,932 4,144 2,504 3,593 2,833 Indonesia 155 23 227 1,279 1,611 Malaysia 353 770 1,108 105 1,234 Hong Kong, China 154 1,018 584 358 560 United States of 685 508 403 346 322 America Germany 234 137 197 227 277 Taipei, Chinese 344 495 343 177 211 China 13,736 27,362 23,997 25,844 18,850 Table 25: Imports of Mouse, trackballs, joysticks for computers and other X-Y coordinate input devices - separate units (HS Code 84716040) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 24,374 27,622 45,716 56,083 69,387 Thailand 2,127 772 3,550 6,915 20,464 Korea, Republic of 2,650 2,512 4,462 10,104 15,567 Malaysia 2,764 4,047 10,044 10,508 9,798 China 1,977 2,152 4,489 7,220 6,918 Indonesia 6,507 8,288 10,299 7,030 3,923 Australia 1,489 1,041 1,740 2,395 2,800 India 703 1,108 1,402 1,648 2,034 Hong Kong, China 927 392 647 1,151 1,693 Japan 1,518 1,378 917 1,559 1,228 Viet Nam 1,541 1,764 2,560 3,458 940 Table 26: Exports of Mouse, trackballs, joysticks for computers and other X-Y coordinate input devices - separate units (HS Code 84716040) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 1,953,908 1,979,141 1,535,576 1,855,402 1,495,242 China 660,938 767,105 541,623 794,011 709,362 Thailand 620,500 663,208 414,542 363,716 251,546 Philippines 96,782 88,987 87,176 104,314 102,533 United States of 138,690 107,258 106,009 97,733 95,912 America Malaysia 137,870 156,773 201,686 277,531 89,449 Mexico 17,751 23,626 32,793 60,958 78,045 Netherlands 9,792 7,761 11,986 25,987 30,915 Korea, Republic of 28,734 22,737 16,228 29,762 30,555 Taipei, Chinese 16,654 12,283 13,129 20,848 28,615 Japan 125,176 61,558 56,239 26,074 13,668 Table 27: Imports of Central storage units - for example RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) systems (HS Code 847170) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 3,309,054 3,154,853 2,479,952 2,433,530 2,072,270 Japan 531,651 486,857 436,967 450,653 510,873 Australia 318,921 338,543 252,797 236,682 191,810 China 510,534 475,990 286,244 260,049 184,061 India 129,344 151,242 140,484 168,386 181,723 Korea, Republic of 112,125 234,958 159,947 165,782 150,491 Hong Kong, China 262,684 187,148 190,279 223,316 138,381 Indonesia 151,781 121,940 136,093 117,497 115,989 United States of 451,066 323,929 183,230 154,949 114,883 America Thailand 119,262 163,506 92,076 116,621 104,104 Malaysia 151,171 160,039 211,536 160,774 97,749 Table 28: Exports of Central storage units - for example RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) systems (HS Code 847170) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 81,203 86,068 47,778 47,970 24,351 China 27,471 37,084 20,054 11,752 8,365 Thailand 15,127 7,891 8,312 18,509 4,420 United States of 11,226 4,180 2,867 3,417 2,801 America Mexico 79 213 905 1,210 2,229 Malaysia 13,578 27,387 3,991 4,109 1,816 Japan 1,456 1,396 1,678 1,702 1,542 Netherlands 4,603 19 5,900 3,634 877 Korea, Republic of 131 197 194 428 600 Ireland 1,118 843 1,006 320 492 Taipei, Chinese 192 216 202 1,218 257 Table 29: Imports of Optical disk drives incl CD-ROM drives & CD-R drives (HS Code 84717040) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 63,576 68,622 54,935 54,959 49,681 Japan 5,518 6,851 6,217 6,708 10,696 Thailand 1,020 4,241 8,100 10,981 9,738 Hong Kong, China 13,299 3,176 3,377 5,080 4,463 United States of 14,383 31,065 7,795 10,430 4,173 America Bangladesh 698 41 1,595 100 3,507 Indonesia 3,160 3,135 1,291 1,044 2,510 Netherlands 2,545 166 3,555 2,815 2,493 China 4,635 4,375 5,133 2,988 2,312 Malaysia 4,800 3,420 4,546 4,890 2,302 India 2,338 2,800 2,122 2,031 1,917 Table 30: Exports of Optical disk drives incl CD-ROM drives & CD-R drives (HS Code 84717040) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 1,535,414 1,550,325 1,112,352 1,191,989 709,623 China 524,418 638,965 475,212 519,108 273,375 Thailand 597,565 645,730 384,967 332,086 234,293 Philippines 88,004 70,058 75,071 92,041 86,421 Malaysia 99,941 72,005 88,529 164,305 27,931 Netherlands 1,538 7,431 4,131 6,320 25,499 Korea, Republic of 17,134 16,238 12,553 17,728 19,007 United States of 48,671 45,425 33,172 31,147 16,094 America Japan 118,064 31,444 13,650 7,395 7,852 Taipei, Chinese 7,328 4,070 7,108 7,201 4,542 Czech Republic 1,114 62 3,883 2,957 3,378 Table 31: Imports of Hard disk drives (HS Code 84717020) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 2,044,290 1,811,226 1,273,589 1,200,243 753,519 Japan 324,793 303,079 217,734 195,785 183,717 Hong Kong, China 193,652 112,913 121,774 162,768 81,595 Indonesia 126,142 94,801 102,469 91,909 71,828 Malaysia 116,500 128,824 129,968 109,965 68,470 Thailand 87,377 121,846 56,987 74,298 61,252 Australia 199,434 183,047 118,233 89,183 58,031 India 62,610 71,370 58,168 58,596 46,972 Korea, Republic of 63,263 109,422 39,694 39,155 34,789 China 255,419 217,356 113,215 107,256 33,828 United States of 278,901 148,459 96,763 73,909 19,087 America Table 32: Exports of Hard disk drives (HS Code 84717020) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 18,977 30,422 36,928 46,090 43,938 China 16,473 28,743 34,988 39,910 35,278 United States of 879 395 553 2,722 3,207 America Taipei, Chinese 393 95 47 72 1,448 Germany 56 65 148 1,612 839 Hong Kong, China 143 187 3 396 458 Denmark 0 2 0 0 431 Sudan 0 0 0 0 343 Malaysia 304 247 64 408 333 United Kingdom 71 190 389 219 303 Thailand 15 9 13 9 178 Table 33: Imports of Sound cards & video cards (HS Code 84718070) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 9,573 14,683 17,483 19,817 21,324 Japan 1,641 3,772 3,398 5,963 7,177 China 1,174 3,728 4,267 6,011 2,996 Indonesia 385 616 523 280 2,771 United States of 795 514 1,060 699 2,209 America Korea, Republic of 289 940 3,408 2,542 1,217 Czech Republic 44 204 131 554 1,148 Hong Kong, China 1,171 1,465 570 689 1,117 India 421 1,105 1,239 888 680 Taipei, Chinese 150 420 344 573 459 Australia 425 614 451 431 437 Table 34: Exports of Sound cards & video cards (HS Code 84718070) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 814,701 895,538 939,105 1,014,508 1,003,910 China 340,759 360,313 387,991 352,140 352,881 Malaysia 53,171 83,962 118,524 150,948 148,566 United States of 77,126 65,176 77,075 82,095 97,014 America Indonesia 59,666 67,741 36,395 81,450 63,415 Japan 22,332 19,283 32,912 65,133 37,562 Philippines 20,258 22,434 25,115 32,643 37,307 Germany 39,757 31,161 21,527 23,579 36,472 Taipei, Chinese 33,922 64,408 71,976 29,969 29,584 Thailand 24,857 27,883 25,529 26,705 23,163 Netherlands 6,943 8,624 22,913 9,098 23,129 Table 35: Imports of Power Supply Units (PSUs) for computer units, separate units (HS Code 850440) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 682,372 770,265 800,803 770,471 922,814 United States of 66,985 88,394 103,873 104,168 126,231 America Japan 58,842 71,990 69,544 84,160 107,777 Malaysia 102,017 126,722 151,097 113,790 107,036 Indonesia 45,397 46,459 31,707 43,303 72,158 Korea, Republic of 41,473 41,055 28,046 27,362 54,244 China 62,704 56,741 51,859 45,865 52,934 India 36,011 42,572 35,180 37,979 47,705 Hong Kong, China 31,167 24,130 29,325 26,947 41,039 Australia 21,373 23,228 24,644 32,818 37,811 Thailand 30,815 39,060 33,250 36,638 36,737 Table 36: Exports of Power Supply Units (PSUs) for computer units, separate units (HS Code 850440) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 2,327,828 2,333,801 2,631,078 2,919,612 3,166,464 China 975,479 1,085,250 1,220,910 1,351,023 1,510,397 United States of 419,321 352,336 370,431 403,063 439,335 America Malaysia 367,858 378,932 410,355 415,665 387,597 Mexico 68,378 121,191 150,070 185,419 171,815 Thailand 56,545 74,536 113,910 112,671 114,991 Taipei, Chinese 39,064 48,601 55,494 102,010 102,695 Germany 67,803 31,774 30,222 33,903 47,481 Korea, Republic of 9,828 5,018 4,121 5,909 40,295 United Kingdom 31,009 35,683 34,164 70,619 38,241 Israel 25,223 25,405 21,817 31,486 37,393 Table 37: Imports of Network Communication System (HS Code 851762) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 2,833,309 3,046,196 3,311,188 3,718,412 3,880,659 United States of 449,109 412,185 466,483 441,978 587,157 America India 270,703 410,593 451,355 509,957 557,117 Japan 260,571 225,357 225,945 425,293 434,616 China 263,892 330,768 384,943 291,178 252,668 Hong Kong, China 142,077 203,883 203,646 282,207 228,933 Indonesia 135,919 124,716 170,893 226,317 217,523 Thailand 103,313 92,944 104,916 216,374 215,847 Australia 194,838 259,136 201,194 209,754 204,705 Malaysia 129,685 155,517 187,499 223,886 200,749 Netherlands 186,652 189,269 178,412 180,856 170,984 Table 38: Exports of Network Communication System (HS Code 851762) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 28,015 21,876 27,263 25,156 26,715 China 11,075 7,718 13,678 11,286 13,802 Mexico 272 447 376 1,580 2,528 United States of 3,715 4,444 4,261 5,287 1,951 America Malaysia 143 130 381 1,073 1,867 Indonesia 355 487 1,800 1,160 1,175 Viet Nam 19 14 327 825 965 Germany 670 783 929 515 689 Norway 5,337 2,052 745 736 546 Taipei, Chinese 710 618 944 457 513 United Kingdom 2,490 1,249 733 503 425 Table 39: Imports of Speakers - single loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851821) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 17,500 20,882 19,410 21,665 21,909 Indonesia 2,610 5,185 4,426 8,240 4,129 India 1,401 1,462 1,434 1,717 2,638 Malaysia 2,092 1,547 1,380 1,943 2,592 China 1,331 954 1,595 868 1,809 Viet Nam 546 2,195 1,248 1,043 1,490 Philippines 1,537 1,378 1,366 1,110 1,222 Hong Kong, China 1,445 1,324 1,415 710 732 Australia 552 763 646 719 714 Turkey 727 594 339 297 657 Thailand 513 367 308 380 625 Table 40: Exports of Speakers - single loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851821) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 55,625 52,143 43,711 58,208 58,896 Malaysia 2,989 4,369 5,889 11,395 21,334 China 23,064 19,930 17,611 24,928 20,638 France 1,446 2,391 633 2,410 3,002 Germany 2,007 1,438 1,971 2,814 2,669 Mexico 10,057 7,673 5,297 5,699 2,544 United States of 8,816 6,890 2,849 2,714 2,458 America Italy 725 947 773 980 1,652 United Kingdom 2,054 1,143 1,346 1,191 935 Indonesia 358 1,432 2,237 646 628 Denmark 833 2,172 1,081 1,130 559 Table 41: Imports of Speakers - multiple loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851822) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 36,339 28,448 23,134 26,247 36,526 United States of 207 230 447 625 4,820 America Indonesia 7,106 6,349 4,429 6,572 4,107 India 2,108 1,444 1,383 2,869 3,671 China 3,211 3,458 2,309 2,290 3,657 Belgium 18 61 0 146 3,517 Japan 4,006 2,860 1,882 1,552 3,010 Viet Nam 993 1,063 1,530 2,159 2,862 Malaysia 1,766 1,748 1,553 2,107 1,957 Australia 2,898 1,719 1,324 1,621 1,603 Korea, Republic of 1,892 2,633 1,985 1,372 1,372 Table 42: Exports of Speakers - multiple loudspeaker, separate units (HS Code 851822) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 66,986 67,691 106,895 71,298 40,173 China 35,036 17,332 27,081 12,001 9,789 Malaysia 5,850 23,044 57,168 41,341 8,206 United States of 4,447 4,364 3,375 3,837 6,270 America Hong Kong, China 666 870 343 1,716 2,555 Taipei, Chinese 2,115 2,793 2,704 2,560 2,305 Indonesia 2,430 3,934 4,007 2,944 1,707 Korea, Republic of 1,083 689 695 890 1,559 Belgium 757 1,504 20 15 1,554 Canada 12 15 57 1,129 1,361 Denmark 61 294 40 406 1,267 Table 43: Imports of Laser Discs for recording or reproducing video (HS Code 852190) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 63,387 45,313 66,323 55,193 31,904 Indonesia 12,993 11,176 10,425 5,339 5,375 India 2,805 3,096 5,505 6,924 4,286 United States of 3,747 3,186 7,834 5,728 3,750 America Japan 1,397 2,112 9,866 7,223 2,610 China 1,919 1,553 1,808 3,779 2,345 United Kingdom 418 934 4,478 3,666 2,037 Hong Kong, China 1,430 1,034 1,100 795 1,323 Malaysia 5,711 3,752 2,136 2,383 1,318 Thailand 2,107 1,250 662 1,014 790 Philippines 7,149 3,234 1,498 1,476 734 Table 44: Exports of Laser Discs for recording or reproducing video (HS Code 852190) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 45,519 48,798 88,357 97,949 8,657 Japan 10,813 9,136 5,343 3,796 4,429 China 6,699 4,466 3,080 8,981 3,787 United States of 1,905 379 82 173 368 America Hong Kong, China 15 2 299 197 26 Thailand 490 11 10 12 23 Germany 37 6 6 26 10 United Arab Emirates 0 0 0 0 6 Taipei, Chinese 35 7 124 4 2 France 0 0 1 0 2 Malaysia 25,333 34,717 79,316 84,653 2 Table 45: Imports of Floppy Disks not over 4 mm (HS Code 85232911) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 6,161 24,095 25,247 56,450 26,638 Thailand 137 14,247 16,998 44,487 21,239 Malaysia 618 325 4,345 9,286 3,990 China 353 4,075 815 644 735 Hong Kong, China 118 2,700 765 106 200 United States of 263 235 63 10 159 America Bangladesh 375 999 1,080 1,266 113 United Kingdom 3 0 17 2 87 Viet Nam 70 139 16 18 32 Indonesia 487 322 376 143 27 United Arab Emirates 26 0 0 11 21 Table 46: Exports of Floppy Disks not over 4 mm (HS Code 85232911) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 6,637 3,422 2,138 2,901 2,907 Japan 6,475 3,363 2,031 2,713 2,839 China 1 5 0 29 33 Hong Kong, China 0 0 57 72 22 United States of 27 6 36 79 13 America Indonesia 0 0 1 0 0 Ireland 5 49 0 5 0 Czech Republic 1 0 0 0 0 Estonia 1 0 0 0 0 France 9 0 0 0 0 Germany 108 0 5 0 0 Table 47: Imports of Floppy Disks over 6.5 mm (HS Code 85232931) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 718 726 352 79 214 Philippines 47 1 0 0 101 Indonesia 105 66 0 44 62 Hong Kong, China 28 177 0 0 15 Thailand 14 15 5 0 10 Viet Nam 0 0 0 9 6 Korea, Republic of 0 0 150 0 5 Australia 39 0 12 0 5 Malaysia 195 0 0 5 2 New Zealand 12 0 0 0 2 Pakistan 0 0 0 0 2 Table 48: Exports of Floppy Disks over 6.5 mm (HS Code 85232931) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 55,309 26,366 15,857 10,612 5,791 Taipei, Chinese 5,786 3,601 4,734 1,274 1,472 United States of 3,604 3,152 1,387 2,563 862 America Hong Kong, China 1,138 326 500 659 647 China 2,711 3,910 3,945 3,552 627 Japan 32,141 8,329 2,706 461 423 Germany 2,372 218 198 197 420 Malaysia 1,267 476 53 36 223 United Arab Emirates 340 131 112 735 194 United Kingdom 392 490 61 137 166 Ireland 2,182 1,542 829 79 125 Table 49: Imports of Optical Media/Disks for Computer Use (HS Code 852341) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 19,233 75,203 69,121 14,863 11,940 China 2,389 3,813 5,262 6,840 6,434 Indonesia 2,928 3,308 1,294 965 858 Malaysia 1,062 801 5,263 703 745 Korea, Republic of 1,014 381 305 625 634 Canada 20 1,011 1,816 979 532 United Kingdom 51 8 165 344 445 India 566 181 421 456 356 Viet Nam 2,286 1,500 627 1,124 309 Australia 1,581 447 17 89 294 Macao, China 0 17 0 0 171 Table 50: Exports of Optical Media/Disks for Computer Use (HS Code 852341) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 169,981 117,487 124,984 104,227 105,299 China 76,961 33,250 42,977 22,530 22,634 Malaysia 6,489 3,547 2,374 3,020 13,848 United States of 22,920 21,434 19,175 14,166 11,864 America Germany 13,843 1,907 2,737 5,868 5,379 Mexico 2,027 2,532 3,134 9,751 5,318 Viet Nam 101 308 2,326 4,693 5,295 Japan 5,753 7,243 10,234 3,145 4,832 Israel 4,150 3,961 3,606 5,138 4,600 Poland 8,920 8,595 9,987 5,313 4,270 Taipei, Chinese 2,397 3,801 6,368 5,180 3,919 Table 51: Imports of Network Communication Devices in Wired or Wireless Network such as LAN and WAN (HS Code 851769) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 159,046 146,117 156,654 112,609 96,049 India 35,704 24,516 23,876 25,286 32,951 United States of 11,254 10,777 9,166 3,816 8,073 America China 7,203 6,263 14,344 5,108 6,812 Thailand 4,668 4,363 2,053 3,951 5,643 Indonesia 21,429 18,792 10,034 6,716 5,493 Philippines 3,862 4,757 4,554 4,312 4,993 Malaysia 4,847 3,744 4,108 5,498 3,268 Viet Nam 1,695 2,533 5,166 2,893 2,883 Hong Kong, China 9,798 5,725 26,155 29,992 2,832 United Arab Emirates 1,652 3,966 1,711 699 2,115 Table 52: Exports of Network Communication Devices in Wired or Wireless Network such as LAN and WAN (HS Code 851769) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 95,812 97,236 106,831 150,884 89,778 Ireland 15,128 30,922 28,163 57,210 31,081 United States of 27,657 25,228 23,869 19,457 15,685 America Germany 18,175 5,739 6,846 7,343 8,779 China 4,702 6,041 14,873 29,899 6,361 Japan 4,559 6,065 13,252 15,413 4,948 Hong Kong, China 4,547 5,296 4,562 3,403 4,129 United Kingdom 3,529 1,898 2,565 2,791 3,533 Netherlands 1,315 1,005 1,132 4,050 1,539 Taipei, Chinese 2,056 1,891 1,287 1,062 1,334 Canada 1,506 1,822 894 601 1,321 Table 53: Imports of Software on CD or DVD - programs or data, music or other sound (HS Code 852349) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 1,259,238 749,889 602,999 534,902 513,870 China 405,617 73,169 57,549 76,168 75,784 Japan 320,201 233,677 175,961 78,893 75,711 Malaysia 43,314 33,773 23,424 26,705 40,298 United States of 24,842 26,570 31,518 29,755 31,177 America Hong Kong, China 35,833 35,410 23,437 41,761 30,819 Korea, Republic of 50,411 29,668 28,417 22,059 29,485 Czech Republic 10,733 9,636 21,770 33,117 29,328 Canada 11,034 8,298 12,315 16,324 27,765 India 28,070 25,451 19,311 23,038 23,901 Indonesia 16,619 29,826 31,328 38,620 22,897 Table 54: Exports of Software on CD or DVD - programs or data, music or other sound (HS Code 852349) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 288,808 376,861 497,714 1,179,506 1,202,463 China 112,126 137,048 195,099 738,739 803,382 Philippines 11,933 35,663 11,758 67,287 96,732 Japan 15,089 16,237 14,464 49,621 55,982 United States of 32,317 9,724 20,600 57,637 50,219 America Malaysia 42,403 85,562 177,178 133,698 39,881 Taipei, Chinese 52,914 63,796 35,295 57,845 37,926 Mexico 164 201 1,420 3,531 37,148 Korea, Republic of 3,765 10,643 15,417 21,622 23,904 Hong Kong, China 3,465 3,032 2,557 10,132 22,361 Thailand 581 996 5,970 16,229 13,782 Table 55: Imports of Flash memory cards (HS Code 852351) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 810,467 1,329,460 1,830,112 2,801,190 2,662,147 Hong Kong, China 57,971 55,038 128,715 377,575 698,824 United States of 312,814 567,277 622,291 874,080 659,442 America China 40,506 74,825 277,365 751,438 647,970 France 570 1,687 33,122 90,469 132,236 Japan 41,885 76,422 81,385 75,501 132,199 Taipei, Chinese 41,862 58,059 81,719 90,102 87,790 Mexico 77,957 128,125 115,084 80,708 41,582 Indonesia 37,912 22,624 33,975 53,627 41,244 Malaysia 9,885 27,588 155,331 137,600 41,059 Korea, Republic of 3,801 8,794 27,662 27,621 29,531 Table 56: Exports of Flash memory cards (HS Code 852351) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 39,762 39,635 37,984 61,054 63,927 China 8,755 13,451 16,811 24,608 32,606 Germany 4,779 3,429 6,173 8,403 6,673 Portugal 487 1,738 1,647 3,418 3,612 Japan 3,068 2,004 2,355 4,190 3,520 Korea, Republic of 1,469 1,373 1,675 2,462 3,283 United States of 1,920 1,622 1,012 2,034 2,382 America Taipei, Chinese 6,684 1,932 1,029 967 2,109 Netherlands 1,514 1,951 996 770 1,757 Hong Kong, China 435 856 535 1,368 1,048 Canada 574 1,246 1,372 932 744 Table 57: Imports of Web cameras (HS Code 85258010) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 66,904 66,543 66,974 89,431 115,830 China 21,277 12,387 21,840 28,113 28,486 Hong Kong, China 4,185 3,179 2,332 8,204 18,595 India 3,960 4,696 6,288 11,909 17,146 Korea, Republic of 1,396 760 1,207 1,263 7,778 Indonesia 3,452 5,101 5,229 7,066 6,493 Taipei, Chinese 2,368 3,287 5,087 3,997 6,174 New Zealand 1,594 3,793 3,682 2,223 3,937 Viet Nam 1,624 2,059 3,709 3,974 3,920 Malaysia 6,528 4,150 2,785 2,608 3,584 Thailand 5,231 2,888 706 1,938 3,295 Table 58: Exports of Web cameras (HS Code 85258010) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 954,246 752,984 618,769 747,313 726,682 Japan 349,799 230,750 209,073 283,730 226,364 China 141,200 117,537 105,168 136,619 119,857 Malaysia 114,369 77,921 42,940 53,569 74,832 Thailand 114,257 96,828 72,631 66,356 72,978 Taipei, Chinese 66,498 65,375 35,728 31,367 45,680 Germany 22,510 20,207 22,420 34,952 36,649 United States of 42,993 30,604 29,677 24,840 28,609 America Poland 3,920 5,512 7,706 8,501 16,750 Korea, Republic of 11,558 6,737 12,751 14,263 15,520 Canada 7,317 6,670 7,844 8,117 9,983 Table 59: Imports of Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders (HS Code 852580) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 822,841 699,680 640,029 685,551 785,064 Hong Kong, China 121,317 88,882 72,426 115,281 173,293 Indonesia 144,117 83,636 104,890 91,802 88,111 India 41,972 43,288 38,797 43,644 76,084 Thailand 89,275 80,955 82,423 66,894 65,475 Malaysia 65,234 53,450 45,060 44,584 56,919 Taipei, Chinese 7,684 7,385 10,419 31,084 52,483 China 68,171 63,356 101,614 105,281 49,982 Viet Nam 57,174 33,682 40,272 41,076 42,580 United States of 32,082 29,412 16,652 14,920 31,862 America Korea, Republic of 5,606 5,502 9,282 13,387 20,687 Table 60: Exports of Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders (HS Code 852580) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 192,031 142,292 128,696 163,736 226,639 United States of 97,290 68,084 67,902 101,929 165,668 America Taipei, Chinese 19,815 10,807 11,145 12,397 11,638 China 5,905 7,873 8,084 7,426 9,517 France 9,838 10,732 8,823 5,610 8,841 Malaysia 2,233 2,489 4,173 4,306 5,895 Australia 362 760 168 1,213 3,998 Japan 13,703 10,351 5,857 3,238 3,436 Germany 12,239 9,879 7,995 6,477 2,016 Austria 281 363 435 1,133 1,676 Thailand 62 1,596 3,156 1,827 1,619 Table 61: Imports of Radio navigational aid apparatus (HS Code 852691) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 113,864 137,808 168,469 194,511 179,793 Japan 2,116 1,771 17,852 37,574 43,509 Russian Federation 14,815 27,801 24,519 32,142 39,091 China 23,353 25,095 45,731 37,452 32,094 Indonesia 12,757 11,220 9,856 12,163 12,877 United States of 6,901 9,536 4,609 7,708 9,513 America Germany 45 3,755 2,755 2,669 6,399 Malaysia 4,400 5,820 8,531 3,818 5,392 Korea, Republic of 10,200 6,386 7,951 5,588 4,476 Australia 1,424 3,805 6,974 7,917 4,162 France 701 1,465 2,833 2,050 2,942 Table 62: Exports of Radio navigational aid apparatus (HS Code 852691) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 6,880 7,490 4,869 3,464 5,050 China 3,465 3,911 2,567 1,717 1,767 Malaysia 1,335 1,587 530 61 1,549 Indonesia 1,333 1,764 1,211 1,491 1,369 Germany 9 0 0 0 101 United Kingdom 1 0 6 2 65 Hong Kong, China 104 46 161 40 62 United States of 104 44 92 40 59 America Philippines 61 12 14 1 20 Italy 39 0 2 6 19 Taipei, Chinese 99 33 58 4 13 Table 63: Imports of MP3 players - no video capability, with radio (HS Code 852713) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 37,859 7,965 4,426 3,537 11,896 Philippines 190 46 44 92 7,894 Hong Kong, China 2,782 2,505 837 144 1,217 Viet Nam 27,702 616 402 682 584 Indonesia 576 681 473 326 425 Israel 1,260 717 710 781 364 United Arab Emirates 773 460 418 457 301 India 141 92 133 166 296 Malaysia 91 65 253 249 234 Canada 153 202 0 5 115 Japan 496 468 18 13 84 Table 64: Exports of MP3 players - no video capability, with radio (HS Code 852713) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 8,356 20,664 12,149 10,760 19,177 China 4,832 14,944 3,171 4,988 12,415 Indonesia 2,131 5,602 8,008 5,596 5,999 Viet Nam 0 0 0 0 625 United States of 3 4 32 9 99 America Malaysia 76 0 46 1 13 Taipei, Chinese 163 2 47 5 7 Greece 0 0 0 0 5 France 7 6 9 12 4 Hong Kong, China 58 3 33 1 3 United Kingdom 133 41 15 14 3 Table 65: Imports of Television PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) tuner card assemblies (HS Code 85287111) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 1,744 2,932 2,952 695 330 Ireland 0 14 9 309 162 Indonesia 321 44 848 16 86 Cambodia 16 0 0 0 39 Philippines 0 3 61 8 15 Malaysia 158 1,241 1,007 2 6 Thailand 0 8 65 0 6 United States of 84 30 10 3 5 America India 37 0 10 1 5 Bangladesh 71 278 201 89 4 Lithuania 0 0 0 0 2 Table 66: Exports of Television PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) tuner card assemblies (HS Code 85287111) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 213,682 162,080 185,806 223,321 368,821 Taipei, Chinese 9,045 6,160 8,593 31,706 85,681 Malaysia 31,298 21,836 18,891 35,767 73,909 United States of 37,353 32,111 32,342 33,503 48,593 America Germany 19,225 20,679 15,481 30,792 31,800 China 30,424 17,513 53,239 21,165 30,658 Japan 21,973 22,086 16,694 25,636 26,178 Korea, Republic of 4,565 3,005 2,254 5,297 19,594 United Kingdom 14,061 10,463 7,609 5,456 7,242 Switzerland 2,976 830 3,223 5,842 6,349 India 329 1,868 2,277 2,365 4,336 Table 67: Imports of Electronic personal organisers - or palm-held portables (HS Code 85437090) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 398,443 355,270 380,690 409,799 416,295 United States of 51,985 70,727 81,424 94,407 91,067 America Hong Kong, China 56,354 88,213 114,777 94,671 63,959 China 34,006 28,319 28,281 34,093 40,274 Indonesia 23,837 26,277 14,785 20,087 29,569 Malaysia 26,093 16,974 20,458 20,770 20,742 Japan 14,554 9,917 20,211 15,755 18,180 Netherlands 1,846 1,391 2,252 4,660 17,881 Germany 17,030 15,295 19,133 24,567 17,676 Taipei, Chinese 6,664 5,087 8,034 10,144 16,896 India 24,392 10,702 11,115 16,938 16,601 Table 68: Exports of Electronic personal organisers - or palm-held portables (HS Code 85437090) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
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Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Imported value Exporters in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 5,239,490 4,731,997 4,259,085 4,874,785 4,898,162 China 2,260,655 2,065,406 1,773,467 2,324,142 2,198,802 Malaysia 926,976 903,839 885,657 899,431 1,084,423 Taipei, Chinese 290,440 298,957 315,481 304,826 410,809 United States of 434,112 413,677 320,402 313,785 263,123 America Indonesia 346,968 261,986 203,112 182,185 168,303 Korea, Republic of 87,361 105,012 74,497 135,115 155,528 Thailand 167,639 151,285 161,312 162,434 126,728 Ireland 94,246 69,885 81,150 63,432 81,440 Japan 168,143 106,944 83,101 44,874 62,009 Mexico 29,788 30,388 35,372 38,131 58,519 Table 69: Imports of Central processing units (CPUs) - can be complete with heatsink and/or fan, separate units (HS Code 847330) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Exported value Importers in 2014 in 2015 in 2016 in 2017 in 2018 World 6,183,039 4,720,993 4,167,784 4,441,086 3,865,572 China 542,271 606,169 460,661 533,293 463,153 Indonesia 759,413 571,333 512,189 479,588 413,372 United States of 521,658 394,745 368,265 364,122 388,716 America Hong Kong, China 369,509 411,996 550,686 695,100 380,118 Malaysia 856,227 489,511 343,136 329,389 328,134 Czech Republic 83,488 61,910 28,489 165,621 239,864 Japan 265,891 210,127 174,153 233,407 211,493 India 387,964 351,081 263,630 195,022 202,529 Thailand 700,554 238,824 206,920 228,572 189,408 Philippines 214,812 169,813 262,290 220,082 166,881 Table 70: Exports of Central processing units (CPUs) - can be complete with heatsink and/or fan, separate units (HS Code 847330) Source: Trade Map Unit: US Dollar thousand
Information & Communication Technologies – Singapore Market Study - Page 171 of 178
5.4 Bibliography
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Channel News Asia (September 2017). Singapore’s Cybersecurity Bill delayed to 2018
CIO.com (2019). Singapore to spend US$1 billion in smart city initiative during 2019
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Computer Weekly (2017). Ingapore government to spend S$ 2.4 billion on technology initiatives
CORDIS (2019). EU-Asia Pacific cooperation in ICT research to create a new roadmap for academia and industry
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Data Center News (2016). Singapore data center market skyrockets to new heights
Design News (2017). Ultra-Thin Micro-Fiber Sensed Eyed for Medical Monitoring Diagnostic Apps
Digital Journal (2019). DS Global Launches System Integrator Service in Singapore
EDB Singapore (November 2017). Singapore: A gateway to Southeast Asia’s digital healthcare market
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Gateway Law Corporation (2017). The future of healthcare: telemedicine in Singapore
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Singapore Business Review (2018). IBM launches P-TECH in Singapore for ICT and STEM disciplines
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Singapore Business Review (2019). M1 inks deal with Nokia to boost cloud-based IoT platform
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The Straits Times (2018). Temasek and StarHub set up Singapore-based cyber security firm
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The Straits Times (2019). New Asean cyber-security centre launched to train response teams to combat online threats
The Straits Times (2019). New cyber-security masterplan launched to protect critical sectors
The Straits Times (2019). Promising start for Wi-Fi 6 router
The Straits Times (2019). Singapore Budget 2019: SMEs to continue getting up to 70 per cent subsidy to go digital
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