Singapore offers cheapest 10-gigabit fibre in the world: Tarifica

The city-state offers the internet speed at $22 per month, compared to $195 in the US.

Ten gigabit fibre internet is more affordable in Singapore, whilst in the United States it costs four to seven times more per gigabit, research showed.

“Singaporean consumers can purchase 10 gigabit service for as little as $22 per month, while comparable U.S. offerings can cost up to $195 per month,” Tarifica said in its Data Dive report.  

“In practical terms, many American households pay several times more for a fraction of the speed,” it added.

Singapore’s providers SIMBA, M1, StarHub, and Singtel offer 10 gigabit plans between $22 and $65 per month, whilst prices from U.S. providers range from $100 to $195 for similar or slower tiers, which is “four to seven times more per gigabit” compared to the Singaporean market.

Tarifica credited the lower rates to Singapore’s wholesale open-access government policy that requires every internet service provider to lease capacity from the same fibre network on identical terms.

“This has produced a highly competitive retail market where providers differentiate on price, service quality, and customer experience,” it said.

In the United States, operators own both the infrastructure and the retail relationship in most local markets, according to Tarifica.

“Because many households have only one or two fixed-line options, competition is limited. Providers are able to position multi-gigabit service as a premium tier rather than a mainstream offer,” it said.