StarHub has just won the OpCo contract in Singapore’s next-generation national broadband network (NGNBN), a deal which will see it operate and manage the “active” infrastructure in the new network that promises speeds of 1Gbps in future.

The active infrastructure refers to stuff like switches and anything that is “manageable”, that is, anything other than the physical cables which are being laid by the NetCo (awarded to the OpenNet consortium of Axia NetMedia, SingTel, Singapore Press Holdings and SP Telecommunications).

Essentially, StarHub will be the go-between for RSPs (retail service providers) looking to offer ultra high-speed broadband and services like perhaps pay-TV in future over the new network. It will also be the one likely to be hooking up your terminators/modems to the fibre optic cables being laid to homes, schools and offices by the NetCo.

After months of running a free beta trial, Nokia has finally launched its push mail service via SingTel – the first of its type in Asia, so says the press release.

From tomorrow, SingTel users who buy the new Nokia E63 phone and sign up for a S$5-a-month MobileM@ail Plus data plan for two years will get the push mail service free of charge.

According to Nokia and SingTel, MobileM@il Plus also comes with a bundle of 10MB data and PhoneSafe – a mobile phone security offering that “lets customers lock phone, backup and delete important data such as emails from phones remotely”.

The big deal about the push mail service from Nokia is that it works right out of the box. All you need is your e-mail address and password to get going.