By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
TechgoonduTechgoonduTechgoondu
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: M1 outage in Singapore a reminder of challenges of remote working
Share
Font ResizerAa
TechgoonduTechgoondu
Font ResizerAa
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Follow US
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Techgoondu > Blog > Internet > M1 outage in Singapore a reminder of challenges of remote working
InternetTelecom

M1 outage in Singapore a reminder of challenges of remote working

Alfred Siew
Last updated: August 13, 2020 at 6:33 PM
Alfred Siew
Published: May 12, 2020
4 Min Read
PHOTO: Brett Sayles from Pexels

The M1 outage that affected thousands of fibre broadband users today is yet another reminder that so much rides on the availability of that critical infrastructure.

Affecting those in the central, western and eastern parts of Singapore, the Internet outage was first reported by M1 at about 8am this morning.

With the country still under partial lockdown, it meant that those depending on the Internet for their daily lessons or virtual meetings with colleagues had to scramble to find other ways to connect.

Some may have been able to use their phone’s 4G connections, of course, at the risk of spending more money should their free data quota be used up. Others may have to give up interacting with others online altogether.

The M1 downtime today comes less than a month after StarHub users faced another outage that caused them to go offline for a day.

The two disruptions coming in such a short time will not have escaped the government regulators, which have sought to get telecom operators to keep their networks running throughout this difficult period.

Though the authorities have reassured citizens there is enough capacity to handle the recent surge in traffic by 60 per cent, the disruptions faced by users have shown that working remotely comes with challenges.

The government may keep crucial e-services running with sophisticated cloud-based setups that scale up automatically to cater to higher traffic, but users still need a basic Internet link to access them.

To be fair, 4G mobile networks are an alternative to fibre broadband networks today because they are fast enough for basic tasks such as videoconferencing or working on documents on the cloud.

However, most users are not on costly unlimited plans so they have to be careful how they use up their data.

And while short outages such as the recent StarHub incident may be overcome with alternative links, a longer disruption could be difficult for users to overcome.

Worse is a more widespread one. Something like the outage caused by a fire at a telecom exchange back in 2013 could severely impact a nation that is already struggling with slowdowns in many sectors of the economy.

Though they are commercial operations, telcos have a special responsibility at this time to keep the country’s basic Internet infrastructure running. The impact they have on everyday life is multiplied because of the crisis today.

That said, the public should also be ready for disruptions. Well, as ready as they can, since there aren’t too many options if a major disruption happens, like if both 4G and fibre links are down.

At this extraordinary time, it might be harder to get components or support for, say, network equipment. Telcos may not have so many staff available as well.

Already, working from home has been a backup plan for many businesses, for times of crisis. Not in a generation has such a pandemic caused such disruption, not to mention the deaths it has caused, so how do you design a backup plan to a backup plan?

Learning to cope, unfortunately, may be necessary here. The new normal may be to go digital when something like this happens again, but it may also include accepting that downtime is an inevitable part of the new experience.

McAfee: Watch out for mobile malware and attacks in 2013
Technology is disrupting public safety: Huawei
M1: downtime could have lasted weeks if not for contingency plans
Commentary: IDA pushes for faster fibre turn-on
Redesigned Yahoo Mail now faster and sleeker
TAGGED:downtimefibre broadbandM1outageremote working

Sign up for the TG newsletter

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link Print
Avatar photo
ByAlfred Siew
Follow:
Alfred is a writer, speaker and media instructor who has covered the telecom, media and technology scene for more than 20 years. Previously the technology correspondent for The Straits Times, he now edits the Techgoondu.com blog and runs his own technology and media consultancy.
Previous Article The easiest way to get hacked during the pandemic? Your old passwords
Next Article Staff communications critical during crises like Covid-19
Leave a Comment

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

FacebookLike
XFollow

Latest News

Grab goes driverless with electric shuttle trial for employees in Singapore
Enterprise
July 10, 2025
Samsung slims down Galaxy Z Fold 7, packs in 200MP camera in major upgrade
Cellphones Mobile
July 9, 2025
Singapore expands AI assurance pilot to test AI agents, detect prompt injections
Enterprise Software
July 7, 2025
In search of fairer deal for content creators, Cloudflare blocks AI scrapers
Internet Media
July 3, 2025

Techgoondu.com is published by Goondu Media Pte Ltd, a company registered and based in Singapore.

.

Started in June 2008 by technology journalists and ex-journalists in Singapore who share a common love for all things geeky and digital, the site now includes segments on personal computing, enterprise IT and Internet culture.

banner banner
Everyday DIY
PC needs fixing? Get your hands on with the latest tech tips
READ ON
banner banner
Leaders Q&A
What tomorrow looks like to those at the leading edge today
FIND OUT
banner banner
Advertise with us
Discover unique access and impact with TG custom content
SHOW ME

 

 

POWERED BY READYSPACE
The Techgoondu website is powered by and managed by Readyspace Web Hosting.

TechgoonduTechgoondu
© 2024 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms of Use | Advertise | About Us | Contact
Follow Us!
Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Username or Email Address
    Password

    Lost your password?