ADOPTING infocomm technologies in today's economic sectors means more than just creating Flash-based corporate sites, dishing out cartoon animations, or teaching employees the nuts and bolts of IT usage. For one, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) has applauded the large number of companies that have boosted their bottomlines from using infocomm in their business processes, stressing that there is an array of opportunities available for companies to leverage the innovative use of technology.
Revolutionising the Digital Media and Entertainment industry
NOWHERE is the transformative impact of infocomm more keenly felt than in the Digital Media and Entertainment (DME) sector, where it is revolutionising the creation, management and distribution of digital media content and technologies.
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| Singapore has had early success as a regional games hub. |
"We have witnessed remarkable developments in the digital media landscape, with new and innovative services leveraging the broadband network, being offered to consumers," said Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, in his opening address at imbX 2008.
As an illustration, Dr Lee pointed to the growing number of commercial and trial video-on-demand and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) service providers and the proliferation of TV channels in Singapore. In August 2008, The Straits Times announced its live interactive TV service RazorTV, whilst in June, MediaCorp and StarHub unveiled HD5 - MediaCorp's HD channel - which is available to all StarHub Digital Cable subscribers with the HD set-top box.
To add to the buzz, IDA has launched a Digital Marketplace Programme to develop a trusted and conducive environment for digital media businesses to hub, manage, distribute and trade digital media assets such as movies, video programmes, music and mobile content through and from Singapore. "We hope to attract major global media players to conduct business in Singapore, as well as to grow our capabilities within the Digital Marketplace ecosystem," said Dr Lee.
Over the past year, plans to transform Singapore into a digital media hub have been gaining traction, with a surge in the number of international DME companies setting up headquarters and branches here. Lucasfilm's 3D animation studio here is its first outside of the United States, and its game development and visual effects production for Hollywood blockbusters is poised to set the local DME sector ablaze.
Ubisoft - Europe's largest game developer and publisher - had also announced the opening of its first Southeast Asia games studio in Singapore. When fully set up, it will be the region's largest games studio, translating to immense job opportunities for local DME practitioners.
On the gaming front, Singapore has also witnessed early success as a regional games hub, where home-grown companies such as Infocomm Asia Holdings has secured rights to manage and distribute top-tier massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) titles like FIFA Online 2 and Granado Espada to the region. Similarly, AsiaSoft, the publisher of popular free-to-play MMOGs such as MapleStory and CABAL Online, also clinched the rights to publish the much anticipated MMORPG Mythos in Southeast Asia.
"With the recent launch of the Connected Games programme, IDA hopes to attract more regional games companies to hub their game services in Singapore, leveraging on the country's excellent infrastructure, high-speed connectivity, robust intellectual property protection regime and the strategic geographic location, to serve the regional markets," said Mr Thomas Lim, Director, Education, Learning, Digital Media and Entertainment, IDA.
Transforming our SMEs
FOR Singapore's Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the rise of the mighty Internet has transformed the way they transact with customers, especially when it comes to online shopping. Instead of painstakingly travelling to a retail shop and whipping out wads of cash to purchase items, busy shopaholics are looking to online stores for a bout of retail therapy.
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| The second SIRC was set up as a joint initiative by IDA and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in August. |
According to the IDA Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage, the proportion of Internet users who shop online has more than doubled from 17 per cent in 2003 to 35 per cent in 2007. The result - investing in online business technologies will not only allow companies to tap into this market, harnessing infocomm also gives SMEs an edge by shortening their time-to-market and gain a first-mover advantage.
Helping SMEs to turn such benefits into reality is http://www.ida.gov.sg/Programmes/20060926120315.aspx?getPagetype=34 - the IDA umbrella for initiatives aimed at driving infocomm adoption within this segment of the business community. To-date,
- More than 500 SMEs gained web presence through the subsidy under the SME Infocomm Package (SIP) initiative;
- SMEs can access to more than 250 unique infocomm products and services on the Online Infocomm Directory for SMEs (i-Directory);
- More than 150 SMEs benefited from the advisory services provided by the two resource centres, one centre at Singapore Polytechnic and the other at Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, under the SME Infocomm Resource Centre (SIRC) initiative; and
- More than 8,000 SMEs attended seminars/conferences where IDA promoted the value of infocomm transformation.
Charting the future of education
IN JUNE 2008, IDA and the Ministry of Education announced the four consortia selected to design and deploy next generation infocomm-enabled solutions for Singapore's five pioneer FutureSchools - Beacon Primary School, Canberra Primary School, Crescent Girls' School, Hwa Chong Institution and Jurong Secondary School.
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| The FutureSchools project will transform the learning experience. |
When fully implemented by 2012, students will be able to enjoy immersive learning environments in the classroom. For example, a consortium led by Hewlett Packard is working with Crescent Girls' School to create an integrated physical and virtual learning environment where students are encouraged to take interactive field trips, and access online learning resources and interactive digital textbooks. The FutureSchools project is being funded by an $80 million investment over four years.
Creating new opportunities for the maritime and port community
THE benefits of infocomm have extended into the maritime sector, with the unveiling of the WIreless-broadband-access for SeaPort (WISEPORT) project in May 2008.
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| WISEPORT opens doors to new business opportunities. |
WISEPORT allows ships to enjoy wireless mobile broadband connectivity while operating in the Port of Singapore, up to 15km from Singapore's southern coastline. It leverages the mobile WiMAX wireless broadband network to improve operational and business efficiencies and open doors to new business opportunities that were previously hindered by high satellite communication costs. For instance, tasks that previously had to be done onshore, such as regulatory filings, electronic data exchanges and access to Internet-based applications, can now be replicated offshore.
Speaking at its launch, Mr Peter Ong, Chairman of the Maritime And Port Authority, said, "The challenge amidst rapid technological advances is to harness new technologies to enhance business and operational processes, create new opportunities and improve overall quality of life."