Got a letter few days ago that my Singnet broadband speed has been upgraded to 3Mbps from 1.5Mbps without any additional charges, maintaining the usual subscription at about $58/mth. This came very much as a welcome in sharing the bandwidth among the few ummm, 7 computers at home. It’s not the first time I’ve got a free upgrade – I remembered they’ve previously bumped up my old 256kps to 512kps and then up to 1.5Mbps previously, presumably to remain competitive with Starhub (aka ol’ SCV) cable who also have their own fair dishing of free upgrades on their own.
Remembering the old days, come to think about it it’s already more than 10 years since I’ve been a subscriber with Singnet, in fact about 13 years already since the ol’ Singtel “Teleview” days with those noisy but “cutting edge” 14kbps modems (yea- cutting edge… I always go laughing when I read dated computer magazines I’ve stashed from the 90s). Those were the days. I guess one can never appreciate broadband if they weren’t a 56k’s subscriber before – which I unfortunately have to put up during my growing-up years. Still can’t believed that was enough for Counter-Strike and Starcraft multi-player games back then. And laughingly, the whole house would be quiet whenever anyone is up online as no one can ever call through!
Singtel Mio
I had been considering the Singtel Mio for few months now and almost committed to it as my Net contract had expired sometime ago (sparking lots of annoying marketing calls from SingNet as well). Seemingly the Mio, 3.5Mbps Broadband, Home line and Singtel mobile line all at a low rate at $68 basic++ is indeed a very tempting offer (as the acknowledged by the horde of crowds at singtel stores at it’s launch). Though my current Net and Mobile bills alone are averaging a slight $20 margin above the basic Mio $68/mth package, I am considering putting Mio off as my current gateway modem and set-up is the most reliable I have to date- no DCs or home network crashes, so why fix anything which ain’t broke? So as I’ve learnt, Mio too have it drawbacks:
- Gateway modem have to be ON 24/7 or no phone line
- Cannot use existing VOIP software (for free overseas calls) with Mio
- Mio Mobile can only be used on “approved phones”
- Modem not exceptionally reliable (feedback from friends & acquaintances)
Besides chalking up your electricity bill for the modem, do take note that you cannot make calls (especially emergency calls) in the even of a blackout or power trip. Though that’s not very common in Singapore, but something you have to be aware of in such an event. The most disappointing thing is the limited number of phones which can be used for Mio Mobile- I mean $15/mth for unlimited wi-fi calls is a sweet deal and technically any phone with built-in wi-fi CAN make VOIP calls through Mio Voice, so why limit it and maintaining the partnership monopoly of “approved phones” to few Nokia phones only?
Mio is good, but it seems that I might put it off till something better comes by.
cool! i think wat user want is ultimately consistentcy in the connection
even at 3Mbps and if the upload/download rate is erratic, serve no purpose
i’m on sch connection and its sucky la, haha
ahh sch connection always sucky lah
all shared.
The funny thing is tat now they called me again and asked me to extend the plan at $40/mth (non-contract $59) + free modem upgrade.. mmm a time bomb for interference with my current network infrastructure…. 😕
hi here’s some advice for you:
if stability for ur phoneline and internet is gg to be a huge issue for you, dont sign up for mio as yet. and regarding the approved wi-fi phones, it’s not that they’re limiting it, but that singtel hasnt reached an agreement with the other phone manufacturers yet.
Stability on my side is gd, but I won’t be signing up so soon either too.
I see, so its the agreement part which is limiting the mio mobile? I guess you can see that from a commercial/business perspective, esp affecting the sales of phones from a particular manufacturer “partner”, not to mention support for customers.
But we peeps in SG are seriously sheltered and our range of devices are as great as how much the big-red-umbrella covers – Take a look overseas where VOIP is booming. From a technical perspective, any Wi-fi enabled phone CAN run Mio Mobile and we consumers must have the right for that regardless of brand.
Some complaints over technical problems with SingTel services: Households across Singapore were not able to connect to Singtel mio TV or broadband Internet since Monday evening. Singtel engineers are rectifying the problem.
Some households across the island have not been able to access their mio TV content or go online on SingTel’s broadband service since Monday evening.
The number of SingTel subscribers and the areas affected cannot be determined, said a SingTel spokesperson, but the MediaCorp News Hotline received several calls complaining about the problem yesterday.
In a statement, a SingTel spokesperson said “some” customers may be encountering “technical difficulties” with accessing their mio TV content.”
Dang MIO. I just re contracted a week ago and this happen. Been trying to contact their “HOTLINE” but guess what, It’s too hot that they are unable to hold on to my calls and keep hanging up on me. “Please call later” is what the message says after I’ve been holding on to the line for 15 mins.
Not once during the breakdown was I able to get thru to their hotline. And worst still I’m on MIO plan so my home phone which supposed to be free keeps getting disconnected as it’s peg to the broadband. No wonder it free. You’ll have to use your HP to call them and they are earning double. Charging you for a internet/TV/Phone line which is useless for three days, they also gets to charge you for using you HP to call their customer hotline, which keeps getting dropped by the way. And who do you call to complain? Don’t know. You tell me. I’ve been emailing SINGTEL for the pass year without getting a reply.