Related Videos
SingSaver">With so many of us working from home this circuit breaker, having a steady and fast Wifi signal can make or break your entire day.
Every spending situation is unique. SingSaver assembles the ‘Best For‘ list, so you can decide what’s best for you.
Singapore boasts one of the world’s highest Internet penetration rates and the Internet services market is hugely competitive.
The early Internet days were dominated by the three telcos (Singtel, StarHub and M1), but the market has seen a number of virtual operators who’ve managed to carve out a foothold in the market, offering similar services at comparable rates.
Virtual operators do not actually own their own fibre optic network infrastructure. Instead, they buy network access wholesale from the likes of Singtel and offer bandwidth at a lower price to consumers.
While this benefits consumers (credible competition helps keep prices in check), it can also mean dealing with wifi internet service providers for home deluge of plans with different prices and marketing messages. Sorting through all these can be overwhelming if you’re trying to look for the best Internet home fibre broadband package.
We’re here to help with an in-depth guide to choosing the best Home Fibre Broadband Plan in Singapore for 2021.
Let’s start with an overview of the home fibre broadband plans available in Singapore today. We’ve summarised the key features and information in the following table.
Compare Best Broadband Plans
Last updated on 14 May 2021. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.
Home Fibre Broadband Plans in Singapore 2021
| Provider | Monthly cost* | Speed | Best for |
| M1 | From S$29.90 | From 500Mbps to 1Gbps | Additional mobile broadband connection at no charge |
| StarHub | From S$29.90 | From 500Mbps to 2Gbps | Fully connected entertainment ecosystem with StarHub’s cable TV and Disney+ |
| Singtel | From S$44.90 | From 1Gbps to 10Gbps | Variety of options (and speed) for broadband connection |
| MyRepublic | From S$41.99 | 1Gbps | Good balance between price and connectivity options |
| ViewQwest | From S$29.90 | From 500Mbps | Customisable plans with advanced features |
*Listed prices based on 24-month contract and correct at time of writing.
M1 – starts from S$29.90
| Speed | Cost per month (24 months contract) | Cost per month (12 months contract) |
| 500Mbps | S$29.90 | S$39.90 |
| 1Gbps | S$39.90 | S$49.90 |
| 1Gbps (Gamer) | S$52 | – |
Before virtual operators came into the picture, M1 was the underdog amongst the big three telcos. Today, the competition is getting stiffer, thus you’ll see quite a few freebies thrown into the mix when you sign up for a 1Gbps broadband subscription with M1.
Besides a free next-generation Wifi 6 router, you also get a 4G mobile broadband, free of charge for 24 months. This comes in useful if you need a second mobile connection for your tablet.
Best for: those who want an additional mobile broadband connection at no charge.
StarHub – starts from S$29.90
| Speed | Cost per month (24 months contract) | Cost per month (12 months contract) |
| 500Mbps | S$29.90 | – |
| 1Gbps | S$42.90 | S$49.90 |
| 2Gbps | S$54.90 (usual price: S$62.90) | – |
Similar to the other providers, StarHub has included a few freebies, and this includes free registration, installation and delivery. New users who sign up for the 1Gbps plan will get a free Smart WiFi worth S$199 too.
On top of that, StarHub has a tie-up that throws in a free one-year Disney+ subscription with its 1Gbps plan. The caveat is that it’ll cost S$45.90 instead of S$42.90 for the monthly subscription, but since a one-year Disney+ subscription costs S$143, you are still saving in the long run.
Best for: those who want a fully connected entertainment ecosystem with StarHub’s cable TV and Disney+.
Singtel – starts from S$44.90
| Speed | Cost per month (24 months contract) | Cost per month (12 months contract) |
| 1Gbps | S$44.90 (usual price S$49.90) | – |
| 1Gbps with WiFi Mesh | S$49.90 (usual price S$54.90) | – |
| 2Gbps with Mesh Extender | S$64.90 (usual price: S$69.90) | – |
| 1+1Gbps Gamer Bundle | S$64.90 (usual price: S$69.90) | – |
| 10Gbps with Mesh Extender | S$169 (usual price: SS$189) | – |
While Singtel’s monthly subscriptions lean on the pricier end, it does provide the most options, not to mention the highest speed at 10Gbps. Unfortunately, the available plans are tied to a 24-month contract, so you are out of luck if you intend to switch out within a year.
However, the plans come with comprehensive options, and you can choose to get either a router or a WiFi mesh to connect your home. What’s more, all Singtel plans come with a home line, and regardless of the plan, you’ll get a free router installation.
Best for: those who want more options (and speed) for their broadband connection.
MyRepublic – starts from S$38.99
| Speed | Cost per month (24 months contract) | Cost per month (12 months contract) |
| 1Gbps | S$38.99 | S$50.99 |
| 1Gbps with Asus RT-AX3000 router | S$47.99 (usual price: S$49.99) | – |
| 1Gbps with Google Nest | S$53.99 (usual price S$56.90) | – |
| 1Gbps with TP-Link Deco X60 WiFi Mesh | S$59.99 | – |
MyRepublic builds its plans around flexibility, giving you the choice to sign up with 24-month, 12-month or even no lock-in period. Of course, the cost savings you get from a 24-month plan is significantly higher compared to a no-contract option.
Similar to Singtel, you have the option to choose between a router or WiFi mesh, with the latter being better if you prefer to strengthen your wireless connection at home.
Best for: those who want a good balance between price and connectivity options.
ViewQwest- starts from S$29.90
| Speed | Cost per month (24 months contract) | Cost per month (12 months contract) |
| 500Mbps | S$29.90 | – |
| 1Gbps | S$36.90 (usual price S$38.90) | – |
| 2Gbps | S$48.90 (usual price S$50.90) | – |
ViewQwest is very clear wifi internet service providers for home defining their plans, as the listed prices are based on the plans’ speed. That means the subscription you see is purely for the service, without any freebies or add-ons to complicate your cost calculation.
While the most commonly sought after 1Gbps might seem very affordable, it does not include the cost of a router. So you’ll have to factor some additional costs to purchase a router, either from ViewQwest or from online stores that might offer it at a cheaper price.
Another thing to consider is the various advanced features provided by ViewQwest. For example, its Freedom DNS allows you to legally access streaming content that might not be available in Singapore due to geographical restrictions.
Best for: those who want to customise their plans with advanced features.
Start managing and saving money like a pro with SingSaver’s weekly financial roundups! We dole out easy-to-follow money-saving tips, the latest financial trends and the hottest promotions every week, right into your inbox. This is one mailer you don’t want to miss.
Subscribe To SingSaver Today
Other things to note before you sign up for a broadband plan
1Gbps is the middle ground
The most common packages offered are 1Gbps plans, indicating that the majority of Singapore home broadband consumers are satisfied with the speed offered by such connections. Hence, if you’re not sure which plan to get, starting with a 1Gbps plan is a good idea.
2Gbps packages are the next most common, but are aimed at gamers or those who need super-fast WiFi connection.
Not all 2Gbps plans are created equal
Not all 2 Gbps plans are the same. Some ISPs offer a dual bundle, where you have two 1 Gbps connections carrying the load in your home. Other plans may include a 1Gbps dedicated gaming connection + 1 Gbps connection for general use. Be sure to discuss your needs with your ISP before signing up.
Another thing to note is this: Wifi connectivity is affected by more than just the speed of your connection. The configuration of your home, as well as the distance between the router and your devices, also play a part in whether you experience Wifi “dead zones” in your home.
To solve this problem, more powerful routers with longer range and higher output, or a set of routers that work together (aka Mesh Wifi) are often necessary. Some ISPs do offer these solutions, usually as part of their gamer bundle. If you’re facing this issue, it might be worthwhile to give the more expensive gamer bundles a go.
Contract vs no-contract
Although Internet connectivity has become an essential utility, there are some users who prefer not to be locked down by contracts. They pay higher prices for the freedom to cancel anytime with no hassle.
All things being equal, it’s almost always more beneficial to sign up for a 24-month plan, as doing so gives you more savings.
In summary, the trade-off is between cost and speed. The faster the speed, the more you should expect to pay.
Get the best broadband plan for your home or office
Too many options and not too sure on what you really need for your home or office needs? Use our fuss-free comparison tool to view what’s available in the broadband market now.
Compare Best Broadband Plans
Additional text by Tein Hee Seow
Read these next:
6 Best Gaming Chairs Under $400 In Singapore
Gamer Deals Under $2,500: Gaming Laptop
5 Best Online Games To Play With Your Friends For Free
Best SIM-Only Mobile Plans For Light, Moderate, And Heavy Data Users
6 Credit Cards You Should Use as Your EZ-Link Card
By Alevin Chan
A Certified Financial Planner with a curiosity about what makes people tick, Alevin’s mission is to help readers understand the psychology of money. He’s also on an ongoing quest to optimize happiness and enjoyment in his life.
www craigslist com usa colorado a catch-all term that refers to all of these flavors of internet access. Generally, it refers to anything that’s faster than a dial-up internet connection. I’m not covering dial-up connections in this article because they’ve generally fallen into disuse in the United States due to their extremely slow data speeds.Another term I want to mention is “Mbps.” Mbps refers to Megabits per second, which is the most common way to compare speeds between internet services. For most home web-surfing purposes, 2 Mbps will suffice. If you watch a significant amount of internet video, you’ll want something faster. For judging the speed needed for internet video, I use Netflix’s guidelines:
- 0.5 Megabits per second – Required broadband connection speed
- 1.5 Megabits per second – Recommended broadband connection speed
- 3.0 Megabits per second – Recommended for DVD quality
- 5.0 Megabits per second – Recomended for HD quality
- 7.0 Megabits per second – Recommended for Super HD quality
Most homes will suffice with a 5 Mbps connection for personal use, in other words. If you’re going to have several people at once watching different streaming internet videos, you may want to consider more.
So, what types are available? (Remember, not all of these are available in all areas.)
DSL is short for Digital Subscriber :Line. It is delivered to your house through your already existing telephone line. Generally, DSL is the cheapest form of broadband internet available to your home. Most DSL connections are available at different speeds up to 25 Mbps, though newer phone services are coming online that can raise that to 100 Mbps. The biggest drawback with DSL service is that it’s entirely based on distance. The further you are from the service provider, the slower your service (as a general rule of thumb).
If you live in a town where a local provider offers DSL service, this would almost always be my “bang for the buck” recommendation for home internet users.
Cable internet is delivered to your home via your cable service. The advertised speeds for cable service are higher than for DSL, often ranging above 100 Mbps. However, the big drawback with cable service is that you’re actually sharing the service with people in your neighborhood, which means that it can be much slower wifi internet service providers for home busy times; that’s rarely true with DSL.
If you use the internet mostly during off-peak times (meaning not during the early evening hours in most locations), cable can be a good bargain. If you’re going to mostly use it in the evening, I’d shy away.
Satellite internet is delivered to your home via a satellite service. Compared to the ones above, satellite service is slow, generally sticking below 20 Mbps. My experience with satellite service is that it often has short hiccups in the service, which are usually not noticeable. A good example of how you might notice it is that it will often take a Netflix movie quite a while to start, but once it’s going, it’s usually pretty stable.
If you live in a highly rural area, satellite is probably your only option for broadband service.
Fiber-optic internet – sometimes called FiOS – is available in some areas and rolling out rapidly. Generally, fiber-optic service functions much like DSL service, but it can offer speeds up to 500 Mbps in some places and getting even faster as technology improves. If this is available in your area, the prices are comparable to DSL in my experience for similar or better speed.
So, to summarize, for home internet use for most people, you’ll want to first look at fiber-optic or DSL service in your area. If that’s unavailable, I would check out cable service and, if that’s not available, I’d look at satellite service.
What Can I Get At My House?
Now that you know the different types that are available, the next obvious question is “What can I get at home?”
The first place to stop is ISPProvidersInMyAera.com, which will help you figure out what services are available in your zip code. Note that having a service in your zip code doesn’t mean it covers the whole zip code, but this gives you a starting point as to what services to compare.
If you’re interested in customer reviews of internet providers in your area, DSLReports.com is a place to look, but most of the reviews there are decidedly negative, as people who are unsatisfied with their service tend to go there and post reviews.
On top of that, I would ask friends and family in the community what service they use, whether they’re happy with it, and whether they’ve had any problems with their service. Is it slow during peak usage hours in your town resort realty kitty hawk nc area? Do they respond quickly to service issues in your area? Nothing beats talking to friends on the ground who use the service.
I have just one general piece of advice for your search: give preference to local companies and cooperatives. If you have a local phone company or service provider, strongly consider going with them first as they will be far more available and reliable in terms of service simply because they’re present in your community. You’ll have to judge for yourself whether their prices are truly competitive, but if they’re close, they should get the nod.
Anyway, once you’ve got a list of potential providers in your area, it’s time to shop around.
Shopping Around
When you start comparing offers between internet service providers, you’re going to be hit with a lot of different factors. Here are some of the things that service providers are going to be talking about. Remember that you’re only gathering information at this point. It’s a good idea to call each provider and have a piece of paper in front of you to list this information on concerning each provider you call. Don’t sign up for anything before contacting other providers.
Speed: Most of them will want to tell you about the speeds they offer. You’re going to want to mostly be concerned with the download speed unless you’re planning on doing a great deal of Youtube video uploading. Another thing worth noting is whether centerstate bank routing number alabama speed is offered over cable or over DSL/fiber, because cable speeds tend to vary a lot depending on the time of day.
As always, it’s impossible to tell precisely how fast the speed will be at your home, but generally the further you are from their offices (or their nearest equipment station), the slower it will be. Ask them how far away you are from their central office (CO) in your area. If they’re much farther away than a comparable service, lean toward the closer one.
Data caps: Does the company put a monthly “cap” on how much data you can download? Some services do, and this is generally a negative. This is more important if you’re a frequent Netflix or Youtube user, as non-video web surfing and email will generally never approach such a cap.
Additional costs: Some companies require you to rent a modem or a router from them, while other providers will just give you this equipment. This is often a hidden cost that they don’t want to tell you up front in their price, so ask them before you sign anything.
Introductory deals: Is the price they’re telling you about on the phone an introductory price? If it is, when will it adjust and by how much? You should use the “regular” price for comparisons and only use the “introductory” price if you’re breaking a tie.
Bundling: If you already use this company for home phone service, cable service, or satellite service, you may get a better rate by bundling services. You may also want to consider moving your other services as a bundle. If you get cable or satellite television and if you have home phone service, ask about their prices including those features as a bundle.
Add-ons: Some internet service providers will try to sell you add-ons such as antivirus software and firewalls. Don’t pay for these, at least not directly from them. If you’re running a PC that’s older that Windows 8, you should just download and use Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast Free Antivirus (I won’t get into the debate about which is better, but both are free and both are lauded by various groups), as they’ll provide good basic protection. While antivirus and spyware protection is a good idea, you don’t need to pay for any additional software wifi internet service providers for home a bundle from your internet service provider.
The following two categories are things you’ll have to research a bit on your own.
Customer service: This is very hard to judge because when you’re out there looking at customer service reviews, you’re generally only hearing the negative stories and not the positive ones. I tend to value survey-based feedback on customer service when comparing companies, like Consumer Reports and JD Power provide. I can’t find publicly available information on what Consumer Reports recommends, but you can easily find this at the local library; JD Power’s awards for the best customer service can be found here.
The “local” factor Every community is different. The cables in the ground are different. The local offerings are different. The distance from customer support and from the local office are different. The people working there are different. The specific local companies are different, too, and not included in the surveys mentioned above.
I consider asking around for suggestions and recommendations in your community to be essential. Ask all of your friends and neighbors what they use for internet service, whether they like it, and whether they’ve had any problems with it. Ideally, you want to hear stories about a variety of providers and those stories will generally tell you what you need to know.
Making the Choice
The above factors will likely end up pointing you toward a very small number of service providers and – likely – you won’t go too wrong with any of them. If you’re trying to make a final decision, here’s how I would decide.
Are any of the options truly local? If you’re even considering a local company, I’d strongly advise in favor of it simply because of the local service. Many large telecommunications companies can’t provide quick service in outlying areas because they simply don’t have the people. A smaller company that’s actually in your town can do just that.
I’ve used multiple large companies in the past for internet service, but now I stick with a local company. During the two times I’ve had an issue with them, they’ve been at my house within an hour. The large companies made me wait several days to resolve connection issues. Plus, the local service – given that their office is just a few miles from my house – actually provides me with speeds above what they advertise. I’m a big believer in going local for internet service.
Am I considering a cable option versus a DSL option? Go with the DSL or the fiber. Cable will frustrate you with the widely varying speeds.
What’s the price per Mbps? This should include all of the additional monthly costs, including any equipment rental. Write down what they’re advertising for their speed and for that total cost, then divide the cost by the speed. That’s your cost per Mbps, and it’s the number you should use for comparisons if all of the factors above still haven’t decided this for you.
Ideally, you’re left with one choice here – the right choice for you at your location. Good luck!
Trent Hamm founded The Simple Dollar in 2006 and still writes a daily column on personal finance. He’s the author of three books published by Simon & Schuster and Financial Times Press, has contributed to Business Insider, US News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, and Lifehacker, and his financial advice has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, Forbes, The Guardian, and elsewhere.
south carolina state university college board broadband deals.
