Broadband is more expensive in Singapore than not only in America and Britain, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan but also 30 other countries including India, Russia, Egypt, Tunisia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama. This is shown by the Global Information Technology Report 2010 presented by the World Economic Forum and Insead.
Two of Singapore's three internet service providers also happen to be government-linked companies.
Singapore does not have the most competitive home market, if you look at the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, although the city-state is the third most competitive economy in the world according to the Swiss foundation.
Markets are far more competitive in India and China — 12th and 13th respectively — in "intensity of local competition", according to the survey. Germany is first, Taiwan second, Singapore 21st among the 133 economies surveyed.
America, Britain, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France,Australia, Qatar all have more competitive local markets than Singapore, according to the report, based on hard data and the opinion survey.
The report, however, praises Singapore's "far-sighted government" and "actively engaged private sector" for creating the second most networked economy in the world. Sweden is first.
But Singapore is better at procuring new technology than at absorbing it.
Strengths and weaknesses
Singapore is ranked 18th in "capacity for innovation" and 13th in "firm (business) level technology absorption" though the Singapore government is first in promoting new technology and procuring high-tech products.
Singapore is ranked 10th in the quality of government online services — behind South Korea, America, Canada, Britain, Australia, Spain, Norway, Bahrain and Colombia.
Asian countries where businesses are better able to absorb new technology include Japan (2nd overall, behind Iceland), United Arab Emirates (4th, behind Switzerland), Israel (11th) and Taiwan (12th). South Korea is 14th, behind Singapore and Germany, and Hong Kong 17th, behind Australia. The top 10 include America, the Scandinavian countries and Austria.
Singapore, however, ranks first in providing the education, infrastructure, market conditions and political and regulatory environment needed for business and information technology to flourish. That is why it is ranked second in "networked readiness", behind Sweden.
The report assesses a country's "networked readiness" — use of information technology — by looking at its political and business environment, quality of education and infrastructure.
Singapore is ranked first in the quality of the education system though 109th in education expenditure as a percentage of the gross national income, 29th in the tertiary education enrolment rate and 12th in the quality of the scientific research institutions.
Singapore is No 1 in market environment because of a business-friendly government, sophisticated financial market and ready availability of venture capital.
Singapore is also first in political and regulatory environment.
By this the report means Singapore has the most efficient law-making and law enforcement system. Respondents were asked: "How efficient is your national parliament/congress as a lawmaking institution?" The questions were about law and property, not about political systems.
Tech report for businessmen
The Global Information Technology Report is really a look at technology from a businessman's point of view.
Singapore's judiciary is more independent than America's, according to the businessmen.
Singapore was ranked 19th, America 26th for judicial independence, based on the Executive Opinion Survey, which asked: "To what extent is the judiciary in your country independent from influences of members of government, citizens, or firms?" Sweden was ranked second, New Zealand first.
But when it comes to press freedom in Singapore, business executives take the same view as human rights activists.
The survey ranked Singapore 114th out of 133 countries for press freedom. That's hardly better than the Reporters Without Borders 2009 press freedom index, which ranked Singapore 133rd out of 175 countries.
With all the planning and money the government is pouring into IT, however, one thing is certain. Whatever the state of the media, the technology will be state-of-the-art.
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