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Executive Message
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New Beginnings. New Successes.
Happy New Year to you! I would like to wish you a fulfilling new year ahead. 2016 was a fruitful year for Singtel and we are thankful for your
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continued support. As we look ahead to 2017, here’s a quick review of key 2016 milestones.
2016 Review
Singtel is honoured to receive double commendations in 2016. Besides securing the Satellite Operator of the Year Award at the Asia Communications Awards 2016 (ACA) for the second year running, Singtel also received the VSAT Service Provider of the Year 2016 at the VSAT Stellar Awards.
We are especially heartened by the ACA Award, as it was conferred solely based on the judges’ adjudication. Singtel was applauded for our strong
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customer focus and product innovativeness. The latest Singtel All-In-One Smartbox and related mobile application, designed to help the maritime industry address high communication costs and the lack of IT expertise onboard, were also commended. We are thankful for the VSAT award, an accolade we also won in 2014, for revolutionising Myanmar’s rural banking via satellite communications. These honours spur us to continue to deliver best-in-class solutions in Cloud, Cyber Security and more value-added services to meet your fast-changing needs.
2016 saw Singtel deploying Asia’s first commercial implementation of Fleet Xpress — Inmarsat’s maritime-focused, secure high-speed broadband service — on “K” Line Ship Management Singapore’s container ship. With the new service offering enhanced efficiencies and connectivity, we have seen steady adoption despite the market slowdown, as evidenced by our healthy order book for Fleet Xpress and funnel to carry us over to 2017. We have gained strong traction and successfully deployed the Fleet Xpress service to various customers in the regions like the Philippines, China, Korea, the Mediterranean and South America.
We also open more doors through our partnership with Hyproc SC, a subsidiary of Sonatrach Group, the second largest LPG exporter (read more)
We have been entrusted to set up the on-premise Cloud infrastructure onboard two 150,000 ton cruise liners to support their IT services and archival needs. The first deployment was completed in October 2016, with the second in early 2017.
In 2016, cyber security became a top-of-mind issue for maritime executives and ship owners. The 8th Singtel Maritime ICT Roundtable in October affirmed that cyber security is no longer a marginal issue – a major shift from just 12 months ago. The heightened awareness resulted from high-profile attacks with many in the industry recognising the impact from threats such as ransomware. With industry associations giving greater prominence to cyber security issues and regulations such as ECDIS coming into force, all these have created a sense of urgency to adopt defense measures via technology to combat these threats. Learn more about the views shared at the roundtable here.
Key 2017 Focuses
As we continue to develop more innovative solutions, cyber security remains one of our top 2017 priorities. We have established a strategic partnership with Inmarsat to build a Managed Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution, delivered via Fleet Xpress, that integrates Trustwave’s software-based UTM solution with Inmarsat hardware onboard ships to protect data and reduce cyber risks for maritime companies.
We will also integrate our Singtel All-In-One Smartbox solution – an onboard control box that allows shore IT managers to fully control firewall settings, monitor activities onboard and implement new IT policies remotely. We are reviewing ways to minimise footprint by streamlining the integrated solution into one box. Other efforts to boost our stable of cyber security solutions include Endpoint Protection and Vulnerability Assessment services for maritime companies.
Maritime VSAT and Fleet Xpress will be our main focuses for 2017. While market outlook is uncertain, the increased volume of enquiries highlights that companies recognise the importance of leveraging technology — even in lull times — to reduce cost and enhance operational efficiencies.
Review. Rethink. Re-Strategise.
2017 is an opportune time for maritime companies to take stock and review their security policies, streamline processes, evaluate current technologies used and relook at technology adoption. New technologies such as Fleet Xpress have opened up opportunities for new, more cost-effective applications. To prepare for the upswing, it would also be a good time to boost security capabilities by sending IT engineers and operators for training.
Augmenting Capacities for Better Connections
For our fixed satellite business, we will certify Singtel teleports to align with World Teleport Association’s (WTA) latest certification programme at the Tier-3 level, which covers facilities, technical infrastructure and operating procedures.
Known for our tight physical security, Singtel teleports have been ranked number 9 on WTA’s Global Top Twenty Of 2016. The certification will further solidify our commitment to our customers who are hosting their equipment at Singtel facilities — that our satellite infrastructure is built to industry standards, while our satellite services deliver the required reliability and resiliency. We will also augment our Ku-band capacity in 2017 to extend our reach across Southeast Asia and better meet the regions’ growing demand for Ku-band.
Continued Conversations. Cherished Connections.
Journeying alongside our customers and partners is key in helping everyone stay relevant in the ever-shifting landscape. That is why we always look forward to picking up our conversations where we left off, across customer engagements we have in plans this year. We look forward to seeing you in our upcoming events.
Best wishes for an exciting 2017 ahead, filled with new opportunities and successes!
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