Keppel Corporation Ltd.

04/08/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/08/2021 03:34

Keppel granted Facilities-Based Operations (FBO) licence by IMDA

Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation's (Keppel T&T) wholly-owned subsidiary, Keppel Midgard Holdings Pte. Ltd. (KMH), has been granted a Facilities-Based Operator (FBO) licence by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA). The FBO licence will allow KMH to own, maintain and operate telecoms infrastructure in Singapore and to provide telecommunications services in connection with the Bifrost Cable System, which Keppel T&T is undertaking with its partners, Facebook and Telin.

FBOs are operators intending to deploy any form of telecommunication network, systems and facilities to offer telecommunication switching and/or telecommunication services to other licensed telecommunication operators, business, and/or consumers.

Mr Thomas Pang, CEO of Keppel T&T, said, 'Securing the FBO licence is an important milestone for Keppel as it marks the start of our subsea cable business in Singapore. The Bifrost project is in line with Keppel's Vision 2030 roadmap, which includes growing our connectivity platform, and will strategically strengthen and broaden the Group's play across the spectrum of data communications, from network infrastructure, data centres to wireless 5G connectivity. It can give rise to potential opportunities for cross selling or creating new profit pools across Keppel's different connectivity businesses, for example by leveraging Keppel Data Centres' network of data centres as potential points of presence. We may also collaborate with funds managed by Keppel Capital to help provide funding for the project. Drawing from our experience in Bifrost, we will also explore other opportunities in subsea cables.'

The Bifrost Cable System, which will be the largest capacity high-speed transmission cable across the Pacific Ocean when completed, will bolster Singapore's role as a digital hub for the region.

Expected to be completed in 2024 and spanning over 15,000 km, the Bifrost Cable System is the world's first subsea cable system that directly connects Singapore to the west coast of North America via Indonesia through the Java Sea and Celebes Sea. It will connect Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Guam and the west coast of North America.

The Bifrost cable system will boost the connectivity of the region's governments and businesses, including cloud operators, telecommunications operators, network providers, over-the-top (OTT) providers, data centres, governments, enterprises, and consumers by offering them competitive pricing and capacity resilience.

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About Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation

Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation (Keppel T&T) is a leading service provider in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe with businesses in logistics, data centres and subsea cable systems. In Singapore, Keppel T&T's logistics division has more than 40 years of experience in offering customised integrated logistics solutions, and has expanded its urban logistics offerings to include omnichannel logistics and multi-channel commerce capabilities. It currently also operates logistics facilities in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia.

Keppel T&T's Data Centre division has a track record of more than a decade in owning, developing and managing high-quality carrier-neutral data centre facilities that support mission-critical computer systems. Keppel T&T is also the sponsor of Keppel DC REIT, the first data centre Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) listed in Asia and on the SGX-ST. Together with assets owned through Keppel DC REIT, Keppel T&T has a global portfolio of more than 20 data centres located in key data centre hubs across the Asia Pacific and Europe.

Keppel T&T has also expanded into the subsea cable industry. Together with other partners, it will jointly own and develop the Bifrost Cable System, the world's first subsea cable system that directly connects Singapore to the west coast of North America via Indonesia through the Java Sea and Celebes Sea.