⚡️💻 [Official] README First! 2025 SG ISP Comparison & Latest Promo Deals! ✨

[firesong]

On the topic of IPv4 addresses, it seems Singapore bought 144,640 IPs from USA in 2024. They can't have been cheap in a world where IPv4 addresses are so limited, so it suggests that internet costs are to go up in order to cover this capex.

https://blog.apnic.net/2025/01/13/ip-addresses-through-2024/



It does signal that Singapore is unwilling to properly embrace IPv6, for whatever reason.


4.38 IPv4 addresses per Capita? Why?

And our IPv6 deployment? A pathetic 0.1%

 

[Mach3.2]

4.38 IPv4 addresses per Capita? Why?

Probably hyperscalers.

Seems like i lost IPv6 on singtel 5g SA again

Dysfunctional IPv6 support on eyeball ISPs also mean higher demand for IPv4.

 

[astones153]

On the topic of IPv4 addresses, it seems Singapore bought 144,640 IPs from USA in 2024. They can't have been cheap in a world where IPv4 addresses are so limited, so it suggests that internet costs are to go up in order to cover this capex.

https://blog.apnic.net/2025/01/13/ip-addresses-through-2024/

View attachment 53305

It does signal that Singapore is unwilling to properly embrace IPv6, for whatever reason.

View attachment 53306
4.38 IPv4 addresses per Capita? Why?

And our IPv6 deployment? A pathetic 0.1%
View attachment 53307

Lmao we got over 2 billion /48 prefixes and only 9 mil allocated? Jfc that is embarrassing.

 

[firesong]

Lmao we got over 2 billion /48 prefixes and only 9 mil allocated? Jfc that is embarrassing.

Plenty of room for them to allocate more IPv6 space to end users. But for some reason, the ISPs are forcing the /64 instead of the "industry standard" /56. There's not even the option for informed users to ask for /56 to segment their networks properly.

If I may guess,
1) they do not want home users to do anything with their home networks and have never heard of network segmentation for maximum security/privacy;
2) they think home users don't know what they are doing because they themselves don't have a clue, don't want to have a clue, and hope others never have a clue;
3) they are afraid of giving users more userspace;
4) they want everyone on the same flat network for ease of their monitoring (also tied to why they are forcing ISP equipment with ISP custom firmware onto users with policies like ONR etc)

 

[firesong]

Probably hyperscalers.

Seems like i lost IPv6 on singtel 5g SA again

Dysfunctional IPv6 support on eyeball ISPs also mean higher demand for IPv4.

Well, the reverse is also true. Forcing IPv4 means they don't need to bother with IPv6. Entrenching their proprietary positions and solutions gives them the plausible "Oh, I went IPv6 and something broke" == "IPv6 no good" excuses.

For most of us, it's a matter of properly understanding, properly implementing, and properly re-designing from top down. Which is kinda an MDI (formerly IMDA) thing to push from top-down. But then again, we all have heard from the minister in charge who herself expressed preferences for small spaces.

Given that IPv6 was like since 1998, not sure how "forward" that sort of planning really is when we're almost 30 years after the draft spec. was released. Even if we go by the 2017 ratification date, we're almost 10 years past that now in 2025.

And what are they doing instead? Spending a lot of money buying up over a hundred thousand IPv4 addresses at high cost cos it's a global scarcity, and passing those costs onto us consumers.

 

[dpsk3000]

No, that is not correct as per the reports in this forum.

You can ask in the SIMBA thread or MR/VQ thread about the experiences of using Torrent. I am not using torrent myself (other than for testing purpose of downloading Linux ISOs).

CGNAT does have its issues --> so if you can avoid it, try to avoid it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier-grade_NAT

If you read the first page of this thread, you can see that there are better plans than SIMBA 10Gbps. For example, IMHO Starhub 5Gbps offer at S$29.55 per month is a better option than SIMBA 10Gbps.

Main reasons why I do not recommend SIMBA:
1) Lack of support is the main reason that I can not recommend SIMBA to average users as of now.
2) Power users know their use cases well -- so it is usually not an issue to go with their choice of ISPs. But I would not recommend power users to go for SIMBA either because of CGNAT (without static IPv4 add-on).

thks for the clarification and assistance.
i looked at M1 3gbps with ONT and good old real IP address. is this still the case now? need real IP for trading desk and IPv4 and abit of torrent for big file download.

 

[xiaofan]

thks for the clarification and assistance.
i looked at M1 3gbps with ONT and good old real IP address. is this still the case now? need real IP for trading desk and IPv4 and abit of torrent for big file download.

Yes, that is an okay option for your use case even though the pricing is not that attractive.

 

[xiaofan]

Some interesting observations from my side after a quick glance through the above-mentioned APNIC blog.
https://blog.apnic.net/2025/01/13/ip-addresses-through-2024/

1) IMHO it is actullay a good time to buy IPv4 address now since the price has dropped.

2) A large trunk of IPv6 block is allocated to Huawei International in Singapore by APNIC.

That means out of the 2,257,203,689 /48s SG has, Huawei International has 2,147,483, 648 (two to the power of 31).

So take the 0.1% number with a grain of salt.

In 2024, APNIC allocated a /17 to Huawei International, with a corporate location in Singapore.

The 2024 allocation IPv6 address volume in APNIC was extremely large, with the allocation of a /17 prefix to Huawei International in November 2024 being the major part of the annual allocation volume.

 

[froztheart]

Well, the reverse is also true. Forcing IPv4 means they don't need to bother with IPv6. Entrenching their proprietary positions and solutions gives them the plausible "Oh, I went IPv6 and something broke" == "IPv6 no good" excuses.

For most of us, it's a matter of properly understanding, properly implementing, and properly re-designing from top down. Which is kinda an MDI (formerly IMDA) thing to push from top-down. But then again, we all have heard from the minister in charge who herself expressed preferences for small spaces.

Given that IPv6 was like since 1998, not sure how "forward" that sort of planning really is when we're almost 30 years after the draft spec. was released. Even if we go by the 2017 ratification date, we're almost 10 years past that now in 2025.

And what are they doing instead? Spending a lot of money buying up over a hundred thousand IPv4 addresses at high cost cos it's a global scarcity, and passing those costs onto us consumers.

Well, like you said just look at who is leading the ministry and that's partially the reason why our IPv6 transition is a joke.

 

[firesong]

Some interesting observations from my side after a quick glance through the above-mentioned APNIC blog.
https://blog.apnic.net/2025/01/13/ip-addresses-through-2024/

1) IMHO it is actullay a good time to buy IPv4 address now since the price has dropped.

2) A large trunk of IPv6 block is allocated to Huawei International in Singapore by APNIC.

That means out of the 2,257,203,689 /48s SG has, Huawei International has 2,147,483, 648 (two to the power of 31).

So take the 0.1% number with a grain of salt.

In 2024, APNIC allocated a /17 to Huawei International, with a corporate location in Singapore.

The 2024 allocation IPv6 address volume in APNIC was extremely large, with the allocation of a /17 prefix to Huawei International in November 2024 being the major part of the annual allocation volume.

That's still cost on a per-address basis. The question is, was it necessary for this capex when there's a much cheaper option which involves some future planning and strategic decision making at the national level? Bearing in mind that any capex drives up costs for consumers.

At a time when BTO 4 room flats are half a million dollars and people have much more costs to pay, driving up the costs of living by incrementing monthly subscriptions does not seem like the government is mindful of the social situation of the lower two decile of the population.

For data, from Singstat, the average monthly income (including CPF) of the bottom 20% of Singaporeans is $2,826 for 2023 (2024 is not available). That works out to a take home of $2260.80, before taxes and other deductions. And we're assuming this is on a 12-month cycle. If it's inclusive of the 13th month and other bonuses, actual take home is lower.


Why is this relevant? Because 20% of our people here take home less than that amount on average, and have to pay for their mortgage and other expenses. While you can argue that others above the 20th percentile are more able to afford, 20% of Singaporean residents is not a small number when we have 6.04 million people (as of June 2024) here on this island. Even if we exclude non-working people, the reality is that working people likely have to support their non-working relatives, taxing that take home salary.
https://www.population.gov.sg/population-in-brief-2024-key-trends/

So I am quite mindful of unnecessary expenses here cos it impacts cost of living in a real way. It's not like Internet is a luxury they can afford to drop in today's world. People are too rich to be eligible for IMDA subsidies, and have to make do with policies beyond their control.

Any surprises as to why our internet subscription costs jumped recently?

 

[BBCWatcher]

On the topic of IPv4 addresses, it seems Singapore bought 144,640 IPs from USA in 2024.

Who bought?

Any surprises as to why our internet subscription costs jumped recently?

I don't see that. There are multiple sub-$30/month home fibre broadband plans on offer, and they're all ridiculously fat pipes.

Moreover, you can get 77GB of mobile data per month for $7 (ZYM), 100GB for either $7.06 (Zero1) or $5.07 (SIMBA, age 60+), or 290GB for $7.90 (M1 Maxx, no contract price for 1st 12 months). Many households don't really need home fibre broadband with mobile data allotments like those and public Wi-Fi such as Wireless@SG.

 

[xiaofan]

Pretty good VQ 3Gbps limited-time offer: effective price at (S$18.98 + S$40.98)/2 = S$29.98 per month.
With zero upfront fees (NLT charges and admin fees waived)
https://viewqwest.com/sg/residential/broadband/3gbps/

 

[evildoer]

Pretty good VQ 3Gbps limited-time offer: effective price at (S$18.98 + S$40.98)/2 = S$29.98 per month.
With zero upfront fees (NLT charges and admin fees waived)
https://viewqwest.com/sg/residential/broadband/3gbps/

just signed up viewqwest

 

[DaBaiCai]

Pretty good VQ 3Gbps limited-time offer: effective price at (S$18.98 + S$40.98)/2 = S$29.98 per month.
With zero upfront fees (NLT charges and admin fees waived)
https://viewqwest.com/sg/residential/broadband/3gbps/

But isn't starhub 5g for 29.55 better.

 

[HiHelloBye]

But isn't starhub 5g for 29.55 better.

definitely...

but end of the day, each to their own

 

[xiaofan]

All in all, it is good to have more competitions with around S$30 (effective pricing) plans from the ISPs.

I will usually recommend Starhub and M1 if you read the first page of this Singapore ISP comparison thread. But I understand people may have good reasons to go with other plans.

1) Starhub 5Gbps offer at S$29.55 per month. Nokia XS-2426X-A ONR (AX6000 wireless) option with one extra free Nokia Beacon 2. Very good value for average users who do not want to pay anything extra on routers.

2) Starhub 5Gbps offer at S$29.55, ONT option without router. Very good value for those who do not want to use ONR but their own router.

3) M1 6Gbps offer with two-pack of ZenWiFi BT10 at S$59.90 per month. If you value the two-pack of BT10 at about S$720 or more, then the effective price is at S$29.90 for 6Gbps no-frills plan. Some users are able to sell the two units at about S$800 to lower the effective price at S$26.57 per month.

4) Singtel 3Gbps plan at S$29.90 per month for selected new customers only (Singtel mobile customers who want to switch to Singtel for Fibre Internet)

5) SIMBA 10Gbps plan at S$29.99 per 30 days.

6) WC 2.5Gbps plan at S$24 per month (very good for recontract users). New users need to pay NLT charge of S$61.04 and installation charge of S$54.50 and the effective price of S$28.81 per month.

7) WC 10Gbps plan at S$28.99 per month (very good for recontract users). New users need to pay installation charge of S$54.50 and the effective price of S$31.26 per month.

8) VQ limited time promotion of 3Gbps plan at S$29.98 per month (no frills plan).

Then we have legacy M1 500Mbps and Starhub 500Mbps plan at about S$30.45 per month for those users who stick to the two plans (no need to recontract to continue the same pricing).

 

[Syclone]

I currently have the Singtel Enhanced Fibre Home Bundle (1Gbps/Home Digital Line) plan for $36++/month, which is valid until 17 February 2026. This basic plan was subscribed to while I was still working at Singtel. Is this an ONR or ONT setup? I have my own router that I’d like to use, but I’m unsure if switching plans is a good idea, especially since Xiaofan mentioned that legacy plans offer great value. Based on the benchmarks shared by others, it seems that MR Gamer is overall the fastest option, even though its subscription cost is significantly higher.

 

[HiHelloBye]

I currently have the Singtel Enhanced Fibre Home Bundle (1Gbps/Home Digital Line) plan for $36++/month, which is valid until 17 February 2026. This basic plan was subscribed to while I was still working at Singtel. Is this an ONR or ONT setup? I have my own router that I’d like to use, but I’m unsure if switching plans is a good idea, especially since Xiaofan mentioned that legacy plans offer great value. Based on the benchmarks shared by others, it seems that MR Gamer is overall the fastest option, even though its subscription cost is significantly higher.

it's definitely an ONR, knowing ST is already phasing out ONT setups lol

 

[Syclone]

it's definitely an ONR, knowing ST is already phasing out ONT setups lol

Can Singtel phase out the ONT without touching my setup? I'm currently using my own router along with Singtel's modem. Since my router isn't directly connected to the fiber outlet, doesn't that indicate I'm using an ONT setup?

Edit:
https://www.singtel.com/content/dam/singtel/personal/support/broadband/broadband-troubleshooting/ONT vs ONR Guide.pdf
I looked at Singtel's guide and I'm still using ZTE ONT V6 device as well

 

[HiHelloBye]

Can Singtel phase out the ONT without touching my setup? I'm currently using my own router along with Singtel's modem. Since my router isn't directly connected to the fiber outlet, doesn't that indicate I'm using an ONT setup?

Edit:
https://www.singtel.com/content/dam/singtel/personal/support/broadband/broadband-troubleshooting/ONT vs ONR Guide.pdf
I looked at Singtel's guide and I'm still using ZTE ONT V6 device as well

if that's the case, then no doubt your setup is:
FTP <-> ONT <-> Wireless Router

if you were to sign-up for other plans, it'll be using ONR setup