M1 FIBRE BROADBAND DISCUSSION - Part 2

[Bfrost]

Hi everyone on M1 Fibre, how’s the stability of the network so far? Considering this and StarHub Fibre.

Don't get. It's slow.

Just joking though. I've been on M1 Fibre since it started more than a decade ago. Really no complaints so far.

 

[dethangel]

Hi everyone on M1 Fibre, how’s the stability of the network so far? Considering this and StarHub Fibre.

Migrated from Singtel after far too long... (ADSL days til recently)

Couldn't be happier.

Good customer service (who actually calls you back!) - had some issue with migrating digital voice service from Singtel.

Better routes and stable network vs Singtel.

My only complaint - they took away the static IP VAS.

 

[1 Ghz]

Regarding the recurring questions on which router to get upon signing up or recontracting.

What works for me is to disaggregate the network into router and Wifi components. Pay a higher upfront cost for a wired router that can last for at least a generation of *GPON, receive regular firmware updates for a long time, is flexible enough in terms of routing configuration (eg dual WAN, VLAN). I might even have a separate switching component if necessary.

Once the router component is decided, the bundled routers that come with each plan are either sold off, become part of a recurring upgrade to the Wifi APs when there is a newer Wifi standard, or are used to cover deadzones in Wifi coverage.

I started using Mikrotik routers in 2018 (RB4011, Wifi functionality became less useful a short while later) after many years of Asus/TPLink/Linksys all-in-one routers, and have not gone back. Current router is a CCR2116 which will be used until I upgrade to something faster than XGSPON.

 

[wav35_]

Don't get. It's slow.

Just joking though. I've been on M1 Fibre since it started more than a decade ago. Really no complaints so far.

I had reservation while migrating to M1 few years ago too but so far, M1 has not failed me at all. In fact I thought it's more stable than SH which I had used for a long period of time.

Probably will recontract with M1 again. I mean, if something is working, dun want hand itchy go change it.

 

[twosix]

I had reservation while migrating to M1 few years ago too but so far, M1 has not failed me at all. In fact I thought it's more stable than SH which I had used for a long period of time.

Probably will recontract with M1 again. I mean, if something is working, dun want hand itchy go change it.

M1 is really not bad. Their after sales support is very good. But ive been with them for ages. Wanna try SH now. With comparisons then we know what we miss.

 

[xiaofan]

M1 is really not bad. Their after sales support is very good. But ive been with them for ages. Wanna try SH now. With comparisons then we know what we miss.

My impression of Starhub as a long term Starhub user with Fibre Internet since 2014 (Starhub Cable Online from 2005 to 2014).

I am not an M1 user myself. I only use SingTel (Fibre Internet since 2012, Singtel Mobile since 2013) and Starhub.

**********
Starhub Digital Voice is not free but at S$2.18 per month.

Starhub customer service is not that good, a bit worse than Singtel based on my experiences. M1 is reported to be better than Singtel/M1.

StarHub routing to China is a bit worse than SingTel, M1 is reported to be worse than Starhub.

Starhub tends to give the best recontract offer to the Fibre Internet customers among the big three, much better than Singtel. M1 occasionally gives good recontract offer as well but not as consistent as Starhub.

Both StarHub and M1 give IPv6, but only /64.

Starhub has faster published Fibre Internet speed than M1, but the test method may not be the same.

M1 probably has the worst sign-up web pages among the ISPs. Billing system may not be good either.

M1 is the smallest among the big three in terms of Fibre Internet subscribers. Adding SIMBA's negligible number will not move the needle in terms of Fibre Internet market landscape.
*********

Edit to add the following note.
I tend to recommend users to stick with their current ISP if got no issues, unless the offer from other ISP is too good to resist compared the recontract offer.

 

[twosix]

My impression of Starhub as a long term Starhub user with Fibre Internet since 2014 (Starhub Cable Online from 2005 to 2014).

I am not an M1 user myself. I only use SingTel (Fibre Internet since 2012, Singtel Mobile since 2013) and Starhub.

**********
Starhub Digital Voice is not free but at S$2.18 per month.

Starhub customer service is not that good, a bit worse than Singtel based on my experiences. M1 is reported to be better than Singtel/M1.

StarHub routing to China is a bit worse than SingTel, M1 is reported to be worse than Starhub.

Starhub tends to give the best recontract offer to the Fibre Internet customers among the big three, much better than Singtel. M1 occasionally gives good recontract offer as well but not as consistent as Starhub.

Both StarHub and M1 give IPv6, but only /64.

Starhub has faster published Fibre Internet speed than M1, but the test method may not be the same.

M1 probably has the worst sign-up web pages among the ISPs. Billing system may not be good either.

M1 is the smallest among the big three in terms of Fibre Internet subscribers. Adding SIMBA's negligible number will not move the needle in terms of Fibre Internet market landscape.
*********

Thanks. Using the free digital voice, but with so much call minutes with the cellular plan, I dun think we need the digital voice anymore. Speed wise ive no qualms with m1. Just wanna "see the world". Haha. Hopefully next year sh will have better price plans compared to m1, else might have to stay with m1 again. Haha.

 

[tt88]

Hi all,
Is it advisable to recontract with M1 now? Or wait till X'mas to see any drop in pricing?
Starhub and Singtel have increased their Broadband plans.

I am considering the 3Gbps Plan at $32.90.

 

[xiaofan]

Regarding the recurring questions on which router to get upon signing up or recontracting.

What works for me is to disaggregate the network into router and Wifi components. Pay a higher upfront cost for a wired router that can last for at least a generation of *GPON, receive regular firmware updates for a long time, is flexible enough in terms of routing configuration (eg dual WAN, VLAN). I might even have a separate switching component if necessary.

Once the router component is decided, the bundled routers that come with each plan are either sold off, become part of a recurring upgrade to the Wifi APs when there is a newer Wifi standard, or are used to cover deadzones in Wifi coverage.

I started using Mikrotik routers in 2018 (RB4011, Wifi functionality became less useful a short while later) after many years of Asus/TPLink/Linksys all-in-one routers, and have not gone back. Current router is a CCR2116 which will be used until I upgrade to something faster than XGSPON.

Similar strategy here, but not so advanced to use MikroTik and not willing to spend on Ubiquit ecosystem either.

1) My preferred setup since 2021 -- wired router + consumer wireless router (mainly Asus and TP-Link) as wireless AP.

2) My preferred main router -- Intel low power CPU based mini PC running Proxmox VE + Virtual OpenWRT as main router (wired router).

Previous Singtel 1Gbps plan with ONT --> Intel J4105 mini PC with quad gigabit RJ45 LAN ports --> Intel N100 mini PC with quad 2.5Gbe RJ45 ports.

Current Singtel 5Gbps plan with self-bridged ONR --> Intel N100 mini PC with dual 10G SFP+ ports and dual 2.5Gbe RJ45 ports.

3) My preferred wireless AP -- Asus or TP-Link consumer router in AP mode, using either Asus TUF-BE6500 or TP-Link Archer BE805 as main AP, Asus RT-AX86U as secondary AP for legacy clients.

4) Then I have cheaper 10Gbe switches and 10Gbe/2.5Gbe managed switches and one 2.5G unmanaged switch, all from Taobao. Previously I was using cheap TP-Link TL-SG105E and TL-SG108E gigabit smart switch for my Singtel 1Gbps plan.

 

[xiangzeng]

No internet connection at 0200 am. Hotline also closed. M1 lacked the empathy to service customers.

 

[xiaofan]

Not so sure if the following results are still valid or not. I tend to think they are still valid. M1/SIMBA are the worst in terms of routing to China. MR Gamer Plan is the best.

Reference: Fastest ISP thread. M1 and SIMBA may not be good for China contents.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/fastest-isp.6996674/page-3

Just did some tests and indeed M1 is still very bad to China. SIMBA is also very bad but improved compared to the results in Feb 2024.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/threads/fastest-isp.6996674/page-13

Tools used: https://tools.ipip.net/newping.php

1) M1 second hop, 175.156.64.1, tested on 13-Oct-2025

2) SIMBA gateway, 210.10.78.1, tested on 13-Oct-2025

3) Whizcomms gateway, 202.133.192.1, tested on 13-Oct-2025

 

[xiaofan]

Hi all,
Is it advisable to recontract with M1 now? Or wait till X'mas to see any drop in pricing?
Starhub and Singtel have increased their Broadband plans.

I am considering the 3Gbps Plan at $32.90.

I think you can wait to see if M1 offer you S$3.4 per month discount to get S$29.50 per month for M1 3Gbps (previous pricing).

 

[xiaofan]

Good explanation why M1 and SIMBA have bad routing to China.

The problem with china is they mostly only have settlement free peering in Frankfurt, sometimes LA, and will carry traffic to their own network more freely from those places. But that path is very congested and leads to a lot of packet losses. Most tier 1 networks will choose to route the traffic from SG to Europe even if it sounds crazy it is actually a lot cheaper for them this way

It will be very difficult for our ISPs to offer China direct egress as the pricing for China Mobile transit are quite exorbitant from what I hear. That's why usually you pay a premium (like MR Gamer) for direct china routes. As for how ST can afford to offer this CM SG to China route to all subscribers we can only speculate. Might be an agreement they have with each other.

If you see those sub 150ms pings coming from non-ST or china optimised plans like M1 or SIMBA, those are an exception as some of CM IP blocks are advertised to PCCW, Tata and Lumen in SG and we can use those routes without paying a premium

 

[tt88]

I think you can wait to see if M1 offer you S$3.4 per month discount to get S$29.50 per month for M1 3Gbps (previous pricing).

Thank you for your reply. I hope to see lower pricing by the end of this year.

 

[jokerpoker81]

No internet connection at 0200 am. Hotline also closed. M1 lacked the empathy to service customers.

when such things happen, i just turn on off the modem / router and it usually works for me

 

[jokerpoker81]

Thank you for your reply. I hope to see lower pricing by the end of this year.

wait till simba take over m1 then see if prices all drop to 10gbps $29.99/mth.....? haha
but whether backend remains the same is unknown

 

[Jurong640]

wait till simba take over m1 then see if prices all drop to 10gbps $29.99/mth.....? haha
but whether backend remains the same is unknown

Hopefully, M1 free upgrade all user to 10gbps, and start introducing newer plans

 

[gapboy]

Hopefully, M1 free upgrade all user to 10gbps, and start introducing newer plans

how unlikely lol..

 

[xiaofan]

how unlikely lol..

Haha. if you wait long enough, 500Mbps customers may slowly be upgraded to 3Gbps for free (now 1Gbps/2.5Gbps plans are gone). This may happen when M1 uses XGS-PON ONT fully and stops to support GPON ONT, say in 2028.

Then 3Gbps plan users might get free upgrade to 6Gbps when 3Gbps plans are gone; and then eventually 10Gbps plans, when 6Gbps plans are gone. That might happen in 2030 or later (latest by 2035) when 10Gbps plan becomes the base plan.

 

[froztheart]

Haha. if you wait long enough, 500Mbps customers may slowly be upgraded to 3Gbps for free (now 1Gbps/2.5Gbps plans are gone). This may happen when M1 uses XGS-PON ONT fully and stops to support GPON ONT, say in 2028.

Then 3Gbps plan users might get free upgrade to 6Gbps when 3Gbps plans are gone; and then eventually 10Gbps plans, when 6Gbps plans are gone. That might happen in 2030 or later (latest by 2035) when 10Gbps plan becomes the base plan.

That's a longgggggggggggggggg wait