A Tale of Two Broadband Markets: Utility in Singapore, Luxury in the U.S.

Tarifica's Data Dive is a free monthly publication providing insights and analysis using proprietary datasets and tools from Tarifica's Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform. A Tale of Two Broadband Markets: Utility in Singapore, Luxury in the U.S. by Soichi Nakajima

Ten gigabits per second. Not long ago, that kind of bandwidth was reserved for corporate campuses, data centers, or government research labs. Today, in Singapore, 10 Gbps fibre is a consumer product priced as casually as a streaming subscription. In the United States, meanwhile, the same speed is treated like a high-end indulgence, accessible only to a small slice of households at premium rates.    The comparison is stark: $22 per month in Singapore versus nearly $200 in the U.S. for equivalent capacity. Americans frequently pay more for two or three gigabits per second than Singaporeans do for ten. The result is a pricing gap so wide that Americans often pay more for a fraction of the speed. The underlying technology is the same; what differs, however, is how the markets are structured. Comparing Leading Offers Singapore’s major providers — SIMBA, M1, StarHub, and Singtel — all offer 10 Gbps service, ranging from $22 to $65 a month. That translates to a cost of just $2.20 to $6.50 per gigabit per month.   By contrast, prices from U.S. providers cluster at far higher levels. Prices range from $19.50 to $77.50 per gigabit, even for slower services. AT&T’s 2 Gbps plan, at $155, works out to more than 35 times the per gigabit cost of SIMBA’s 10 Gbps service. Even the cheapest U.S. 10 Gbps offer (from US Internet at $195 per month) is nearly nine times more expensive per gigabit than Singapore’s most affordable option. The disparity is so great that it is hard to attribute it to anything other than market structure. Click image to see larger version in browser Source: Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform Click image to see larger version in browser Source: Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform Singapore: Competition Turns 10Gbps into an Everyday Utility Singapore’s market design is deliberate: Government policy from 2008 created NetLink Trust, a wholesale open-access provider that owns and operates the country’s passive fibre network. All retail ISPs must lease capacity from NetLink on the same terms. Without control over the infrastructure, ISPs can only compete on price, service and customer experience.                  This structure creates a level playing field that rewards efficiency and innovation. More than a dozen ISPs now battle for customers in a country of just six million people, producing one of the most competitive fixed broadband markets in the world. Prices fall quickly, promotions are aggressive, and services that might be considered premium elsewhere become mass-market standards. For consumers, this means 10 Gbps connectivity is no longer a status symbol but an everyday expectation. SIMBA’s 10 Gbps service costs just $22/month, while even Singtel’s premium offering remains under $65. The abundance of choice ensures adoption is high and affordability is universal. Ultra-fast broadband is treated much like water or electricity: not something to aspire to, but a baseline utility. United States: Premium Prices, Limited Competition The U.S. market, by contrast, is dominated by vertically integrated operators that initially built and currently own both the network and the retail relationship. Because most households have only one or two fixed-line options, competition is limited. The economics of building fibre amplify this effect. With high deployment costs across a vast geography, operators rarely overbuild. Instead, they carve up territories, sometimes down to within individual municipalities, where each becomes the sole fibre provider. Most households see a binary choice: their local incumbent and perhaps one alternative, such as Verizon Fios in certain regions or T-Mobile’s 5G home broadband. The result is functional fibre monopolies with little incentive to compete on price. With such limited rivalry, providers have wide latitude to position speed as a luxury rather than a mass market upgrade. Multi-gigabit service is marketed as a premium tier, with 2–3 Gbps plans priced between $100 and $155 per month. For most households, the more affordable options are still in the hundreds of megabits, not multiple gigabits, reinforcing the idea that ultra-fast broadband is an upgrade for the few rather than a baseline for all. In areas where 10 Gbps is available at all, such as through US Internet in Minneapolis, it remains a niche product (with a $195/month price tag) aimed at enthusiasts or business users. This pricing model means U.S. consumers pay four to seven times more per Gbps than their Singaporean counterparts. The philosophy is clear: fast broadband is something consumers aspire to, not something everyone expects.            The Core Difference: Market Structure, Not Technology It is tempting to attribute Singapore’s advantage to urban density: building fibre to high-rise apartments is cheaper than wiring suburban America. But while density does matter, it does not explain why even in dense U.S. cities, where build costs are comparable, prices still remain many times higher. The decisive factor is clearly market structure. Singapore enforces wholesale access and fosters direct retail competition creating downward pricing pressure and commoditising multi-gigabit connectivity. The United States, on the other hand, allows vertically integrated incumbents to dominate, restricting competition and enabling premium pricing strategies. Both nations deploy the same core fibre technologies. One has turned it into a commodity, the other into a luxury. Looking Ahead As bandwidth demands explode, driven by cloud computing, AI workloads, and immersive media, the cost of broadband will shape economic competitiveness and who can fully participate in the digital economy.  Singapore’s model shows that regulatory policy can make next-generation connectivity widely affordable. The U.S. experience shows that absent competitive pressure, ultra-fast broadband risks remaining a niche luxury. The lesson is clear: technology sets the ceiling, but competition and market design decide the price. About the Author: Soichi Nakajima VP of Data and Analysis snakajima@tarifica.com With over 20 years of telecommunication market analysis experience, Soichi oversees the data collection, quality, research, analysis, and production of all data projects and quantitative studies. For questions or comments about this analysis, please contact Penny Wiesman at pwiesman@tarifica.com Tarifica is the leading provider of telecommunications plan and pricing data to the global telecom industry. Our sole focus is telecommunications offers, resulting in an in-depth and specialized understanding of both the broader telecom environment and plan specifics, including prices, terms and conditions, add-ons, restrictions, and more. Contact us to learn more. Contact Us www.tarifica.com info@tarifica.com 142 W 57th Street New York, NY 10019   +1.917.419.2187

Tarifica Names Verizon's "Red Hot Deal Days" Offer as Consumer Value Plan of the Month

Tarifica, a leader in global telecom pricing intelligence, has selected Verizon's "Red Hot Deal Days" promotion as its Consumer Value Plan of the Month for May. Verizon's offer stood out as a particularly strong option for consumers interested in bundling multiple Apple devices. In the U.S. mobile market where pricing among major carriers has largely converged, and true plan variety is increasingly hard to find, Verizon's limited-time deal offers a combination of incentives across high-demand devices. The promotion, called "Get a Phone, Tablet, and Watch on Us," provides up to $2,300 in value over 36 months, contingent upon qualifying trade-ins and plan selection. Under the promotion, new or upgrading customers can receive: Up to $1,000 in trade-in credit toward a new iPhone $650 credit toward an Apple Watch $650 credit toward an iPad To qualify, all devices must be financed over 36 months and connected to eligible Verizon plans for the duration of the term. Monthly credits are applied throughout the financing period, and a qualifying smartphone trade-in is required. "While plan structures in the U.S. can make direct comparisons challenging, this deal provides clear value for customers who are looking to bundle multiple Apple devices," said Will Watts, Vice President of Product at Tarifica. “The monthly cost savings across phone, tablet, and watch categories make this an ideal promotion for consumers who want the latest Apple devices and prefer to keep all of them connected to unlimited 5G data." Tarifica conducted an analysis of the total monthly cost of ownership for a new customer purchasing the iPhone 16 Pro (128 GB), Apple iPad A16 (128 GB), and Apple Watch Series 10, each connected to the lowest cost 5G unlimited plan available from the three major U.S. carriers.  The findings were as follows: Verizon: $104.99/month (excluding taxes and fees) AT&T: $108.95/month for a similar cross-device offer T-Mobile: $169.02/month, though this is affected by a shorter 24-month financing period and different plan selections. Adjusted to a 36-month basis, the cost is $152.01/month. "Both Verizon and AT&T are offering competitive multi-device pricing, but Verizon came in slightly lower overall in this specific configuration," added Watts. "For consumers focused on Apple products, the structure of Verizon's deal presents a compelling monthly savings opportunity." The review was conducted using Tarifica's Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform (TPIP), which allows for comprehensive tracking and comparison of mobile pricing trends and offers across the globe. About Tarifica Tarifica is an industry leader in providing telecom data and software solutions to the global telecommunications sector. Specializing in telecommunications plan and pricing information, Tarifica delivers critical insights and analytics to help telecom companies and regulators make data-driven decisions. The company’s clients include national regulators, mobile and fixed-line operators, internet service providers, consultancies, and financial institutions worldwide. In addition to its flagship SaaS products, Tarifica offers tailored consulting services to address specific client needs. The company’s commitment to innovation and excellence has established it as a trusted partner in the rapidly evolving telecom industry. About the Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform Tarifica’s Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform (TPIP) offers comprehensive data on plans from major operators around the world, empowering users to create customized profiles for in-depth comparisons and analyses. Subscribers can explore trends and visualize data with ease using intuitive tools and multiple filters for a granular view. Say goodbye to Excel-based limitations and embrace modern features like screenshot captures, alerts, and historical offers. TPIP is adaptable to client needs, allowing customization of data structure, geographical scope, and frequency. Media Contact Penny Wiesman  pwiesman@tarifica.com www.tarifica.com

Tarifica Names Sky Mobile UK's 'Sky Piggybank' as Consumer Value Plan of the Month for April 2025

New York, April 28, 2025 – Tarifica has selected Sky Mobile UK’s Sky Piggybank reward scheme as its Consumer Value Plan of the Month for April, highlighting a compelling approach to increasing consumer value through data rollovers and flexible usage incentives. Unlike traditional mobile plans that simply let unused data expire, Sky Mobile's Piggybank feature automatically rolls over all unused data at the end of each month, storing it in a user-specific Piggybank for up to 12 months. This stored data can then be shared with up to seven SIMs, or exchanged for discounts on smartphones, tablets, and accessories, making the plan especially attractive for families and budget-conscious users. "In today’s mobile market, subscribers are increasingly aware of how much value they are getting from their plans," said Soichi Nakajima, Vice President of Data and Analysis at Tarifica. "Sky Mobile's Piggybank feature is a simple but effective way to ensure customers never feel they are wasting unused data." According to Tarifica, the combination of rollover data, shareable benefits, and optional device discounts sets Sky Mobile apart from many UK competitors, who may still offer fixed data packages with no rollover or benefit-sharing flexibility. "The Sky Piggybank scheme is a great example of how mobile operators can creatively deliver value beyond just price points," Nakajima added. "Consumers who don’t use their full data allowance in a given month still receive tangible benefits, which builds brand loyalty and long-term customer satisfaction." More details on Sky Mobile’s Piggybank can be found on the company’s website. Tarifica’s selection process leverages its advanced Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform to identify those plans that offer the best value to consumers. With the selection of Sky Mobile UK’s Sky Piggybank reward scheme, Tarifica continues its mission of recognizing plans that deliver meaningful value to consumers by meeting their specific needs while maintaining competitive pricing. About Tarifica Tarifica is an industry leader in providing telecom data and software solutions to the global telecommunications sector. Specializing in telecommunications plan and pricing information, Tarifica delivers critical insights and analytics to help telecom companies and regulators make data-driven decisions. The company’s clients include national regulators, mobile and fixed-line operators, internet service providers, consultancies, and financial institutions worldwide. In addition to its flagship SaaS products, Tarifica offers tailored consulting services to address specific client needs. The company’s commitment to innovation and excellence has established it as a trusted partner in the rapidly evolving telecom industry. About the Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform Tarifica’s Telecom Pricing Intelligence Platform (TPIP) offers comprehensive data on plans from major operators around the world, empowering users to create customized profiles for in-depth comparisons and analyses. Subscribers can explore trends and visualize data with ease using intuitive tools and multiple filters for a granular view. Say goodbye to Excel-based limitations and embrace modern features like screenshot captures, alerts, and historical offers. TPIP is adaptable to client needs, allowing customization of data structure, geographical scope, and frequency. Media Contact Penny Wiesman  pwiesman@tarifica.com www.tarifica.com