FAQ: What you need to know ahead of the impending 3G shutdown

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SINGAPORE: It’s official: 3G is on its way out. 

Mobile network operators Singtel, StarHub and M1 will sunset their 3G services by the end of July 2024, closing the book on the third generation of mobile phone technologies that has been in use since 2005.

The telcos will have a year-long transition period to engage and migrate their remaining 3G subscribers, before retiring the service, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said on Wednesday (Jul 26).

Here’s what you need to know about 3G’s long goodbye, and how to find out if you will be affected.

Q: Why shut down 3G?

In its announcement, the IMDA cited “advancements in the mobile communication space where 3G has been largely replaced by 4G and 5G”.

Close to 99 per cent of Singapore’s mobile subscribers are on 4G or 5G.

The 3G subscriber base makes up about 1 per cent of the total mobile subscriptions as of April, and IMDA said it is on the decline.

According to the authority’s statistics on telecom services, there were 109,000 combined post and pre-paid 3G subscriptions in Singapore in April 2023.

Singtel, StarHub and M1 will follow their Australian and British counterparts in deciding to retire their 3G services by 2024, with the US and Malaysia having already done so.

Q: How do I know if I have to switch my plan or device?

According to Singtel, customers can easily check if their current device or plan is still on 3G.

If the network status bar – typically found on the upper right corner on most phones – has a 3G or H+ symbol all the time, chances are that you’ll have to make the switch to 4G or 5G.

Customers still using a 3G SIM card will have received an SMS or direct mailer from Singtel informing them of the need to upgrade their SIM card, the telco said.

M1 has also said that its 3G-only customers will be contacted by email and SMS.

After the shutdown on Jul 31, 2024, mobile users who still remain on 3G-only SIM cards or devices will not be able to use or receive voice, SMS or data services.

Q: What are the options for 3G subscribers?

The three main telcos will use the next year to migrate their remaining 3G subscribers before eventually retiring their 3G services.

Individual users will be given the option to convert to 4G plans “on terms that are no worse-off”, said the IMDA. A range of mobile phone options at different price points will also be provided. 

Singtel and M1 are offering migrating postpaid customers S$0 options for 5G-enabled handsets, while StarHub said that 4G and 5G handsets will be “available at different price points”.

SIM card upgrades are free for customers of all three telcos.

StarHub has stated on its website that all its SIM cards support 4G services, while M1 will provide free upgrades to 5G SIM cards.

Singtel will also provide free one-time upgrades from 3G SIM cards. Postpaid customers may visit any Singtel shop or exclusive retailer with their original identification documents for the upgrade.

For enterprise 3G users, support will be given to help them migrate to 4G or other alternative services while minimising disruption to their existing services, said IMDA.

Q: Besides phones, what other devices will be affected?

The impending shutdown will have an impact on more than just mobile phone users. Customers might have some decisions to make for their IoT (Internet of Things) devices which might run on 3G technology.

Sectors such as retail, transportation or medical that rely on 3G technologies for specialised equipment – such as point-of-sales terminals, tracking devices and sensors – will similarly need to future-proof their devices.

“The shutdown is going to affect all devices that rely on 3G for connectivity,” M1 said.

“Think tablets, smartwatches, home alarm, medical alert devices, car navigation systems and even entertainment setups.”

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World’s newest dinosaur found in Kalasin

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Small plant-eater the eighth species to be found in ‘Thailand’s Jurassic Park’

PUBLISHED : 26 Jul 2023 at 18:41

World's newest dinosaur found in Kalasin
The fossil of the newly discovered Minimocursor phunoiensis dinosaur was remarkably well preserved.

A complete fossil of the world’s newest dinosaur discovery has been found in an area dubbed Thailand’s Jurassic Park in the northeastern province of Kalasin.

The discovery took place at the Phu Noi excavation site in tambon Din Jee of Kham Muang district in Kalasin, according to the Department of Mineral Resources and Mahasarakham University.

Oranuj Lorphensri, director-general of the department, said on Wednesday that department officials and staff from the Palaeontological Research and Education Centre of Mahasarakham University found the complete fossil of Minimocursor phunoiensis, meaning a “small runner” from Phu Noi, in the 1,200-square-metre excavation site.

The fossil is one of the most complete fossilised skeletons in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

“This fossil was kept in a way that its bones lay in order comprising the skull, the spine from the neck to the base of the tail, the left hand, pelvis, two hind legs and even spinal tendons,” Ms Oranuj said.

“It is one of the most complete dinosaur fossils in Southeast Asia.”

It is the 13th dinosaur fossil found in Thailand and the world’s newest discovered species of dinosaur, Ms Oranuj said.

The fossil dates from about 150 million years ago, which was in the late Jurassic period. Its pelvis is similar to those of birds, called ornithischian dinosaurs.

Phu Noi mountain, where the fossil was found, has been dubbed the Jurassic Park of Thailand because more than 5,000 fossilised remains of ancient creatures with backbones have been discovered there. It is the biggest and most bio-diverse site of fossilised vertebrates in Southeast Asia, Ms Oranuj said.

The small, plant-eating dinosaur was the eighth newly found species to have been found at the Phu Noi excavation site.

Sita Manitkoon, a researcher with the Palaeontological Research and Education Centre, said the fossil was estimated to belong to a 60-centimetre-tall dinosaur that weighed about 20 kilogrammes. Researchers believed that the fully grown ones might be have been about 2 metres tall.

A full report of the discovery was published on July 13 in the scientific journal Diversity.

An artist’s impression of <i>Minimocursor phunoiensis</i>. It is believed that adults of the species grew to be about 2 metres tall.

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Egyptian girl dies after fall from Phangnga waterfall

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PUBLISHED : 26 Jul 2023 at 18:34

Egyptian girl dies after fall from Phangnga waterfall
Searchers use a rope at the spot where a 6-year-old Egyptian girl fell off the Ton Pariwat waterfall in Muang district of Phangnga on Wednesday afternoon. The girl was found dead. (Photo: Phangnga disaster prevention and mitigation office)

PHANGNGA: A six-year-old Egyptian girl died after falling off a popular waterfall in Muang district of this southern tourist province on Wednesday.

The girl, whose name was withheld, and her parents were among a tour group of six people who were visiting the Ton Pariwat waterfall, also known as Ton Song Phraek, in tambon Song Phreak on Wednesday.

The girl went missing after falling off the waterfall at about 1.30pm, said officials at the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office.

After a 30-minute search, the team found the body of the girl trapped among the rocks. Her body was taken to Phangnga Hospital.

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62 macaques rescued from wildlife smugglers

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PUBLISHED : 26 Jul 2023 at 16:54

62 macaques rescued from wildlife smugglers
Sixty-two macaques are found inside iron and plastic cages in a box truck abandoned by wildlife traffickers on the bank of the Mekong River in Nong Khai’s Ratana Wapi district on Wednesday morning. (Photo: Chumchon Khon Ratana Wapi Facebook)

Sixty-two macaques were abandoned by fleeing wildlife traffickers intercepted by a goverment border patrol in Nong Khai province on Wednesday morning.

A team of police, soldiers and local officials spotted a box pickup truck stopping on the bank of the Mekong River in Ratana Wapi district around 5.30am. At the same time, eight men in a long-tail boat pulled into the river bank, walked to the parked vehicle and began unloading a cage from the back of the truck.

The patrol moved in to question the men, who immediately dropped everything and fled, abandoning the parked vehicle. They left behind three iron cages and one plastic cage containing a total of 62 live macaques.

The seizure of the animals was announced by Pol Col Phuvit Siripanit, chief of Ratana Wapi police, in the company of other senior officers and local officials involved in the operation.

He said it was believed the captured wild monkeys were being smuggled out of the country for use in laboratory testing abroad. The rescued animals would be placed in the care of the Phu Pha Man National Park’s animal rehabilitation centre. 

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China tells Myanmar to ‘root out’ scam gangs

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Beijing increasingly concerned by scale of illegal operations in Myanmar’s lawless borderlands

PUBLISHED : 26 Jul 2023 at 16:47

China tells Myanmar to ‘root out’ scam gangs
Two Thai cell towers are seen facing a development across the Moei River in Myanmar, south of Myawaddy and Mae Sot. It is believed the complex consists mainly of dormitories whose residents include suspected scammers.

YANGON: China has told Myanmar’s junta to “root out” online scam centres in its lawless borderlands that target Chinese citizens, Beijing’s embassy in Yangon said.

Criminal syndicates are accused of luring or kidnapping citizens of China and other countries to lawless enclaves along Myanmar’s northern and eastern borders and forcing them to work as online scammers.

The scammers typically target their compatriots and groom them for weeks before cajoling them into ploughing money into fake investment platforms and other ruses, analysts say.

The scams worry Beijing — a major ally and arms supplier of the internationally isolated junta.

Beijing’s ambassador held “special negotiations” on Monday with the junta’s foreign minister on “combating crimes including domestic communication frauds”, according to an embassy statement released on Tuesday.

“Communication frauds continue to spread in Myanmar border areas including northern Myanmar by severely harming the personal interests of people in both China and Myanmar,” the ambassador said, according to the statement.

“The residue of communication fraud and online gambling in Myanmar should be rooted out,” he added.

Beijing is a major ally of the junta and has refused to call its 2021 power grab a coup.

Several projects in its sprawling Belt and Road infrastructure initiative are slated to run through northern Myanmar, linking China’s landlocked Yunnan province with the Indian Ocean.

Beijing also backs and arms several ethnic rebel groups along its border with Myanmar, analysts say.

Some of these groups have clashed repeatedly with the Myanmar military in the aftermath of the coup, and an alliance of China-backed rebels in March called for Beijing’s help to defuse the crisis.

Last month, Thailand cut electricity supplies to a Myanmar border township that home to a billion-dollar development that analysts say is a front for illegal gambling and online scam operations.

The sprawling Shwe Kokko complex houses hotels and casinos targeting Chinese customers, analysts say, and is run by the Border Guard Force (BGF), a military-aligned ethnic militia.

The Myanmar army and the BGF have been battling Karen militias, with the resulting clashes and air strikes causing thousands of refugees to flee into Thailand.

Online “boiler room” scams have long had a presence across Southeast Asia.

Victims have reported travelling to Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos on false promises of romance or high-paying jobs, and then being detained and forced to work swindling their compatriots online.

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Commentary: Let’s know all the facts when discussing Singapore politics

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THE FIRST GENERATION

Former minister Lim Kim San lived in a 52,059 sq ft good class bungalow (GCB) in Dalvey Road. Mr Lim, who has been widely credited to be the man behind Singapore’s Housing Development Board project, built this home for himself in 1967 – when many Singaporeans lived in rented housing.

Staying in his sprawling bungalow did not stop Mr Lim from making an important and telling contribution to the country and Singaporeans. Having already been a key architect of the success of Singapore’s public housing programme, Mr Lim went on to serve commendably in the finance, interior, defence, communications, education and national development portfolios as well as chairman of the PUB and PSA, reflecting a multi-faceted and long history of contributions to Singapore.

Mr Lim was independently wealthy before he came into politics, and he only did so after then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew persuaded him to give up his business interests to come into government and serve the country. At no point in his political career did Mr Lee require Mr Lim to give up living in a GCB – when many Singaporeans did not even own their homes. Nor was he chided for doing so or accused of not being able to properly serve Singaporeans, or that there would be a disconnect.

Similarly, Singapore’s pioneering law and labour minister E W Barker lived in a GCB in Queen Astrid Park. That did not prevent him from serving Singapore.

Other pioneer leaders and ministers, including Dr Goh Keng Swee and Hon Sui Sen also lived in large government bungalows. Dr Goh lived in Goodwood Park, in a black and white bungalow just off Orchard Road. Government housing was part of the scheme of service in those times. Dr Goh was Mr Lee’s right hand man, in the making of modern Singapore and is credited for many of Singapore’s current institutions and policies that have greatly benefited the country.

Singapore’s 1G leaders were unimpeachable in their personal conduct. But where they lived was not an issue, as long as there was no corruption involved. And several lived in large, landed houses – some in GCBs and some in black and white bungalows.

From the start, Mr Lee brought in people to serve if he thought they could do the job – regardless of their background, regardless of whether they were rich or poor. There were unionists, who were not wealthy, but who contributed greatly to nation building, by coming into politics. As was said in parliament during this debate, what matters is not how wealthy or poor a person is. It is the heart and the willingness to serve, and competence that should matter.

I am not seeking to compare the 1G leaders with current leaders. Every generation is different. But Mr Han made a comparison on how the leaders lived to which I have a different point of view.

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Pita advised to shelve House petition on rejected renomination

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PUBLISHED : 26 Jul 2023 at 15:23

Pita advised to shelve House petition on rejected renomination
Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha speaks to reporters at the parliament on July 10. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

The parliament president has advised the Move Forward Party to shelve its request for the parliament to review last week’s rejection of the renomination of its leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister, pending a court ruling.

House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, who is ex-officio parliament president, said on Wednesday the MFP should wait for the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Ombudsman’s petition for a ruling on the joint sitting’s resolution, pushed through with the backing of appointed senators. 

The Constitutional Court’s ruling would have an effect on the parliament and all concerned, he said.

Mr Wan also said that his decision to postpone indefinitely the parliament’s next vote to select a prime minister, which had been scheduled for Thursday, was free of any political motive.

He made the decision because the Constitutional Court had still to consider the petition from the Office of the Ombudsman, which also asked for a postponement of the vote. 

If the court does not accept the matter for consideration, Mr Wan said, he could set a date for the next parliamentary vote right away.

Mr Pita failed to win a majority vote from both the House and the Senate to become prime minister on July 13.

He was renominated to a joint sitting on July 19 but the joint sitting rejected it on procedural grounds. Opponents argued it was in violation of parliamentary regulation 41, which prohibits the resubmission of a failed motion during the same parliamentary session.

Mr Pita’s supporters and many academics disagreed with the parliament’s resolution on July 19, arguing  that regulation 41 applies to general business, not the prime ministerial nomination, and asked the Constitutional Court through the Ombudsman to rule on the legality of Mr Pita’s renomination. 

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Thaksin would be treated as elderly inmate, says prisons boss

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PUBLISHED : 26 Jul 2023 at 14:32

Thaksin would be treated as elderly inmate, says prisons boss
Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted this photo of herself and her father Thaksin on her Facebook account on Wednesday and announced that he would return to Thailand on Aug 10. (Photo: Ing Shinawatra Facebook)

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would be treated as an elderly prisoner and receive whatever medical treatment he may need if he is imprisoned on his planned return to Thailand on Aug 10, Corrections Department chief Ayut Sinthoppan said on Wednesday.

The department chief gave this assurance after Thaksin’s daughter announced her father would return to Thailand through Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport on August 10. Thaksin has previously said he would enter the justice process. 

When the former prime minister arrived at Don Mueang he would be met by immigration police and a record made of his arrest, Mr Ayut said.

Corrections Department officials would do whatever is ordered under a court warrant, he said. They would be at the court where the arrest warrant was issued. If the charges against the former prime minister ocurred in Bangkok, he would be taken to Bangkok Remand Prison if the court ordered his detention.

To date, the department had not received a court warrant for Thaksin.

Paetongtharn “Ung Ing’’ Shinawatra, one of three Pheu Thai candidates for prime minister, announced on Instagram on Wednesday that her father would arrive at Don Mueang airport on Aug 10.

Mr Ayut said Thaksin would b treated as an elderly inmate. If he had underlining illnesses he would receive medical treatment on the advice of a prison doctor. Thaksin would be quarantined at the prison hospital for Covid-19 testing for 10 days before being moved to a prison patient ward, as was the case with former Department of Special Investigation chief Tarit Pengdit, Mr Ayut said.

There was no timeframe for medical treatment. Doctors based at the prison would assess his condition, he said.

He denied reports that caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreu-ngam, as acting justice minister, had coordinated with the department regarding Thaksin’s return. He said Mr Wissanu had not been in contact with him.

Thaksin’s government was overthrown by a military coup on Sept 19, 2006, while he was overseas. He has since lived in self-exile, based in Dubai, except for a brief visit to Thailand in 2008.

During his absence, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to a total of 12 years imprisonment in four cases.

In the first case, the court found him guilty of abuse of power in his then-wife Khunying Potjaman’s purchase of state-owned land in Ratchadapisek area for less than the market value. In October 2008, he was sentenced to two years in prison. The 10-year statute of limitations on the court ruling expired in October 2018.

In the second case, Thaksin was sentenced to two years in prison after he was found guilty of malfeasance in a case concerning the two- and three-digit lottery.

In the third case, Thaksin was handed down three years in prison for abusing his position by authorising loans totaling 4 billion baht to Myanmar by the Export-Import Bank of Thailand. The loans were used to buy equipment from a telecoms firm owned by his family.

The fourth case resulted in a five-year prison sentence. The court found him guilty of using nominees to hold shares in a telecommunications company, Shin Corp, which is prohibited for any political office holder.

The statute of limitations has not expired in the second, third and fourth cases. 

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