Free Wifi Service Trials at Selected MRT Stations

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport with the introduction of free Wifi services at select MRT stations (a) what is the outcome of the trial; and (b) when will this service be extended to Khatib MRT station which has a high volume of commuters.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (for the Minister for Transport): Madam, the WIFI@MRT trial was launched on 22 August 2014 at City Hall, Orchard and Raffles Place MRT station platforms. It has been well-received. More than 100,000 commuters used the free WIFI service on the first day, and this has steadily increased to more than 145,000 users today. The WIFI@MRT service will be made available at Khatib MRT station by next year.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad: I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his reply. I am not going to ask for just Choa Chu Kang station. I am going to ask in terms of roll-out plans. How do you plan to deploy from the town centres, all the way up to Khatib and the rest?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, Mr Zaqy asked a very reasonable question. I must say that it is a trial period, lasting two years. And we are focusing our efforts, and we start with the interchange stations, including Choa Chu Kang and also stations where there are high volumes of commuters. If we find it well received and Singaporeans like it and use it, I think ultimately we will roll out to the rest of the MRT stations.

Beyond that, we are looking at how we can enhance the travel experience of Singaporeans. LTA is assessing how we can also provide Wifi services on buses, in the interchange, as well as, as I said earlier, at more MRT stations.

Mdm Speaker: Er Lee Bee Wah, are you asking for something else?

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah: Thank you, Parliamentary Secretary. I am glad to hear that by next year commuters at Khatib MRT station will be able to use the free Wifi. I would like to ask which month next year. Is it January next year or is it December next year? Which month?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, we have plans for Khatib. And I think at the end of the day, Khatib is one of the stations that has high commuter traffic. I think it will be one of the priority stations next year.

Mdm Speaker: I think you have opened a Pandora box. Mr David Ong.

Mr David Ong: I want to thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his response that more stations will be Wifi ready and hopefully it will be nation-wide. I think it is a given that all of us would need it. So, I would hope that you could roll out Wifi in all the MRT stations, as commuters will have a need for it.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: The Member has made a good point, Madam. Nevertheless, we want to make sure that we roll out in a manner that will be able to reach out to many people without much of a hiccup. Today we are testing out the whole process. It has been well-received. Nevertheless, we want to see how we can facilitate it better. So, I assure him we are seriously looking into it because at the end of the day, we are committed to enhance the travel experience of our commuters.