Eighty-two percent of Singapore’s organisations have had to remove/ block applications like Zoom, WhatsApp and others considered vulnerability risks from work devices for security reasons
Melbourne, Australia – April 15, 2024 – Cradlepoint, part of Ericsson, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network and security solutions, today announced findings from its 2024 State of Connectivity survey. Findings reveal that despite 62% of Singaporean organisations using cellular connectivity, fixed line/fibre network failure has caused 57% of organisations to experience 1-2 hours of downtime per week. Alarmingly, 25% experienced 3-4 hours of downtime per week, due to fixed line/fibre network failure over the last 12 months. These figures suggest that cellular connectivity is only being used in some organisational areas.
Fifty percent of organisations are also already using network edge solutions to enable in-vehicle connectivity, with another 47% looking to extend their network edge solution to include in-vehicle connectivity in the next 12-24 months.
The survey also found that more than two-thirds of Singapore’s organisations experienced a network security attack in the last 12 months. Of those that were the target of a network security attack, nearly one-quarter suffered a major security breach which resulted in loss of data and over 14% resulted in significant company fines. As a result, 82% of organisations surveyed in Singapore have removed or blocked applications like Zoom, WhatsApp, and others considered vulnerability risks from work devices.
Conducted by Censuswide, the survey revealed that sustainability plays a significant role in Singapore’s business and public sectors, with 60% of organisations agreeing that it plays a key role in their organisations short-term and long-term goals. In fact, the same portion of organisations agreed that increasing sustainability efforts could help improve business revenue. Fifty-nine percent of organisations agreed that they need smarter facilities – incorporating IoT and connected devices – to operate more efficiently and sustainably. With that, nearly one-quarter of organisations surveyed are planning to invest in cellular networks, more than 36% in Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML), and more than one-quarter in equipment sensors, to reduce waste and make facilities more efficient in the next 12 months.
“Singapore is at the forefront when it comes to solving problems with innovative technology, and this is evident in the country’s widespread use of technologies like IoT, AI, and ML. Singapore has long been using connected robotics and other sensor dependent technologies to support the country’s goals, whether it was social distancing during the pandemic or now, waste reduction to meet Singapore’s national Green Plan,” said Nathan McGregor, Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, Cradlepoint.
Despite a positive approach to new technologies and over 94% of organisations surveyed considering 5G wireless connectivity to drive innovation and digital transformation, some organisations still have questions about investing in 5G. More than 35% of organisations reported a perceived shortage of skills required to deploy and maintain a fixed and wireless network as a deterrent to 5G investment, while one-third of organisations reported concerns over the ability to secure connectivity across the enterprise, perception of costs, and a perceived lack of clear ROI as barriers to 5G investment.
“Organisations that measure cost to business not just on initial investment but also on uptime, response time, customer satisfaction, reach and diverse solution offerings will quickly realise how 5G business value impacts their bottom line,” McGregor said.
‘The State of Connectivity in Singapore 2024’ report is based on the findings of Censuswide research of over 500 respondents across Singapore. Respondents were business owners, C-level executives or senior managers at businesses with over 250 employees; all were technology decision-makers.
Vertical sectors polled in this report included: Building, Arts & Culture, Education, Finance, Healthcare, HR, IT & Telecoms, Legal, Manufacturing & Utilities, Retail, Catering & Leisure, Travel and Transport, Government, First Responders, Public Transportation, Automotive, Building Management, Supply Chain & Logistics, Maritime, and Agriculture.
The full Cradlepoint 2024 Connectivity Report Singapore can be found here.
Cradlepoint enables the freedom to connect people, places, and things that drive more experiences, more ways to work, and better business results — anywhere. The company is a pioneer in Wireless WAN, offering advanced 4G and 5G routers and adapters — controlled through Cradlepoint NetCloudTM. Enterprise businesses and public sector agencies rely on Cradlepoint and its Cellular Intelligence to build a reliable, secure network wherever they need it, connecting fixed and temporary sites, vehicles, IoT devices, and remote employees. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Cradlepoint is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and part of their Business Area Enterprise Wireless Solutions. It has international offices in Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, India, and Latin America. www.cradlepoint.com.