A new optical fibre termination point will have to be pre-installed in each new home under changes to the Code of Practice for Info-communication Facilities in Buildings (COPIF) which take effect from 1 May 2013.

COPIF was first introduced in 2000 to ensure that developers and/or owners of buildings and developments provide adequate space and facilities for the deployment and operation of installations, plants and systems which provide info-communication services to their buildings. It also specifies the duties and requirements to be observed by the developers and owners, as well as the telecommunication licensees, in relation to the provision, maintenance and utilisation of the relevant space and facilities provided.

With the changes to COPIF which were announced on 17 April, newly-built homes will have to be pre-installed with an optical fibre termination point. This applies to homes whose building plans are approved by the Urban Redevelopment Authority from 1 May 2013 onwards. This will allow the homeowners to subscribe to fibre broadband services when they move in. In addition, each living room and bedroom within these new homes will have to be provided with Category 6 cabling capable of carrying data speeds of more than 1 Gbps.

Another key change in the COPIF calls for the provision of rent-free Mobile Deployment Space (MDS), where developers and building/development owners will be required to provide space for the deployment of infrastructure to enhance mobile coverage. This applies to both existing and new developments.

Depending on the size or the mobile coverage area of the development, the MDS requirements will vary. However, it will be over and above other space requirements currently specified in COPIF for telecommunication operators. Mobile operators will, in turn, be expected to invest significantly in deploying more equipment to enhance coverage and provide a better quality of service for buildings and their surroundings.

Mr Leong Keng Thai, Deputy Chief Executive and Director-General (Telecoms & Post), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, said the latest changes to COPIF are aimed at ensuring that homes are built to meet future infocomm needs brought about by developments such as the deployment of the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network, the growing mobile penetration rate, and the increasing pervasiveness of smartphones and other mobile broadband-enabled devices. “These changes will benefit consumers and improve their mobile and broadband experiences,” he said.