Managing Change BUSM 1208 Overview The SingTel Group (SingTel), the incumbent former monopoly, is Asia’s leading communications group, providing a diverse range of communication services and solutions including fixed, mobile, data, internet, info-communications technology, satellite and pay TV. With 130 years of operating experience, SingTel has played an integral part in the development as a major communications hub in the region (SingTel 2011). It has operations and investments in more than 20 countries and territories globally, primary in communications companies beyond Singapore’s border. Exhibit 1 shows SingTel’s investments in various regions. Today, SingTel is listed on the Singapore Exchange, and also the Australian Stock Exchange with the acquisition of Optus in 2001 (Sainsbury 2005). Being the largest company listed on the Singapore Exchange, SingTel had a market capitalization of S$50 billion, and had a turnover of S$16.87 million and net profit after tax of S$3.91 million for the year ended March 2010 (Singapore Telecommunications Limited 2010) as shown in Exhibit 2. Despite enduring a global financial crisis, SingTel is still ranked the top mobile service provider and national telephone provider in its home base, with a market share of 44% and 86% respectively (SingTel 2010). History of Singapore’s Telecommunications Industry SingTel’s heritage could be traced back to 1879, when Singapore became one of the first cities in the East to have telephone service (SingTel 2011). In the mid-1950s, telephone services in Singapore were managed by British interests and Singapore Telephone Board (STB) was incorporated as a statutory board with exclusive rights to operate telephone service within Singapore (SingTel 2011). The STB and the

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Managing Change BUSM 1208 Telecommunications Department, which dealt with international telecommunications, were merged in