Time for local roaming services

The time is ripe for the Infocomm Development Authority to implement local roaming services for mobile subscribers.

When one telco's mobile network is down, its subscribers should be allowed to switch automatically to the other two local telcos' networks. This is similar to how mobile roaming operates overseas, except that this is completely localised.

Affected users will be charged for voice calls or mobile data usage as though they were using their own telco's network, and not for anything beyond this. Any roaming service charges incurred should be borne by the telco whose network was down.

This is more equitable than offering free mobile usage on subsequent days as compensation, or imposing fines on the telco, which has little effect in alleviating the inconvenience endured by users.

There is only so much a telco can do to beef up its resiliency, but allowing local roaming will provide instant network redundancies to mobile subscribers.

Jeremy Aw

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