HOMES in the Macpherson, Jurong, Middle Road, and Geylang areas will be the first to be cabled up for Singapore's next-generation high-speed network when installation works begin in September.

The consortium laying the fibre-optic lines, OpenNet, will begin sending letters to home owners from next month to ask for an appointment for technicians to go and install the cables, said chief executive officer Tan Kah-Rhu.

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Services could begin as early as next year, according to the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA).

OpenNet, a joint venture between SingTel, Singapore Press Holdings, SP Telecommunications and Axia Netmedia, expects to have 56,000 homes and 1,000 office buildings cabled within the first month, and 60 per cent of all homes and offices by December next year.

All buildings will be connected by 2012 except those in more remote areas or those that are targeted for demolition, said Mrs Tan yesterday at the company's inaugural media briefing at the Infocomm Media Business Exchange trade show.

OpenNet won the tender last September to lay the cables for the new network, which is expected to deliver Internet speeds 10 times faster than those possible today. When operational, it will offer a dazzling array of new services like high-definition video-conferencing and virtual reality online games not possible on today's network.

Installation work is free, and will take four hours for each home, the company said. No drilling or heavy construction will be required for most properties, as the fine fibre-optic strands can be pulled into the home via an existing phone or cable TV tube.

Home owners who do not want to be cabled up now will have to pay if they decide to do so later - $220 for apartments and $450 for landed property, Mrs Tan said.

The company has a new website, www.opennet.com.sg, where home owners can find out when OpenNet is expected to start work in their area, and register to receive an e-mail or phone alert on the installation.

Braddell resident Jean Lam has already signed up for an alert.

'I saw the demos at the IDA booth today. I'm looking forward to trying them out, especially the home surveillance systems,' said the business development manager.