From July, low-income seniors will be able to sign up for affordable one-year mobile data plans that cost as little as $5 per month for 5GB, as part of a national initiative to get them connected online. Basic smartphones starting at $20 will be bundled with the mobile plans under the Mobile Access for Seniors scheme, which was announced on Monday (June 29) by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). There will also be no excess data charges, and surfing speeds will be throttled should seniors inadvertently exceed their data limits.
The plans will be offered by Singtel, StarHub, M1 and TPG Telecom. Seniors have to be aged 60 and above, and be receiving Comcare assistance or be living in HDB Public Rental Scheme housing, to qualify for the scheme. “Seniors worry about the knowledge part (when going digital) – ‘who can help me?’ Another major concern they have is about cost, and I think this subsidised plan addresses that concern,” said Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran on Monday in unveiling the plans. Eligible seniors can register their interest for the mobile plans with Seniors Go Digital digital ambassadors after they have attended digital literacy programmes and acquired at least one basic digital skill, such as learning how to use messaging apps like WhatsApp, or scan QR codes.
The new Mobile Access for Seniors scheme augments broad-ranging outreach efforts under the Singapore Digitalisation Office (SDO) formed last month, including the Seniors Go Digital movement that aims to reach 100,000 seniors by the end of this year. This SDO will recruit 1,000 digital ambassadors by the end of this month to help seniors as well as stallholders at hawker centres and wet markets to learn how to use digital tools.
Source: Straits Times
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