An iconic building in Orchard Road shopping district of Singapore that many Singaporeans would know or heard about its name – “Comcentre”, and they would able to associate this building to Singtel. This building served as Singtel’s headquarters for 45 years. However, Comcentre is going to transform and redeveloped for the digital age. To mark Singtel’s 145 years of telephony in Singapore, tracing its journey from local monopoly to Southeast Asia’s largest telecoms group, Singtel launched “Voices from Comcentre”, a book chronicling the legacy of this iconic building.
Singtel has partnered with leading real estate company Landlease to transform Comcentre into a state-of-the-art office development that will provide a greener, smarter and more collaborative work environment that would meet Singtel’s evolving business needs.
“Voices from Comcentre”
Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, Singtel Group CEO, said, “Comcentre holds many special memories for generations of Singtel staff, having been the site of many company milestones, and we wanted to preserve those memories through ‘Voices from Comcentre’. Besides commemorating the building, this book pays tribute to our employees who have made Singtel what it is today.”
He added, “As Singtel celebrates its 145th anniversary, it is also timely to take stock of how far we’ve come and where we are headed. Comcentre has served as innovation central for decades and its redevelopment is a strategic move that will ensure Singtel continues to lead in the 5G era and beyond. By reflecting on the journey that Singtel has travelled so far, we can better plot the direction that we need to take to continue achieving the company’s purpose of empowering every generation.”
“Voices” traces Singapore’s communications history of 145 years, beginning with Singapore’s first telephone exchange set up in 1879. The early events provide historical context for the Comcentre that opened in 1979, coinciding with Singapore’s 100th year of telephone service. This book also captures Singtel’s and Singapore’s key technological milestones and firsts, told by Singtel staff who were instrumental in helping to shape and make that history.
Personal and unique perspectives by Singtel staff
“Voices from Comcentre” is told by Singtel staff with their own personal and unique perspectives into the building’s history, as well as the technological advancements that transformed telecommunications in Singapore, from analogue to digital, from 1G to 5G, submarine cables to satellites. Those stories shed light on how Singtel’s enduring culture of innovation and resilience has driven its expansion from local to global powerhouse.
Ms Lian Pek, Singtel’s Vice President of Group Strategic Communications and Brand, says, “With Comcentre bearing witness to over four decades of change in Singtel’s journey, we felt that the job of telling this story was best done by Singtel pioneers and staff. For many, Comcentre had become a topography of their working lives, a repository of milestones, memory and meaning – an emotional space, in short. We sought to capture this emotional relationship between Comcentre and its occupants because these inner landscapes and workings help pave the way for new worlds to be made – a new Comcentre development that will continue to be synonymous with the Singtel brand.”
One profile is that of associate engineer Lim Siew Meng, who reminisces about his time in the networks team which launched Singapore’s first-generation (1G) mobile network in 1987. He recounts how Singtel rolled out the technology and commissioned the 61 base stations for the network in 1988 – one of the first being Comcentre, which was chosen for its strategic height and central location.
Another profile is that of senior director Edmund Quek who was part of the team equipping Comcentre with outdoor and indoor antennas in 2005 to ensure good 3G coverage on each floor. He shares that Apple eventually chose to launch its iPhone 3G at Comcentre in 2008 due to the building’s superior 3G network quality.
Writing the next chapter of Comcentre
“Voices from Comcentre” also provides a glimpse into the future of Comcentre, that was vacated in April 2024 for redevelopment. The new Comcentre is slated for completion in 2028, it will incorporate sustainable designs and digital solutions that will help Singtel meet its environmental, social, and governance goals.
The “Voices from Comcentre” book will be available for $25 from 7th to 27th October 2024 at select Singtel stores in 313@somerset, Jurong Point, and Tampines Mall. All purchases will be equally matched by Singtel, with proceeds going into the Singtel Touching Lives Fund that supports the Community Chest and special education schools – Singtel’s chosen cause.
Catch “Voices from Comcentre” documentary
Catch “Voices from Comcentre” documentary on Singtel YouTube channel, a 35-minute documentary with the same title, serving as a companion piece to the book.
A heartwarming documentary of stories and memories that will help to keep a part of Singtel’s history, heritage and culture documented for future generations, together with its book “Voices from Comcentre”.
* Information and pictures courtesy of Singtel *