SINGAPORE — NetLink Trust has been given permission to continue servicing homes and in-office premises, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said on Tuesday (April 21).

NetLink's services were suspended last Friday after four employees of a contractor engaged by the fibre broadband operator tested positive for Covid-19.

Two of the workers visited 34 homes for fibre installation work between April 1 and April 14, the company said last Friday.

"IMDA has assessed that the Covid-19 safety measures adopted by Netlink Trust and its contractors comply with the advisories issued by the Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Health," the authority said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it will continue to monitor Netlink's compliance.

"While NetLink is permitted to proceed with its service orders, the ongoing restrictions on foreign workers, including a mandatory 14-day stay-home order applied to construction sector workers, will significantly constrain NetLink’s capacity to fulfil service requests," said IMDA.

"Customers should expect a longer waiting time for their orders to be fulfilled."

IMDA added that Netlink has reminded its contractors to regularly sanitise their hands before and after jobs, as well as take extra care in cleaning up their work sites. 

To provide additional assurance to the public and its workers, Netlink will require its workers to wear face shields where practical, in addition to face masks, said IMDA.

The authority added that Netlink would fulfil orders as quickly as it can, and will prioritise homes currently without broadband access and those that require urgent fault repairs. 

Households and businesses are advised to take the usual precautions when workers are in their premises, such as maintaining safe distance and minimising interaction time. CNA

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