In celebration of SAF Day 2026, Singtel is recognising the dedication and service of Singapore’s national defenders with exclusive Corporate Individual Scheme (CIS) mobile offers for eligible Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) personnel.
Available until 31 July 2026, the limited-time promotion lets eligible customers enjoy 25% off Singtel mobile plans every month, along with total handset savings of up to $750 when they sign up for an eligible mobile plan.
Exclusive SAF Day 2026 Offers
Eligible MINDEF, SAF and MHA personnel can enjoy:
25% OFF all Singtel mobile plans every month
Up to $750 OFF smartphones (EXTRA $50 OFF all phones for all plans, SAF Offers)
$0 iPhone 17
$0 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, plus a FREE Samsung Galaxy Tab
Prefer SIM-Only?
Those who don’t need a new phone can opt for Singtel’s popular SIM-Only Plan from just $19.25/month, which includes:
300GB local data
10GB Malaysia roaming data
45% CIS discount already applied
How to Redeem
Eligible customers can:
Redeem online at www.singtel.com/cis by entering promo code SAFDAY26 during checkout; or
Visit any Singtel Shop or Exclusive Retailer and present a valid MINDEF/SAF/MHA Staff Pass or SAF Identity Card (including NSFs and Regulars).
The exclusive SAF Day 2026 promotion is available until 31 July 2026.
Ask us questions, discover the latest offers & more on Telegram.
Drivers, this is one fuel deal you may want to take note of before the month ends.
From now till 30 June 2026, 6pm, Esso Smiles members can enjoy 25% off all Esso Synergy™ fuels at Esso stations islandwide. The promotion comes just before Esso stations undergo operational changes, with all stations set to temporarily close from 10pm on 30 June 2026 and progressively reopen from 7am on 1 July 2026.
The changes follow ExxonMobil’s sale of its Esso-branded retail fuel station network in Singapore to Indonesia-based Chandra Asri Group. The deal covers nearly 60 Esso stations and related supply agreements, with Chandra Asri expected to continue using the Esso brand and sourcing fuel from ExxonMobil.
On top of that, the convenience retail side at Esso stations is also changing. Cold Storage will be taking over FairPrice Group’s convenience retail operations at Esso petrol stations over the coming months, replacing the existing FairPrice Xpress/Cheers setup with a refreshed in-station retail concept.
For motorists, the main thing to know is simple: pump before 6pm on 30 June.
According to Esso’s promotional materials, drivers can enjoy 25% instant fuel discount, and savings may go up to 34.09% when paired with Surprise Fuel eVouchers. One example shown for Synergy Extra works out to a gross fuel spend of $88, less $22 instant fuel discount and an $8 fuel eVoucher, bringing total savings to $30 and nett fuel spend to $58.
That means a sample gross cost of $3.42/L for Synergy Extra could work out to about $2.25/L after discounts, based on the attached illustration. For Synergy Supreme+, another example shows the nett cost coming down from $3.94/L to about $2.60/L after discounts.
Drivers may also be able to stack partner bank card savings for further rebates, subject to the respective card terms and conditions. Esso has also reminded customers to use any available Surprise Fuel eVouchers for maximum savings.
Those who are not Esso Smiles members can sign up via the Esso app to enjoy the promotion and access future rewards.
With all Esso stations closing temporarily from 10pm on 30 June to 7am on 1 July, drivers should avoid leaving their refuel to the last minute. If your tank is running low, this could be a good time to swing by, use your eVouchers, pay with an eligible partner bank card, and lock in the savings before the transition begins.
Promotions are subject to terms and conditions. Always check the Esso app or station notices before pumping.
There’s a reason most startups fail within the first few years. It’s not always about funding or timing or bad luck. A lot of the time, the founder built a solution to a problem nobody actually had. The best tech entrepreneurs think differently from the start. They don’t begin with a product idea. They begin with a problem.
They Live Inside the Problem First
The most successful founders tend to have personal experience with the frustration they’re trying to fix. Sara Blakely couldn’t find the right undergarment for a specific outfit. Brian Chesky couldn’t afford a hotel room. These weren’t abstract market observations; they were real, lived annoyances.
Tech entrepreneurs do the same thing. They notice friction. They get stuck somewhere and instead of moving on, they sit with it. Why does this feel so broken? Who else hits this wall? That instinct to keep pulling at a thread is what separates people who spot genuine problems from people who chase trends.
They Talk to People a Lot
Ideas that come purely from a spreadsheet rarely hold up. The entrepreneurs who consistently back winning ideas spend serious time in conversations. With potential customers, with people working inside industries they’re curious about, with anyone who’s touched the problem they’re looking into.
What they’re doing isn’t market research in the formal sense. It’s pattern recognition. When you hear the same frustration described in ten different ways by ten different people, you start to understand the shape of the problem. You also hear things that surprise you, which is often where the real insight hides.
The founders behind some of the most successful growing businesses didn’t validate ideas in boardrooms. They had a lot of uncomfortable conversations, heard a lot of “that’ll never work,” and kept refining anyway.
They Look for Frequency and Pain
Not every problem is worth solving. Two questions cut through the noise pretty quickly: how often does this problem come up, and how much does it actually hurt?
A problem that irritates people once a year is a much harder foundation than one that gets in the way every single day. And a problem that’s mildly annoying is very different from one that costs people real time, real money, or real stress. The sweet spot is high frequency combined with genuine pain. That’s where people will pay for a solution, and pay again.
They Notice What People Workaround
This is underrated. Whenever someone builds a clunky workaround for something: a spreadsheet doing the job of software, a manual process filling in for automation, a group chat acting as a customer service tool; that’s a signal. People don’t build workarounds for problems they can live with. They build them because they have to.
Smart founders keep their eyes open for these moments. They’re everywhere once you start looking.
They’re Honest About the Market
Spotting a real problem is only part of it. Entrepreneurs who get this right also ask hard questions about the market around that problem. Are there enough people dealing with this? Is this a space that’s been ignored, or is it genuinely unsolvable for a reason?
The best ideas often sit at the intersection of a painful, frequent problem and a market that’s been underserved because solving it was previously too expensive, too slow, or just too hard.
None of this is mystical. The founders who consistently find problems worth solving are curious, they talk to people, and they stay honest about what they’re actually seeing. They resist the urge to fall in love with their own ideas before the evidence is there.
That kind of discipline, more than any particular genius, is what tends to lead somewhere real.
Pokémon Trainers will soon be able to battle anytime, anywhere as Pokémon Champions officially launches on Android and iOS devices on 17 June 2026.
Following its successful debut on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this year, the competitive battle-focused title is now making its way to mobile, allowing players to bring their teams into battle on the go. Preregistration is currently open on both the App Store and Google Play.
Existing players will also be pleased to know that save data can be carried over from Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 to the mobile version, provided the same Nintendo Account is linked across platforms.
Free Raichu and New Mega Stones for Early Players
To celebrate the mobile launch, players who log in after the release will be able to claim a special Raichu along with two brand-new Mega Stones: Raichunite X and Raichunite Y.
The free gifts will be available from 17 June 2026 until 2 September 2026 (Singapore time) and can be redeemed directly from the in-game mailbox. The promotion is available across Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms.
Raichu has long been a fan-favourite Pokémon and is known for its competitive success in the Pokémon World Championships. In Pokémon Champions, players can take Raichu’s power even further through Mega Evolution.
Mega Raichu X comes equipped with the Electric Surge Ability, automatically creating Electric Terrain upon entering battle. Meanwhile, Mega Raichu Y features the No Guard Ability, allowing moves such as Thunder Wave and Thunder to hit with perfect accuracy.
The addition of these exclusive Mega Evolutions gives players even more strategic options as they build teams and climb the competitive ranks.
Battle Anywhere, Anytime
With cross-platform progression and mobile support arriving this month, Pokémon Champions is set to become even more accessible for Trainers looking to enjoy fast-paced competitive battles wherever they are.
Those interested can preregister now and be ready to claim the free Raichu and exclusive Mega Stones when Pokémon Champions launches on 17 June 2026.
Picking up a new phone plan might now be as easy as doing your weekly grocery run.
FairPrice Xtra has officially launched its new in-store collaboration with GOMO by Singtel, bringing smartphones, no-contract SIM plans, and exclusive bundles directly into all FairPrice Xtra stores across Singapore.
The concept is simple: shoppers can now browse phones, sign up for mobile plans, earn Linkpoints, and even use CDC vouchers for selected in-store mobile plan purchases — all during a regular supermarket trip.
Phones From S$668 — Including iPhone Air, Samsung, HONOR & OPPO Deals
FairPrice Xtra says it will continue offering a curated range of value-for-money smartphones, including flagship and mid-range models from popular brands.
Some of the offers include:
iPhone Air 256GB — S$1,039 (U.P. S$1,599) till 27 June
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G 256GB — S$1,628 (U.P. S$1,828) from 7 May to 7 July
Samsung Galaxy A57 — S$668 (U.P. S$698) till 7 July
HONOR 600 5G 256GB — S$699 (U.P. S$799), comes with complimentary HONOR Watch X5I while stocks last
HONOR 600 Pro 5G 512GB — S$999 (U.P. S$1,099), also bundled with complimentary HONOR Watch X5I while stocks last
Honor 400Pro — S$699 from 1 to 30 June
OPPO Find X9 — S$1,199 (U.P. S$1,299) from 1 to 30 June
The bigger draw, however, may be how the phones are paired with GOMO by Singtel’s exclusive FairPrice SIM plans.
No-Contract Plans Starting From S$16 For 3 Months
Beyond the phone deals, the bigger draw for some shoppers may actually be the FairPrice-exclusive SIM-only bundles launched together with GOMO by Singtel.
The lineup comes in both 30-day and 3-month options, with plans catering to different types of users — from seniors looking for affordable everyday connectivity, to frequent travellers who regularly rely on roaming data across Asia and beyond.
One of the more attention-grabbing entry-level options is the FairPrice SIM for 60+ bundle, priced at S$16 for 3 months (U.P. S$18). While positioned as a seniors’ plan, the amount of bundled data is surprisingly generous for the price point.
The plan includes:
400GB Singapore data
400GB Malaysia roaming
6GB Asia roaming
3GB worldwide roaming
800 mins + SMS
For shoppers who travel more frequently or consume heavier amounts of data, the FairPrice 5G+ SIM steps things up further at S$49 for 3 months (U.P. S$63).
This higher-tier plan comes with:
700GB Singapore data
700GB Malaysia roaming
12GB Asia roaming
12GB worldwide roaming
1,000 mins + SMS
The roaming allocations are particularly notable here, especially for users who travel regularly within the region for work, holidays, or short weekend trips.
At the top end is the FairPrice Unlimited 5G+ (Worldwide) plan, priced at S$99 for 3 months (U.P. S$150). This plan leans more towards heavy travellers and users who prefer not having to constantly monitor roaming usage while overseas.
It includes:
Unlimited worldwide roaming
Unlimited mins + SMS
50 air miles every month
For shoppers who prefer more flexibility, the same plans are also available in 30-day versions starting from S$6/month, allowing users to switch between short-term and longer-term options depending on their needs.
For shoppers who prefer monthly flexibility, 30-day versions of the plans are also available, with prices starting from S$6/month.
Extra Perks For FairPrice Xtra Shoppers
Besides the phone promotions and SIM-only plans, shoppers can also earn and redeem Linkpoints on eligible purchases, while selected in-store mobile plan purchases can even be paid using CDC vouchers.
The process is also fairly straightforward. Shoppers simply choose their preferred phone and plan at the GOMO by Singtel counter, pay together with their groceries at the main cashier, then scan a QR code to activate their eSIM within minutes.
For regular FairPrice Xtra shoppers, it essentially means being able to pick up a new phone, switch plans, or recontract during the same grocery run — without making a separate trip to a telecom store.
