By Goh Thean Eu
Published: 2010/04/01
MAXIS Bhd (6012), the country's largest mobile operator, will be spending more than RM700 million to expand its wireless broadband network this year as it wants to become the number one player in that segment.
"We plan to allocate more than half of our RM1.4 billion capital expenditure on mobile broadband (expansion) this year," said its chief executive officer Sandip Das on the sidelines of Invest Malaysia 2010 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The investment may turn Maxis into the number one player in the mobile broadband segment in terms of coverage.
It hopes to hit 75 to 80 per cent in mobile broadband coverage by year-end. It is understood that most mobile operators' mobile broadband network now covers less than 70 per cent of the population.
"We are clear that we want to be the number one in broadband," Sandip said.
Currently, rival Celcom Axiata Bhd holds the pole position in the mobile broadband subscriber market. However, industry players believe the market leadership is still up for grabs as the market remains underpenetrated and at its infant stage.
The company - which saw its market share decline in the first half of last year - is optimistic that the worst is over and is ready to pounce on its rivals.
"I think Maxis is back with a big bang. We have some small issues in the first half, (and) we have fixed them. We have come back very strongly in the broadband (segment) in the last quarter.
"This is the hype of competition in the country. Malaysia has never seen this kind of competition. You must give credit to Maxis that we still remain number one in most segments such as postpaid, prepaid and value-added services.
"We are also still a very strong Ebitda-margin company. We have 50 per cent Ebitda margin, which is six to seven percentage points better than competitors," said Sandip.
Maxis registered a net profit of RM503 million on revenue of RM2.2 billion for the fourth quarter ended December 31 2010. For the full year, it posted a net profit of RM2.2 billion and revenue of RM8.6 billion.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/maxi31/Article/
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
TM's HSBB spending to hit RM2b
By Goh Thean EuPublished: 2010/04/01
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM)(4863), the country's largest fixed-line operator, says its high-speed broadband (HSBB) investments will hit its peak this year as it aims to wire up some 750,000 premises by the end of this year.
"The investment in HSBB is going to reach its peak this year ... We are talking about RM2 billion in capital expenditure," said TM group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Isa on the sidelines of Invest Malaysia 2010 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Currently, the company is ahead of its rollout schedule.
TM was supposed to get about 300,000 premises passed by end-March. However, it achieved its target a week ahead of schedule.
The company launched its HSBB services to home users recently, comprising Internet protocol television (IPTV) service. So far, response has been encouraging.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/tm31/Article/
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM)(4863), the country's largest fixed-line operator, says its high-speed broadband (HSBB) investments will hit its peak this year as it aims to wire up some 750,000 premises by the end of this year.
"The investment in HSBB is going to reach its peak this year ... We are talking about RM2 billion in capital expenditure," said TM group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Isa on the sidelines of Invest Malaysia 2010 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Currently, the company is ahead of its rollout schedule.
TM was supposed to get about 300,000 premises passed by end-March. However, it achieved its target a week ahead of schedule.
The company launched its HSBB services to home users recently, comprising Internet protocol television (IPTV) service. So far, response has been encouraging.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/tm31/Article/
Big orders for DiGi’s iPhone show huge market demand
Thursday April 1, 2010
By B.K. SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Pre-orders for DiGi.Com Bhd’s iPhone hit 10,000 and since the smartphone’s launch yesterday, new orders are stacking up as DiGi’s tariff plan appears to be reasonable, at least for now.
Its cheapest plan costs RM88 per month, comes with 1GB of data, 200 voice minutes and SMS each and is RM12 cheaper than Maxis Communications Bhd’s iValue 1 offering.
Johan Dennelind ... ‘Our strategy is to do it differently.’
The most striking package is DiGi’s all-in-one monthly fee of RM106 per month where a user commits to 36 months’ subscription but there is no upfront payment for the device. However, Maxis’ iValue 1 plan has the lowest iPhone prices and each model generally costs RM200 cheaper than DiGi’s offerings.
The big volume of pre-orders that DiGi gets shows there is a huge market for smartphones like the iPhone but it also has to do with the expectation of lower pricing plans from DiGi.
“The pre-orders are beyond what we would sell in the first quarter,’’ chief executive officer Johan Dennelind said in an interview with StarBiz, but declined to reveal figures of the company’s commitment of iPhone sales to Apple Inc.
DiGi has a three-year commitment to sell iPhones in the country and it is the second player after Maxis, which had exclusive rights for one year until yesterday. There are nearly 100,000 iPhones in the local market currently.
The iPhone is supposed to help DiGi grow its revenues this year and Dennelind expects the company to surpass the 5% industry average growth rates.
DiGi marked the iPhone launch by making three major centres in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kota Kinabalu collection points for customers to collect the 10,000 pre-ordered phones.
While it is difficult to bring down the cost of the device too much, the strategy that DiGi has adopted is to reduce the price of its services.
At the launch yesterday, DiGi head of marketing Albern Murty said the company was offering three pricing plans – RM88, RM138 and RM238 a month – and giving two times more bundled data, SMS and MMS.
“We hope to fulfil the 10,000 pre-orders within the next few days. There is no real waiting time as when we sell, we make sure there is enough stock,’’ Albern said.
Dennelind added: “Our strategy is to do it differently. To us, the iPhone is not just for the top-notch (executive but the larger population) and that is why we brought the entry levels down and our pricing is compelling. Our data offering is also generous.’’
With DiGi’s entry, the stage is set for competition as seen in many markets, but will the incumbent further reduce prices of its packages?
An analyst reckons some price pressure can be expected going forward and any price drop will be good for the consumer. Maxis had a few days ago in anticipation of DiGi’s launch introduced a plan to slash RM200 off its subsidised iPhone price for its iValue plans and the offer is valid till April 20.
Being the second player means DiGi has Maxis to thank for the groundwork, something Dennelind acknowledges.
“Being a challenger has worked well for us but we also like to try to stand out against Maxis on some key things,” he said, adding that “there are also other devices that we want to push such as BlackBerry, Android and Symbian as we want to stand for a variety of phones.”
Asked if DiGi had the rights to distribute the iPhone 4G that Apple Inc was expected to launch later this year, Dennelind said: “We are a partner and expect to be treated as a key partner. That is our clear expectation. Our customers will also expect the latest as well.”
The commitment with Apple is there but according to Dennelind, DiGi is not going to “push the phone just to rake up sales as it wants to find a balance so that customers have a good experience” without clogging up its network.
The company’s 3G network covers 30% of populated areas and this is complemented with its Edge network which has 60% coverage. Even if users moved out of the 3G coverage area, Dennelind said they could continue to use the iPhones as the Edge network was there.
“By the end of this year, the coverage will be about 50% and by 2011 it would be close to (the) competition,’’ he said. DiGi’s service is now available in the Klang Valley, Ipoh, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/1/business/5973340&sec=business
By B.K. SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Pre-orders for DiGi.Com Bhd’s iPhone hit 10,000 and since the smartphone’s launch yesterday, new orders are stacking up as DiGi’s tariff plan appears to be reasonable, at least for now.
Its cheapest plan costs RM88 per month, comes with 1GB of data, 200 voice minutes and SMS each and is RM12 cheaper than Maxis Communications Bhd’s iValue 1 offering.
Johan Dennelind ... ‘Our strategy is to do it differently.’
The most striking package is DiGi’s all-in-one monthly fee of RM106 per month where a user commits to 36 months’ subscription but there is no upfront payment for the device. However, Maxis’ iValue 1 plan has the lowest iPhone prices and each model generally costs RM200 cheaper than DiGi’s offerings.
The big volume of pre-orders that DiGi gets shows there is a huge market for smartphones like the iPhone but it also has to do with the expectation of lower pricing plans from DiGi.
“The pre-orders are beyond what we would sell in the first quarter,’’ chief executive officer Johan Dennelind said in an interview with StarBiz, but declined to reveal figures of the company’s commitment of iPhone sales to Apple Inc.
DiGi has a three-year commitment to sell iPhones in the country and it is the second player after Maxis, which had exclusive rights for one year until yesterday. There are nearly 100,000 iPhones in the local market currently.
The iPhone is supposed to help DiGi grow its revenues this year and Dennelind expects the company to surpass the 5% industry average growth rates.
DiGi marked the iPhone launch by making three major centres in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kota Kinabalu collection points for customers to collect the 10,000 pre-ordered phones.
While it is difficult to bring down the cost of the device too much, the strategy that DiGi has adopted is to reduce the price of its services.
At the launch yesterday, DiGi head of marketing Albern Murty said the company was offering three pricing plans – RM88, RM138 and RM238 a month – and giving two times more bundled data, SMS and MMS.
“We hope to fulfil the 10,000 pre-orders within the next few days. There is no real waiting time as when we sell, we make sure there is enough stock,’’ Albern said.
Dennelind added: “Our strategy is to do it differently. To us, the iPhone is not just for the top-notch (executive but the larger population) and that is why we brought the entry levels down and our pricing is compelling. Our data offering is also generous.’’
With DiGi’s entry, the stage is set for competition as seen in many markets, but will the incumbent further reduce prices of its packages?
An analyst reckons some price pressure can be expected going forward and any price drop will be good for the consumer. Maxis had a few days ago in anticipation of DiGi’s launch introduced a plan to slash RM200 off its subsidised iPhone price for its iValue plans and the offer is valid till April 20.
Being the second player means DiGi has Maxis to thank for the groundwork, something Dennelind acknowledges.
“Being a challenger has worked well for us but we also like to try to stand out against Maxis on some key things,” he said, adding that “there are also other devices that we want to push such as BlackBerry, Android and Symbian as we want to stand for a variety of phones.”
Asked if DiGi had the rights to distribute the iPhone 4G that Apple Inc was expected to launch later this year, Dennelind said: “We are a partner and expect to be treated as a key partner. That is our clear expectation. Our customers will also expect the latest as well.”
The commitment with Apple is there but according to Dennelind, DiGi is not going to “push the phone just to rake up sales as it wants to find a balance so that customers have a good experience” without clogging up its network.
The company’s 3G network covers 30% of populated areas and this is complemented with its Edge network which has 60% coverage. Even if users moved out of the 3G coverage area, Dennelind said they could continue to use the iPhones as the Edge network was there.
“By the end of this year, the coverage will be about 50% and by 2011 it would be close to (the) competition,’’ he said. DiGi’s service is now available in the Klang Valley, Ipoh, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/1/business/5973340&sec=business
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Khazanah lupus 32% pegangan Pos Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR 30 Mac - Khazanah Nasional Bhd. (Khazanah) akan melupuskan 32 peratus pegangannya dalam Pos Malaysia Bhd. dalam dua peringkat.
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, peringkat pertama yang berkuat kuasa serta-merta akan membabitkan kaedah urus tadbir korporat dan kawal seliaan yang sesuai.
"Perbincangan menyeluruh dengan pelbagai pihak berkepentingan akan dilaksanakan,'' katanya ketika menyampaikan ucaptama pada persidangan Invest Malaysia 2010 di sini hari ini.
Menurut Najib, Pos Malaysia akan membuat persediaan untuk pelupusan strategik dengan mengambil kira pelbagai aspek persekitaran perniagaannya, termasuk struktur kawal seliaan penggunaan tanah kerajaan dan kedudukan serta kebajikan pekerja.
Tambah beliau, isu mengenai pendapatan rendah sebilangan kakitangan, termasuk posmen juga akan dikaji semula berikutan cadangan pelupusan itu.
"Bagi memastikan kepentingan kedua-dua sektor awam dan komersial adalah seimbang, kerajaan akan melaksanakan kajian terperinci dan mengemaskini rangka kawal selia sistem pos,'' jelasnya.
Najib berkata, pada peringkat kedua cadangan pelupusan tersebut, Khazanah akan menggariskan proses bidaan dan penilaian untuk memilih pemegang saham baru dengan tahap keusahawanan yang tinggi bagi memodenkan Pos Malaysia.
Tambah beliau, maklumat lanjut berkaitan perkara tersebut akan diumumkan kemudian.
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0331&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_05.htm
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, peringkat pertama yang berkuat kuasa serta-merta akan membabitkan kaedah urus tadbir korporat dan kawal seliaan yang sesuai.
"Perbincangan menyeluruh dengan pelbagai pihak berkepentingan akan dilaksanakan,'' katanya ketika menyampaikan ucaptama pada persidangan Invest Malaysia 2010 di sini hari ini.
Menurut Najib, Pos Malaysia akan membuat persediaan untuk pelupusan strategik dengan mengambil kira pelbagai aspek persekitaran perniagaannya, termasuk struktur kawal seliaan penggunaan tanah kerajaan dan kedudukan serta kebajikan pekerja.
Tambah beliau, isu mengenai pendapatan rendah sebilangan kakitangan, termasuk posmen juga akan dikaji semula berikutan cadangan pelupusan itu.
"Bagi memastikan kepentingan kedua-dua sektor awam dan komersial adalah seimbang, kerajaan akan melaksanakan kajian terperinci dan mengemaskini rangka kawal selia sistem pos,'' jelasnya.
Najib berkata, pada peringkat kedua cadangan pelupusan tersebut, Khazanah akan menggariskan proses bidaan dan penilaian untuk memilih pemegang saham baru dengan tahap keusahawanan yang tinggi bagi memodenkan Pos Malaysia.
Tambah beliau, maklumat lanjut berkaitan perkara tersebut akan diumumkan kemudian.
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0331&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_05.htm
Lesen penyiaran 7 stesyen TV berbayar disemak
30 Mac 2010 / 14 Rabiul Akhir 1431
CYBERJAYA 29 Mac - Kerajaan akan menyemak semula lesen penyiaran yang diberikan kepada tujuh stesen televisyen berbayar tempatan kecuali Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn. Bhd. (Astro) kerana didapati mempunyai kemampuan terhad.
Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim berkata, begitupun kerajaan akan memberikan tempoh yang cukup untuk mereka beroperasi sebelum mengambil sebarang tindakan susulan di bawah Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998.
Beliau bagaimanapun tidak menyebut tempoh masa itu.
''Jika mereka tidak menggunakan (lesen penyiaran) dalam tempoh tertentu, maka di bawah akta berkenaan kita perlu menyemak kedudukan mereka itu.
''Ini kerana ada pihak-pihak lain yang berminat dan berupaya untuk menyampaikan produk masing-masing melalui lesen yang diberikan," katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian pada pemberita selepas menyerahkan tiga lesen individu di bawah Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998 kepada Astro di sini hari ini.
Turut hadir Pengerusi Astro, Datuk Badri Masri. Tujuh stesen televisyen berbayar yang dinyatakan oleh Rais itu adalah U Television Sdn. Bhd., Asiaspace Digital Network Sdn. Bhd., Pertubuhan Berita Nasional Malaysia (Bernama), Fine TV Network Sdn. Bhd., TM Net Sdn. Bhd., MOL Media Sdn. Bhd. dan De Multimedia Sdn. Bhd.
Rais berkata, tujuh stesen televisyen berbayar tersebut seharusnya melakukan proses penilaian semula terhadap keupayaan syarikat masing-masing.
''Adalah tidak adil untuk saya memaklumkan syarikat mana yang bermasalah tetapi setiap mereka perlu melakukan penilaian terhadap keupayaan masing-masing kerana jika tidak, saya fikir ia akan dipandang negatif," katanya.
Sementara itu mengenai majlis tersebut, Rais berkata, tiga lesen berkenaan adalah pemberi perkhidmatan rangkaian, pemberi kemudahan rangkaian dan pemberi perkhidmatan aplikasi kandungan.
Menurutnya, dengan pemberian tiga lesen individu itu, Astro kini secara rasmi berada di bawah seliaan Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998.
''Ini mencerminkan satu usaha yang boleh mencantumkan semua tenaga penyiaran tempatan ke tahap yang lebih tinggi dalam membimbing masyarakat menerusi didikan informasi dan hiburan," katanya.
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0330&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_03.htm
CYBERJAYA 29 Mac - Kerajaan akan menyemak semula lesen penyiaran yang diberikan kepada tujuh stesen televisyen berbayar tempatan kecuali Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn. Bhd. (Astro) kerana didapati mempunyai kemampuan terhad.
Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim berkata, begitupun kerajaan akan memberikan tempoh yang cukup untuk mereka beroperasi sebelum mengambil sebarang tindakan susulan di bawah Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998.
Beliau bagaimanapun tidak menyebut tempoh masa itu.
''Jika mereka tidak menggunakan (lesen penyiaran) dalam tempoh tertentu, maka di bawah akta berkenaan kita perlu menyemak kedudukan mereka itu.
''Ini kerana ada pihak-pihak lain yang berminat dan berupaya untuk menyampaikan produk masing-masing melalui lesen yang diberikan," katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian pada pemberita selepas menyerahkan tiga lesen individu di bawah Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998 kepada Astro di sini hari ini.
Turut hadir Pengerusi Astro, Datuk Badri Masri. Tujuh stesen televisyen berbayar yang dinyatakan oleh Rais itu adalah U Television Sdn. Bhd., Asiaspace Digital Network Sdn. Bhd., Pertubuhan Berita Nasional Malaysia (Bernama), Fine TV Network Sdn. Bhd., TM Net Sdn. Bhd., MOL Media Sdn. Bhd. dan De Multimedia Sdn. Bhd.
Rais berkata, tujuh stesen televisyen berbayar tersebut seharusnya melakukan proses penilaian semula terhadap keupayaan syarikat masing-masing.
''Adalah tidak adil untuk saya memaklumkan syarikat mana yang bermasalah tetapi setiap mereka perlu melakukan penilaian terhadap keupayaan masing-masing kerana jika tidak, saya fikir ia akan dipandang negatif," katanya.
Sementara itu mengenai majlis tersebut, Rais berkata, tiga lesen berkenaan adalah pemberi perkhidmatan rangkaian, pemberi kemudahan rangkaian dan pemberi perkhidmatan aplikasi kandungan.
Menurutnya, dengan pemberian tiga lesen individu itu, Astro kini secara rasmi berada di bawah seliaan Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998.
''Ini mencerminkan satu usaha yang boleh mencantumkan semua tenaga penyiaran tempatan ke tahap yang lebih tinggi dalam membimbing masyarakat menerusi didikan informasi dan hiburan," katanya.
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0330&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_03.htm
Sunday, March 28, 2010
TM’s UniFi packages cannot be unbundled
By B.K. SIDHU & LEONG HUNG YEE
KUALA LUMPUR: The three UniFi packages launched by Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) on Wednesday cannot be unbundled and consumers have to take what is offered as there is no a la carte options.
This could potentially be an issue for some users who may not want all UniFi offers. UniFi’s packages priced at RM149, RM199 and RM249 per month come with high-speed broadband, IPTV (Internet protocol TV), free voice calls and some other offerings.
With the pricing viewed as being on the high side, many wonder if TM could have priced the packages lower by unbundling these offerings.
“It is all bundled together, there is (no a la carte),” TM group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said.
An industry source said: “There could be potential issues about TM’s packaging if the end-users do not want the IPTV and it cannot be unbundled. It is not really free but part of the package, so shouldn’t TM have an unbundled option?”
Consumers may wonder if they are actually subsidising the IPTV and voice offerings, which under the packaging are free or whether TM is subsidising the cost of the items under its three packages.
Zamzamzairani said: “It is not about subsidy, there is just too much suspicion. It is all about us moving to a lifestyle offering and this is all about triple play.”
A triple-play network is one in which voice, video and data are all provided in a single access subscription. Globally, the trend is for telcos to move into triple-play to mitigate the flat revenues from fixed-line networks.
Zamzamzairani said the UniFi plans came with an additional 8Mbps of bandwidth for IPTV, so subscribers, say for the 5Mbps packaging, would actually be getting 13Mbps.
That aside, the market is abuzz over the cap issue that TM has imposed on its UniFi packages. The tweeters on Twitter were vociferous with their comments as they are disappointed with the cap on the download speed. They are even more furious that the data download caps are calculated on a daily basis.
TM in a statement yesterday said it would not implement the cap on downloads for UniFi immediately.
Earlier, Zamzamzairani told StarBizWeek: “To us it is not a cap, it is a trigger point. We want to implement a fair usage policy for this new service, it will not be done immediately, we will monitor usage first.”
UniFi’s 5Mbps service is capped at 60GB of data per month, 10Mbps service at 90GB while the 20Mbps service has a 120GB cap.
Zamzamzairani said fair usage policy was a standard practice that allowed all users to have the same surfing experience rather than one party hogging the network and the others experiencing throttling speeds.
He cited the case of TM Streamyx where 6% of its 1.45 million users were using 80% of Streamyx’s download capacity and the rest had to do with the remaining 20%.
UniFi is now available in four areas in the Klang Valley with 311,000 premises passed and it has 500 trial users. Since Wednesday the service is commercially available in those areas. TM has received “positive” feedback on its services but Zamzamzairani did not reveal the number of new users that have signed up since.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/27/business/5946623&sec=businessFriday, March 26, 2010
The price for fast Internet connection
Friday March 26, 2010
FRIDAY REFLECTIONSBy B.K. SIDHU
IS RM149 a month for 5-megabits per second (Mbps) a steal or pricey?
It comes with free voice calls, some TV channels and other stuff. That is UniFi, Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s latest offering in high speed broadband (HSBB).
In the fast lane of broadband, speed is king. Without speeds of 5-50Mbps, and capacity, don’t call it HSBB.
Your waiting time to surf and download with 5Mbps is lower than 1Mbps. It is as though you are driving a Mercedes sports at top speed. If you want faster speed, say 10Mbps, pay RM199 a month and you may feel you are at the wheel of a Ferrari or Porsche.
But if you are one of those speed-hungry surfers, fork out RM249 a month for 20Mbps and you can tell Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes that your speed may surpass his Lotus 1 car.
In comparison, Time dotCom Bhd’s (TdC) offer is RM149 for 2Mbps, RM249 for 5Mbps and RM329 for 10Mbps per month and all come with a 50Mbps booster.
Today, high speed is here on fixed networks, from TM and rivals TdC and Maxis Communications Bhd in some areas. However, only a small pocket of the population can enjoy speeds of up to 50Mbps. The majority still has a long time to wait as they still have to contend with 256-, 512-kilobits per second or 1Mbps.
But change has come, and TM and TdC’s efforts for bringing that change should be lauded.
TM is probably the only player globally that sped up the entire process of bringing fibre-to-the-home (FTTH). It also marks the beginning of the end of the copper wire era although the entire phasing out of copper may take up to two decades.
What is important the first step has been taken.
Even rival TdC CEO Afzal Abdul Rahim is singing praises of TM as to him, a “lethargic and slow moving organisation is able to bring FTTH in record speed time. It says a lot of the thinking that went into it and this is cutting-edge.’’
Both Afzal and REDtone Interna-tional Bhd chief executive Zainal Amanshah were surprised at the competitive pricing. They are not the only two that had expected TM to outprice itself like it normally does. However, those tweeting on Twitter do not think TM’s pricing is reasonable.
Whatever the strategy that went into packaging UniFi, it is a clever one; bundling a lot of things without IPTV is not enough for TM to fully monetise its fixed line assets.
The assets have been left parked for too long and fixed line voice revenue is flat so this new broadcasting business or triple play, if done right, can be one of TM’s revenue generators. That may bode well for TM but an analyst feels that since the pricing is very competitive, the “endgame may be in sight for over-eager wireless broadband start-ups.”
Zainal also believes it would be tough for players to compete with TM on the retail end if they do not have value-add, including IPTV as TM offers a lot of free stuff for its UniFi packages. But he believes there is hope for those who want to offer high speed using TM’s network to corporate users.
Expect teething problems with UniFi over the next six to nine months. But let’s just hope the era of complaints and disgruntled users of TM service will be truly over from now, and TM keeps to its promise of quality and speed.
B.K. SIDHU is deputy news editor and hopes the government will intervene to bring down broadband prices for the benefit of the consumers.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/business/5937566&sec=business
FRIDAY REFLECTIONSBy B.K. SIDHU
IS RM149 a month for 5-megabits per second (Mbps) a steal or pricey?
It comes with free voice calls, some TV channels and other stuff. That is UniFi, Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s latest offering in high speed broadband (HSBB).
In the fast lane of broadband, speed is king. Without speeds of 5-50Mbps, and capacity, don’t call it HSBB.
Your waiting time to surf and download with 5Mbps is lower than 1Mbps. It is as though you are driving a Mercedes sports at top speed. If you want faster speed, say 10Mbps, pay RM199 a month and you may feel you are at the wheel of a Ferrari or Porsche.
But if you are one of those speed-hungry surfers, fork out RM249 a month for 20Mbps and you can tell Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes that your speed may surpass his Lotus 1 car.
In comparison, Time dotCom Bhd’s (TdC) offer is RM149 for 2Mbps, RM249 for 5Mbps and RM329 for 10Mbps per month and all come with a 50Mbps booster.
Today, high speed is here on fixed networks, from TM and rivals TdC and Maxis Communications Bhd in some areas. However, only a small pocket of the population can enjoy speeds of up to 50Mbps. The majority still has a long time to wait as they still have to contend with 256-, 512-kilobits per second or 1Mbps.
But change has come, and TM and TdC’s efforts for bringing that change should be lauded.
TM is probably the only player globally that sped up the entire process of bringing fibre-to-the-home (FTTH). It also marks the beginning of the end of the copper wire era although the entire phasing out of copper may take up to two decades.
What is important the first step has been taken.
Even rival TdC CEO Afzal Abdul Rahim is singing praises of TM as to him, a “lethargic and slow moving organisation is able to bring FTTH in record speed time. It says a lot of the thinking that went into it and this is cutting-edge.’’
Both Afzal and REDtone Interna-tional Bhd chief executive Zainal Amanshah were surprised at the competitive pricing. They are not the only two that had expected TM to outprice itself like it normally does. However, those tweeting on Twitter do not think TM’s pricing is reasonable.
Whatever the strategy that went into packaging UniFi, it is a clever one; bundling a lot of things without IPTV is not enough for TM to fully monetise its fixed line assets.
The assets have been left parked for too long and fixed line voice revenue is flat so this new broadcasting business or triple play, if done right, can be one of TM’s revenue generators. That may bode well for TM but an analyst feels that since the pricing is very competitive, the “endgame may be in sight for over-eager wireless broadband start-ups.”
Zainal also believes it would be tough for players to compete with TM on the retail end if they do not have value-add, including IPTV as TM offers a lot of free stuff for its UniFi packages. But he believes there is hope for those who want to offer high speed using TM’s network to corporate users.
Expect teething problems with UniFi over the next six to nine months. But let’s just hope the era of complaints and disgruntled users of TM service will be truly over from now, and TM keeps to its promise of quality and speed.
B.K. SIDHU is deputy news editor and hopes the government will intervene to bring down broadband prices for the benefit of the consumers.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/business/5937566&sec=business
HSBB deployment a boost to country’s competitiveness, say industry players
Friday March 26, 2010
PETALING JAYA: Industry players applaud the Government’s National Broadband Initiative (NBI) and the deployment of high speed broadband (HSBB) by Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM).
In a statement yesterday, Intel Malaysia country manager Ryaz Patel said the launch of HSBB boded well for Malaysia’s global competitiveness. “With this new infrastructure and all the incentives announced, we are more bullish on Malaysia achieving and even exceeding the 50% household penetration target.
“The ecosystem has all the necessary building blocks to deliver. We now have to put them in motion and execute to plan,” Patel said.
Nokia Siemens Networks Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Rainer Althoff said the initiatives looked set to drive the nation’s social and economic growth and competitiveness, increasing investor confidence and promoting innovative thinking, helping to place Malaysia firmly on the global map.
“With broadband penetration at only 32.2%, there is still much to be done to bring the country in line with the likes of South Korea, Singapore and Japan. It’s therefore reassuring to see that the Government has introduced specific measures to address this,” he said.
Althoff said the latest initiatives would surely help improve livelihood, create jobs and drive innovation towards national transformation.
“Making broadband a national priority will definitely help us become more competitive globally and help us see firsthand how new jobs, businesses and even new business models can be enabled by better access to web connectivity and technology,” Cisco Malaysia managing director Anne Abraham said.
She said connectivity alone was not sufficient. “A holistic initiative should integrate measures, resources and tools to help these rural communities adopt, use and leverage next generation technologies and HSBB to improve their lifestyles.”
Meanwhile, Red Hat Asia Pacific Malaysia country sales manager Basheer Ali Majeed said the initiative allowed more Malaysians and small and medium enterprises to connect and participate in an increasingly borderless world and opened up an incredible new array of information opportunities.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/business/5938883&sec=business
PETALING JAYA: Industry players applaud the Government’s National Broadband Initiative (NBI) and the deployment of high speed broadband (HSBB) by Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM).
In a statement yesterday, Intel Malaysia country manager Ryaz Patel said the launch of HSBB boded well for Malaysia’s global competitiveness. “With this new infrastructure and all the incentives announced, we are more bullish on Malaysia achieving and even exceeding the 50% household penetration target.
“The ecosystem has all the necessary building blocks to deliver. We now have to put them in motion and execute to plan,” Patel said.
Nokia Siemens Networks Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Rainer Althoff said the initiatives looked set to drive the nation’s social and economic growth and competitiveness, increasing investor confidence and promoting innovative thinking, helping to place Malaysia firmly on the global map.
“With broadband penetration at only 32.2%, there is still much to be done to bring the country in line with the likes of South Korea, Singapore and Japan. It’s therefore reassuring to see that the Government has introduced specific measures to address this,” he said.
Althoff said the latest initiatives would surely help improve livelihood, create jobs and drive innovation towards national transformation.
“Making broadband a national priority will definitely help us become more competitive globally and help us see firsthand how new jobs, businesses and even new business models can be enabled by better access to web connectivity and technology,” Cisco Malaysia managing director Anne Abraham said.
She said connectivity alone was not sufficient. “A holistic initiative should integrate measures, resources and tools to help these rural communities adopt, use and leverage next generation technologies and HSBB to improve their lifestyles.”
Meanwhile, Red Hat Asia Pacific Malaysia country sales manager Basheer Ali Majeed said the initiative allowed more Malaysians and small and medium enterprises to connect and participate in an increasingly borderless world and opened up an incredible new array of information opportunities.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/business/5938883&sec=business
TM to maintain Streamyx pricing
Friday March 26, 2010
By LEONG HUNG YEE
hungyee@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM), which has just launched it high speed broadband (HSBB), UniFi, is maintaining the pricing for most of the packages offered under its current broadband service, Streamyx.
Group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said although TM had introduced the 5Mbps basic pacakage for UniFi, it was maintaining the prices for its current 1Mbps and 2Mbps by Streamyx.
“Broadband packages have never been on an uptrend,” he told a media briefing yesterday.
However, TM is offering new and existing 4Mbps Streamyx combo and non-combo customers a rate of RM140 a month effective immediately regardless of their location.
The current fastest available broadband speed for the general public offered by TM is 4Mbps. According to the Streamyx website, the 4Mbps package which includes Streamyx hotspot, e-browse (online newspaper) and BB Phone (voice over broadband) is currently priced at RM268 per month.
“This (price revision) is to encourage 4Mbps Streamyx subscribers in areas where UniFi is available to upgrade to UniFi and for those outside to switch to the blockbuster package,” Zamzamzairani said.
TM’s UniFi packages comprise triple-play services of high-speed Internet, video (IPTV) and phone, with speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps.
The 5Mbps package is priced at RM149 per month, the 10Mbps at RM199, and the 20Mbps at RM249 with a two-year contract.
According to HSBB project programme director Ahmad Azhar Yahya, all the packages include a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications phone, a set-top box for IPTV (Internet Protocol television), Streamyxzone ID for wireless web access and a 2GB e-mail box.
He added that the IPTV offered 22 linear channels, video-on-demand and interactive channels. “There’ll be 20 to 25 new titles every month in window earlier than pay-per view and pay-TV.”
Ahmad said these channels would be delivered via an 8Mbps connection exclusively and in addition to the data speeds of 5, 10 and 20Mbps subscribers subscribed to.
TM was waiving over RM1,000 worth of installation and equipment fees to install UniFi, he said, adding that the installation process could take two to eight hours depending on subscribers’ premises.
“UniFi will be focusing on Zone 1, which is the high economic impact areas, industrial parks and free trade zones,” Zamzamzairani said, adding that all other areas not covered by UniFi would be covered in one form or another by other technologies.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/business/5938306&sec=business
By LEONG HUNG YEE
hungyee@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM), which has just launched it high speed broadband (HSBB), UniFi, is maintaining the pricing for most of the packages offered under its current broadband service, Streamyx.
Group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said although TM had introduced the 5Mbps basic pacakage for UniFi, it was maintaining the prices for its current 1Mbps and 2Mbps by Streamyx.
“Broadband packages have never been on an uptrend,” he told a media briefing yesterday.
However, TM is offering new and existing 4Mbps Streamyx combo and non-combo customers a rate of RM140 a month effective immediately regardless of their location.
The current fastest available broadband speed for the general public offered by TM is 4Mbps. According to the Streamyx website, the 4Mbps package which includes Streamyx hotspot, e-browse (online newspaper) and BB Phone (voice over broadband) is currently priced at RM268 per month.
“This (price revision) is to encourage 4Mbps Streamyx subscribers in areas where UniFi is available to upgrade to UniFi and for those outside to switch to the blockbuster package,” Zamzamzairani said.
TM’s UniFi packages comprise triple-play services of high-speed Internet, video (IPTV) and phone, with speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps.
The 5Mbps package is priced at RM149 per month, the 10Mbps at RM199, and the 20Mbps at RM249 with a two-year contract.
According to HSBB project programme director Ahmad Azhar Yahya, all the packages include a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications phone, a set-top box for IPTV (Internet Protocol television), Streamyxzone ID for wireless web access and a 2GB e-mail box.
He added that the IPTV offered 22 linear channels, video-on-demand and interactive channels. “There’ll be 20 to 25 new titles every month in window earlier than pay-per view and pay-TV.”
Ahmad said these channels would be delivered via an 8Mbps connection exclusively and in addition to the data speeds of 5, 10 and 20Mbps subscribers subscribed to.
TM was waiving over RM1,000 worth of installation and equipment fees to install UniFi, he said, adding that the installation process could take two to eight hours depending on subscribers’ premises.
“UniFi will be focusing on Zone 1, which is the high economic impact areas, industrial parks and free trade zones,” Zamzamzairani said, adding that all other areas not covered by UniFi would be covered in one form or another by other technologies.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/business/5938306&sec=business
Telekom Malaysia suspends download cap for UniFi
Published: Friday March 26, 2010 MYT 3:41:00 PMUpdated: Friday March 26, 2010 MYT 3:48:09 PM
By JO TIMBUONG
intech@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Good news. The download cap on Telekom Malaysia’s UniFi high speed broadband service packages has been suspended.
The telco made the announcement on the Twitter microblogging site today and said it made the decision after taking into account public feedback on the cap.
“NO volume cap 4 all #unifi packages 4 now. Decision due to public feedback. TM will only monitor usage pattern 4 time being (sic),” read the tweet.
A spokesman for Telekom Malaysia told In.Tech that the telco, however, does still reserve the right to enforce a download limit to ensure all UniFi subscribers receive equal service quality.
Yesterday, many Malaysians complained on Twitter about the cap. They were disappointed because the cap would restrict the daily amount of data they can download via the high speed broadband service. (See report at http://bit.ly/ddk67k.)
They were also disappointed to learn that if the cap was exceeded, their connections would be throttled down to about 10% of the purchased speed. UniFi is available in 5Mbps (megabits per second), 10Mbps and 20Mbps packages.
With the latest announcement by Telekom Malaysia, many people are rejoicing. Among them is communications consultant Justin Then, who said he’s happy to note that Telekom Malaysia listens to consumers.
“Capping our high speed Internet access doesn’t make sense, if the Government wants Malaysians to seek out knowledge and be innovative,” he said.
A Twitter user, who asked to be identified only as Flo, said she’s glad Telekom Malaysia has decided not to employ the cap for now.
“We are paying a premium for technology that offers super high bandwidth, so a daily cap shouldn’t be applied. There’s no value in that; we would be better off with regular broadband,” she said.
http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/technology/20100326154537&sec=technology
By JO TIMBUONG
intech@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Good news. The download cap on Telekom Malaysia’s UniFi high speed broadband service packages has been suspended.
The telco made the announcement on the Twitter microblogging site today and said it made the decision after taking into account public feedback on the cap.
“NO volume cap 4 all #unifi packages 4 now. Decision due to public feedback. TM will only monitor usage pattern 4 time being (sic),” read the tweet.
A spokesman for Telekom Malaysia told In.Tech that the telco, however, does still reserve the right to enforce a download limit to ensure all UniFi subscribers receive equal service quality.
Yesterday, many Malaysians complained on Twitter about the cap. They were disappointed because the cap would restrict the daily amount of data they can download via the high speed broadband service. (See report at http://bit.ly/ddk67k.)
They were also disappointed to learn that if the cap was exceeded, their connections would be throttled down to about 10% of the purchased speed. UniFi is available in 5Mbps (megabits per second), 10Mbps and 20Mbps packages.
With the latest announcement by Telekom Malaysia, many people are rejoicing. Among them is communications consultant Justin Then, who said he’s happy to note that Telekom Malaysia listens to consumers.
“Capping our high speed Internet access doesn’t make sense, if the Government wants Malaysians to seek out knowledge and be innovative,” he said.
A Twitter user, who asked to be identified only as Flo, said she’s glad Telekom Malaysia has decided not to employ the cap for now.
“We are paying a premium for technology that offers super high bandwidth, so a daily cap shouldn’t be applied. There’s no value in that; we would be better off with regular broadband,” she said.
http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2010/3/26/technology/20100326154537&sec=technology
Telekom Malaysia: Buy, target price RM3.45
HWANGDBS Vickers Research has reiterated its "buy" call on telecommunication firm Telekom Malaysia (TM) (4863) with a price target of RM3.45.TM this week signed with 20 television content providers to supply IPTV content as part of its plan to offer triple play services on its HSBB (high-speed broadband) network. "We view this development positively as this would help to enhance the value proposition of its HSBB Internet service," the broker said in a March 23 report. The latest news could lend support to TM's share price, it noted, adding that the stock also offers a 6 per cent net dividend yield, which is sustainable.
TM has signed up content providers like BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies, Channel News Asia, Star Chinese Movies 2, Star Chinese Channel, Channel [V] Taiwan, and Euronews. TM also partners with Hit Entertainment, CBS, Disney-ABC and Sony Pictures Television to offer IPTV viewers the latest movies and TV series through video-on demand."TM's HSBB can be a threat to Astro because some consumers have been unhappy with Astro's content, and they may welcome a viable alternative," the report said.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/bv25f/Article/
TM has signed up content providers like BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies, Channel News Asia, Star Chinese Movies 2, Star Chinese Channel, Channel [V] Taiwan, and Euronews. TM also partners with Hit Entertainment, CBS, Disney-ABC and Sony Pictures Television to offer IPTV viewers the latest movies and TV series through video-on demand."TM's HSBB can be a threat to Astro because some consumers have been unhappy with Astro's content, and they may welcome a viable alternative," the report said.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/bv25f/Article/
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Pakej jalur lebar baru lebih murah – Najib
Oleh NIZAM YATIM nizam.yatim@utusan.com.my
Najib Tun Razak diperhatikan, ( dari kiri) DR. Rais Yatim; Muhyiddin Yassin; Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf; Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Komunikasi Multimedia Malaysia, Tan Sri Khalid Ramli dan Halim Shafie mancuba papan luncur sebagai simbolik melancarkan Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Kebangsaan dan Perkhidmatan Jalur Lebar Bekelajuan Tinggi di Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, semalam. - UTUSAN /AMIN FARIJ HASAN
KUALA LUMPUR 24 Mac - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, Telekom Malaysia (TM) akan memperkenalkan pakej jalur lebar baru yang lebih murah untuk keperluan rakyat berpendapatan rendah di negara ini.
Perdana Menteri berkata, pakej baru itu yang akan turut disertakan dengan komputer netbook akan dikenakan yuran bulanan antara RM20 hingga RM38.
“Langkah ini salah satu daripada enam inisiatif yang diperkenalkan kerajaan bagi memudahkan rakyat kurang berkemampuan mendapat kemudahan jalur lebar,” katanya.
Beliau berucap melancarkan Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Kebangsaan (NBI) dan Perkhidmatan Jalur Lebar Berkelajuan Tinggi (HSBB) di Dataran Merdeka di sini malam ini.
Turut hadir isteri beliau, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin; isterinya, Puan Sri Noorainee Abd. Rahman; Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim dan Pengerusi Kumpulan TM, Datuk Halim Shafie.
Pada majlis itu, Najib turut memperkenalkan UniFi iaitu jenama baru bagi perkhidmatan HSBB TM.
Najib juga mengadakan sidang video dengan Ketua Menteri Sarawak, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yang berada di Kota Samarahan.
Pakej runcit HSBB merangkumi tiga perkhidmatan iaitu suara, video yang merangkumi televisyen protokol Internet (IPTV) dan video atas permintaan serta Internet berkelajuan tinggi.
HSBB menawarkan lebar jalur pada kelajuan akses rangkaian 10 megabit sesaat yang menyokong penawaran tiga perkhidmatan itu.
Dimeterai pada September 2008, HSBB kebangsaan bernilai RM11.3 bilion yang merupakan salah satu inisiatif utama NBI, merupakan perjanjian usaha sama awam-swasta antara TM dan kerajaan bagi membangunkan perkhidmatan dan infrastruktur jalur lebar berkelajuan tinggi generasi akan datang untuk negara.
Pada fasa pertama mulai esok, kawasan yang akan diliputi perkhidmatan HSBB TM ialah Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail dan Bangsar. Ia akan diperluaskan ke 22 kawasan ibu sawat lain mulai Jun ini.
TM launches high-speed broadband
Thursday March 25, 2010
By LEONG HUNG YEE
Hungyee@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) has finally launched the highly anticipated next-generation high-speed broadband (HSBB), UniFi, since it was announced two years ago.
The launch was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
TM’s UniFi HSBB packages comprise triple-play services of high-speed Internet, video (IPTV) and phone, with speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps.
TM chairman Datuk Dr Halim Shafie said: “Now that UniFi has arrived, we anticipate it will be a digital lifestyle changer as well as enabler for the vast majority of our subscribers.”
“I’m trully excited at this next phase of growth for TM where we are aiming to take our services to the next level,” he said at the launch yesterday.
The RM11.3bil project, signed in September 2008, is a public-private partnership agreement between TM and the Government to develop next-generation HSBB infrastructure and services for the nation.
TM is putting up RM8.9bil while the Government is co-investing RM2.4bil on an incurred claims basis based on project milestones reached by TM.
By end-2012 – in accordance with the completion of the first phase of the national HSBB project roll-out as agreed with the Government – about 1.3 million premises will have access to the HSBB services.
The initial areas covered by TM’s UniFi are the four exchange areas of Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar.
It will be expanded to another 22 exchange areas by June and a further 22 by year-end.
TM has completed 311,000 premises passes, surpassing the target of 300,000 premises passes by end of the month.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/25/business/5930292&sec=business
By LEONG HUNG YEE
Hungyee@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) has finally launched the highly anticipated next-generation high-speed broadband (HSBB), UniFi, since it was announced two years ago.
The launch was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
TM’s UniFi HSBB packages comprise triple-play services of high-speed Internet, video (IPTV) and phone, with speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps.
TM chairman Datuk Dr Halim Shafie said: “Now that UniFi has arrived, we anticipate it will be a digital lifestyle changer as well as enabler for the vast majority of our subscribers.”
“I’m trully excited at this next phase of growth for TM where we are aiming to take our services to the next level,” he said at the launch yesterday.
The RM11.3bil project, signed in September 2008, is a public-private partnership agreement between TM and the Government to develop next-generation HSBB infrastructure and services for the nation.
TM is putting up RM8.9bil while the Government is co-investing RM2.4bil on an incurred claims basis based on project milestones reached by TM.
By end-2012 – in accordance with the completion of the first phase of the national HSBB project roll-out as agreed with the Government – about 1.3 million premises will have access to the HSBB services.
The initial areas covered by TM’s UniFi are the four exchange areas of Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar.
It will be expanded to another 22 exchange areas by June and a further 22 by year-end.
TM has completed 311,000 premises passes, surpassing the target of 300,000 premises passes by end of the month.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/25/business/5930292&sec=business
TM announces UniFi packages, rates
Published: 2010/03/25
Telekom Malaysia (TM) has announced the packages and rates for its High Speed Broadband (HSBB) service called UniFi, promising to deliver a premium online experience at affordable prices.In a statement, the company said UniFi delivers faster network access speed (port speed) for bandwith hungry applications and superior end-to-end performance. It comes with triple-play services of high-speed internet, video (IPTV and Video on Demand (VoD) and phone.For residential customers, the packages and their respective monthly prices will be 5Mbps (RM149), 10Mbps (RM199) and 20Mbps (RM249).UniFi subscribers will also enjoy 22 free linear TV channels and VoD titles refreshed every month as a value-added service. These channels are delivered via an 8Mbps connection exclusively and in addition to the the data speeds of 5, 10 and 20Mbps they subscribe to, the company said.
"With IPTV, customer can be in control of their TV as they watch the programmes according to their own schedules - no more fixed programme schedule to follow. IPTV also provides platform for interactive applications for customers to enjoy," TM added.UniFi subscribers also pay no installation and activation charges for equipment such as their residential gateway unit, set top box and optical network unit, worth more than RM1,000. There is no deposit required as well.New and existing 4Mbps Streamyx Combo and non-Combo customers will only pay RM140 per month effective immediately, regardless of their location. This is to encourage 4Mbps Streamyx subscribers located in areas where UniFi is available to upgrade to UniFi and for those outside to switch to the Blockbuster package, the company said.For business customers, UniFi packages come with the same speeds but are packaged without the IPTV and VoD. The prices are RM199 (5Mbps), RM599 (10Mbps) and RM899 (20Mbps).
UniFi offers a compelling value proposition for businesses to exploit the full potential of already familiar enterprise-class communication tools such as hosted web-based group messaging, Customer Relationship Management, Enterprise Resource Planning and Supply Chain Management.In the near future, UniFi subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide variety of third-party services and applications, including telecommuting, security and surveillance, interactive channels and gaming, and many more services which will be developed by TM's value-added service partners to enhance the ecosystem. This potential is limitless.TM is also putting in place the necessary support infrastructure to ensure a superior customer experience. UniFi customers in the initial four areas of Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar can sign up at TM website, www.tm.com.my, or visit the selected six TMpoints within the four exchange areas. The selected TMpoints are in Taipan USJ, Damansara Utama, Menara TM, Bukit Mahkamah, Shah Alam and Bangsar. For enquiries or further details on UniFi, subscribers or potential subscribers can call 1 300 88 1222 or e-mail enquiry@unifi.com. -- NST
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100325190804/Article/index_html
Telekom Malaysia (TM) has announced the packages and rates for its High Speed Broadband (HSBB) service called UniFi, promising to deliver a premium online experience at affordable prices.In a statement, the company said UniFi delivers faster network access speed (port speed) for bandwith hungry applications and superior end-to-end performance. It comes with triple-play services of high-speed internet, video (IPTV and Video on Demand (VoD) and phone.For residential customers, the packages and their respective monthly prices will be 5Mbps (RM149), 10Mbps (RM199) and 20Mbps (RM249).UniFi subscribers will also enjoy 22 free linear TV channels and VoD titles refreshed every month as a value-added service. These channels are delivered via an 8Mbps connection exclusively and in addition to the the data speeds of 5, 10 and 20Mbps they subscribe to, the company said.
"With IPTV, customer can be in control of their TV as they watch the programmes according to their own schedules - no more fixed programme schedule to follow. IPTV also provides platform for interactive applications for customers to enjoy," TM added.UniFi subscribers also pay no installation and activation charges for equipment such as their residential gateway unit, set top box and optical network unit, worth more than RM1,000. There is no deposit required as well.New and existing 4Mbps Streamyx Combo and non-Combo customers will only pay RM140 per month effective immediately, regardless of their location. This is to encourage 4Mbps Streamyx subscribers located in areas where UniFi is available to upgrade to UniFi and for those outside to switch to the Blockbuster package, the company said.For business customers, UniFi packages come with the same speeds but are packaged without the IPTV and VoD. The prices are RM199 (5Mbps), RM599 (10Mbps) and RM899 (20Mbps).
UniFi offers a compelling value proposition for businesses to exploit the full potential of already familiar enterprise-class communication tools such as hosted web-based group messaging, Customer Relationship Management, Enterprise Resource Planning and Supply Chain Management.In the near future, UniFi subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide variety of third-party services and applications, including telecommuting, security and surveillance, interactive channels and gaming, and many more services which will be developed by TM's value-added service partners to enhance the ecosystem. This potential is limitless.TM is also putting in place the necessary support infrastructure to ensure a superior customer experience. UniFi customers in the initial four areas of Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar can sign up at TM website, www.tm.com.my, or visit the selected six TMpoints within the four exchange areas. The selected TMpoints are in Taipan USJ, Damansara Utama, Menara TM, Bukit Mahkamah, Shah Alam and Bangsar. For enquiries or further details on UniFi, subscribers or potential subscribers can call 1 300 88 1222 or e-mail enquiry@unifi.com. -- NST
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100325190804/Article/index_html
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
PM will deliver 'good news' at broadband launch: Rais
Published: Tuesday March 23, 2010 MYT 8:52:00 PM
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians can expect "good news" when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launches the National Broadband Initiative (NBI) and High Speed Broadband (HSBB) on Wednesday.
“The Prime Minister’s announcement will make the people happy as it is a form of a general shift,” Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said on Tuesday after checking on final preparations for the launch at Dataran Merdeka.
He said the cooperation between Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is capable of pushing telecommunications to a higher level.
“After the launch, we expect them to strive for higher broadband quality, lower cost and a better service to change the lifestyle of Malaysians.”
Rais said broadband Internet had become a must for the people just like roads, electricity and water supply.
“With ICT (Information and Communication Technology), especially high-speed broadband, our lives will change as the world will become smaller as we can communicate faster and more efficiently,” he said.
The HSBB launch will also support the 1Malaysia Concept and spur the economy, what with the impending launch of the New Economic Model (NEM) by the Prime Minister, he added.
Rais said the Government was aware that Malaysia’s broadband costs, speed and quality of service were still behind other countries. -- Bernama
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/nation/20100323205816&sec=nation
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians can expect "good news" when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launches the National Broadband Initiative (NBI) and High Speed Broadband (HSBB) on Wednesday.
“The Prime Minister’s announcement will make the people happy as it is a form of a general shift,” Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said on Tuesday after checking on final preparations for the launch at Dataran Merdeka.
He said the cooperation between Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is capable of pushing telecommunications to a higher level.
“After the launch, we expect them to strive for higher broadband quality, lower cost and a better service to change the lifestyle of Malaysians.”
Rais said broadband Internet had become a must for the people just like roads, electricity and water supply.
“With ICT (Information and Communication Technology), especially high-speed broadband, our lives will change as the world will become smaller as we can communicate faster and more efficiently,” he said.
The HSBB launch will also support the 1Malaysia Concept and spur the economy, what with the impending launch of the New Economic Model (NEM) by the Prime Minister, he added.
Rais said the Government was aware that Malaysia’s broadband costs, speed and quality of service were still behind other countries. -- Bernama
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/nation/20100323205816&sec=nation
Monday, March 22, 2010
Bharti to use US$8.3b term loan to finance Zain unit buy
Tuesday March 23, 2010
NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel’s US$8.3bil loan commitment for its planned buy of Zain’s African assets is a term facility with average maturity just below five years, the leading Indian telecoms operator said yesterday.
Bharti declined to comment on the cost of the loan, but said in a statement to Reuters it believed the financing was priced “competitively”.
Bharti said US$7.5bil of the loan was dollar-denominated, and State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, had committed for up to US$1bil equivalent in rupee loans.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Bharti Airtel has moved a step closer to its proposed US$9bil acquisition of Zain’s African assets after it arranged funding for 90% of the bid, a level of debt that may drag on earnings for the next year.
“At least three quarters if not four quarters of earnings per share dilution pressure will be there,” said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, chief strategist at SMC Capitals Ltd in New Delhi. “Even for Bharti’s balance sheet, US$8.5bil is a substantial loan.” SMC rates Bharti “hold.”
Bharti would get US$7.5bil in overseas loans from a group of banks led by Standard Chartered Plc and Barclays Plc, India’s biggest wireless company said yesterday, a day after its board gave approval for a formal offer this week. The carrier would also get a rupee loan equivalent to as much as US$1bil from the State Bank of India, which would partly cover transaction costs, the New-Delhi-based company said.
Bharti’s board on March 20 approved the planned purchase of the African wireless assets of Zain, Kuwait’s biggest phone company, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations. The carriers have until March 25 to reach an agreement that would give India’s largest mobile-phone operator 42 million new subscribers in 15 African countries.
Bharti rose 1.6% to 316.95 rupees as of 9:03 am in Mumbai trading, the best performer yesterday on the benchmark Sensitive Index which dropped 0.9%. The stock was the second-worst performer of 87 companies on the Bloomberg World Telecommunications Index in the six months ended March 19.
The phone operator was seeking a six-year US$8.5bil loan with an average life of 4.75 years, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said last week. Bharti may pay interest of 2 percentage points more than the London interbank offered rate, the people, who declined to be identified, said.
The other banks participating in the financing led by Standard Chartered and Barclays include State Bank of India, Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas SA, Credit Agricole CIB, DBS Group Holdings Ltd, HSBC Holdings Plc, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, Bharti said. Global Investment House KSCC is acting as regional financial adviser on the deal, Bharti said. — Agencies
The banks’ financing paves the way for early completion of the deal once Zain agrees to the offer, Thunuguntla said.
The Indian phone company, which is also assuming debt of 1.7 billion at Zain’s African operations, could see earnings per share drop as much as 23% in the year ending March 2011 if it goes through with the transaction, Morgan Stanley analyst Vinay Jaising wrote in a note to clients on Feb 16.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/business/5912311&sec=business
NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel’s US$8.3bil loan commitment for its planned buy of Zain’s African assets is a term facility with average maturity just below five years, the leading Indian telecoms operator said yesterday.
Bharti declined to comment on the cost of the loan, but said in a statement to Reuters it believed the financing was priced “competitively”.
Bharti said US$7.5bil of the loan was dollar-denominated, and State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, had committed for up to US$1bil equivalent in rupee loans.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Bharti Airtel has moved a step closer to its proposed US$9bil acquisition of Zain’s African assets after it arranged funding for 90% of the bid, a level of debt that may drag on earnings for the next year.
“At least three quarters if not four quarters of earnings per share dilution pressure will be there,” said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, chief strategist at SMC Capitals Ltd in New Delhi. “Even for Bharti’s balance sheet, US$8.5bil is a substantial loan.” SMC rates Bharti “hold.”
Bharti would get US$7.5bil in overseas loans from a group of banks led by Standard Chartered Plc and Barclays Plc, India’s biggest wireless company said yesterday, a day after its board gave approval for a formal offer this week. The carrier would also get a rupee loan equivalent to as much as US$1bil from the State Bank of India, which would partly cover transaction costs, the New-Delhi-based company said.
Bharti’s board on March 20 approved the planned purchase of the African wireless assets of Zain, Kuwait’s biggest phone company, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations. The carriers have until March 25 to reach an agreement that would give India’s largest mobile-phone operator 42 million new subscribers in 15 African countries.
Bharti rose 1.6% to 316.95 rupees as of 9:03 am in Mumbai trading, the best performer yesterday on the benchmark Sensitive Index which dropped 0.9%. The stock was the second-worst performer of 87 companies on the Bloomberg World Telecommunications Index in the six months ended March 19.
The phone operator was seeking a six-year US$8.5bil loan with an average life of 4.75 years, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said last week. Bharti may pay interest of 2 percentage points more than the London interbank offered rate, the people, who declined to be identified, said.
The other banks participating in the financing led by Standard Chartered and Barclays include State Bank of India, Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas SA, Credit Agricole CIB, DBS Group Holdings Ltd, HSBC Holdings Plc, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, Bharti said. Global Investment House KSCC is acting as regional financial adviser on the deal, Bharti said. — Agencies
The banks’ financing paves the way for early completion of the deal once Zain agrees to the offer, Thunuguntla said.
The Indian phone company, which is also assuming debt of 1.7 billion at Zain’s African operations, could see earnings per share drop as much as 23% in the year ending March 2011 if it goes through with the transaction, Morgan Stanley analyst Vinay Jaising wrote in a note to clients on Feb 16.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/business/5912311&sec=business
Greenpacket inks 3rd WiMAX deal in Taiwan
Tuesday March 23, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR: Greenpacket, the solutions arm of Green Packet group, has inked a deal with Taiwan’s WiMAX operator, Global Mobile Corp, to provide its Intouch Connection Management solution (Intouch CM).
The deal marked the third partnership between Greenpacket and Taiwan-based WiMAX operators, increasing the former’s share in the Taiwan WiMAX market to 75%, it said in a statement yesterday.
Greenpacket senior general manager Kelvin Lee said having a strong base in Taiwan would help fortify the company’s position in the Asia-Pacific.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/business/5913569&sec=business
KUALA LUMPUR: Greenpacket, the solutions arm of Green Packet group, has inked a deal with Taiwan’s WiMAX operator, Global Mobile Corp, to provide its Intouch Connection Management solution (Intouch CM).
The deal marked the third partnership between Greenpacket and Taiwan-based WiMAX operators, increasing the former’s share in the Taiwan WiMAX market to 75%, it said in a statement yesterday.
Greenpacket senior general manager Kelvin Lee said having a strong base in Taiwan would help fortify the company’s position in the Asia-Pacific.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/business/5913569&sec=business
TM eyes more content providers
Tuesday March 23, 2010
IPTV will be available after HSBB is launched tomorrow
KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd aims to sign up more content providers for its Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service, which will be available when the company launches its high speed broadband (HSBB) tomorrow.
Executive vice-president of consumer Jeremy Kung said TM was currently working with more than 30 local and international content providers.
“There will be more in the pipeline,” he said after a signing ceremony with 20 content providers yesterday.
They included Arkib Negara, Bernama TV, BBC Worldwide, Star TV Group, Channel News Asia, Deutsche Welle, Travel Channel International and El-Kahfi Sdn Bhd.
Kung said local broadcast channels that could be viewed via the service were RTM 1, RTM 2, Bernama TV, TV3, NTV7, 8TV, TV9 and Hikmah, while international channels were BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies, Channel News Asia, DWTV Asia +, Travel Channel International, Star Chinese Movies 2, Star Chinese Channel, Channel [V] Taiwan, Euronews, FTV HD and LUXE.TV.
Jeremy Kung (fourth from left) with representatives of the content providers that TM had signed up for its Internet Protocol Television service yesterday
TM is also partnering Hit Entertainment and major Hollywood studios like CBS, Disney-ABC International Television and Sony Pictures Television to offer IPTV viewers the latest movies and TV series through video-on-demand.
In addition, Kung said TM would introduce exclusive interactive channels like Malaysian history, Malaysian football, tourism and games.
Kung said the agreements with the content providers were for periods ranging from one to five years.
He said the IPTV service would initially be offered within the four HSBB coverage areas, namely Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Bangsar.
On the quality of the IPTV service, Kung said: “We have conducted trials and we found it satisfactory.”
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/business/5912351&sec=business
IPTV will be available after HSBB is launched tomorrow
KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd aims to sign up more content providers for its Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service, which will be available when the company launches its high speed broadband (HSBB) tomorrow.
Executive vice-president of consumer Jeremy Kung said TM was currently working with more than 30 local and international content providers.
“There will be more in the pipeline,” he said after a signing ceremony with 20 content providers yesterday.
They included Arkib Negara, Bernama TV, BBC Worldwide, Star TV Group, Channel News Asia, Deutsche Welle, Travel Channel International and El-Kahfi Sdn Bhd.
Kung said local broadcast channels that could be viewed via the service were RTM 1, RTM 2, Bernama TV, TV3, NTV7, 8TV, TV9 and Hikmah, while international channels were BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies, Channel News Asia, DWTV Asia +, Travel Channel International, Star Chinese Movies 2, Star Chinese Channel, Channel [V] Taiwan, Euronews, FTV HD and LUXE.TV.
Jeremy Kung (fourth from left) with representatives of the content providers that TM had signed up for its Internet Protocol Television service yesterday
TM is also partnering Hit Entertainment and major Hollywood studios like CBS, Disney-ABC International Television and Sony Pictures Television to offer IPTV viewers the latest movies and TV series through video-on-demand.
In addition, Kung said TM would introduce exclusive interactive channels like Malaysian history, Malaysian football, tourism and games.
Kung said the agreements with the content providers were for periods ranging from one to five years.
He said the IPTV service would initially be offered within the four HSBB coverage areas, namely Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Bangsar.
On the quality of the IPTV service, Kung said: “We have conducted trials and we found it satisfactory.”
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/23/business/5912351&sec=business
TM scores deal with FA of England
By June Ramli
Published: 2010/03/17
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (4863)has signed its second promotional deal in just weeks, banking on Malaysia's football craze, to spur sales of its products.Yesterday, it signed a one-year deal to be the official England telco licensee in Malaysia. This means that TM has exclusive rights to use the Football Association of England crest and pictures of England players in its products like its iTalk prepaid calling cards.TM group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said the contract began on January 1 and ends on December 31.
"It's a lucrative deal and it involves some amount of money but we are not going to disclose the amount because it's not our policy to do so," he said after the signing ceremony between the English FA business development manager Marcus Bennett and himself on behalf for TM.TM has started selling these prepaid cards and it has sold over 400,000 iTalk cards over the last one month.The Fifa World Cup finals tournament, which happens once every four years, will take place in June this year.
The England football team, which is widely supported in Malaysia, is regarded as one of the favourites to win the cup.The signing ceremony was witnessed by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.On March 11, TM signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United football club.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/jrmarcus/Article/index_html
Published: 2010/03/17
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (4863)has signed its second promotional deal in just weeks, banking on Malaysia's football craze, to spur sales of its products.Yesterday, it signed a one-year deal to be the official England telco licensee in Malaysia. This means that TM has exclusive rights to use the Football Association of England crest and pictures of England players in its products like its iTalk prepaid calling cards.TM group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said the contract began on January 1 and ends on December 31.
"It's a lucrative deal and it involves some amount of money but we are not going to disclose the amount because it's not our policy to do so," he said after the signing ceremony between the English FA business development manager Marcus Bennett and himself on behalf for TM.TM has started selling these prepaid cards and it has sold over 400,000 iTalk cards over the last one month.The Fifa World Cup finals tournament, which happens once every four years, will take place in June this year.
The England football team, which is widely supported in Malaysia, is regarded as one of the favourites to win the cup.The signing ceremony was witnessed by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.On March 11, TM signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United football club.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/jrmarcus/Article/index_html
TM signs up 20 content providers for IPTV service
Published: 2010/03/23
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863) has signed agreements with 20 content partners to provide a mixture of content for its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, which will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tomorrow. Among the channels that TM's IPTV service will have include broadcast channels such as BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies, Channel News Asia, Star Chinese Movies 2, Star Chinese Channel, Channel [V] Taiwan, and Euronews.
TM is also partnering Hit Entertainment and major Hollywood studios such as CBS, Disney-ABC International Television and Sony Pictures Television to bring IPTV viewers the latest movies and TV series via video-on-demand (VOD).The IPTV service is part of the TM's triple play offering and serves as a value-added service for its high-speed broadband (HSBB) customers."We will be launching our triple-play service on March 24 at Dataran Merdeka.
The IPTV we are offering will also provide customers with the option of high definition content," TM consumer executive vice-president Jeremy Kung said at the signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.TM's IPTV service is an Internet Protocol (IP) TV service, where the TV content is delivered digitally through a high-speed Internet connection.The IPTV service will be made available once TM launches its HSBB service to residential areas. The service will be offered as part of the triple play offering with TM's HSBB package offerings.The initial four HSBB coverage areas - Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Bangsar - will offer the IPTV service first.
Users will need a set-top box with a HSBB connection to experience high-definition TV programmes and subscribe to VOD for movies and TV series. More details on the IPTV packages will be made available tomorrow and all HSBB subscribers will enjoy a trial period for IPTV channels and VOD until June this year.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/jhsbb/Article/
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863) has signed agreements with 20 content partners to provide a mixture of content for its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, which will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tomorrow. Among the channels that TM's IPTV service will have include broadcast channels such as BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies, Channel News Asia, Star Chinese Movies 2, Star Chinese Channel, Channel [V] Taiwan, and Euronews.
TM is also partnering Hit Entertainment and major Hollywood studios such as CBS, Disney-ABC International Television and Sony Pictures Television to bring IPTV viewers the latest movies and TV series via video-on-demand (VOD).The IPTV service is part of the TM's triple play offering and serves as a value-added service for its high-speed broadband (HSBB) customers."We will be launching our triple-play service on March 24 at Dataran Merdeka.
The IPTV we are offering will also provide customers with the option of high definition content," TM consumer executive vice-president Jeremy Kung said at the signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.TM's IPTV service is an Internet Protocol (IP) TV service, where the TV content is delivered digitally through a high-speed Internet connection.The IPTV service will be made available once TM launches its HSBB service to residential areas. The service will be offered as part of the triple play offering with TM's HSBB package offerings.The initial four HSBB coverage areas - Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Bangsar - will offer the IPTV service first.
Users will need a set-top box with a HSBB connection to experience high-definition TV programmes and subscribe to VOD for movies and TV series. More details on the IPTV packages will be made available tomorrow and all HSBB subscribers will enjoy a trial period for IPTV channels and VOD until June this year.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/jhsbb/Article/
Astro to go private
Thursday March 18, 2010
By TEE LIN SAY
Deal to be valued at RM8.5bil cash or RM4.30 a share
linsay@thestar.com.my
BUKIT JALIL: The major shareholders of Astro All Asia Networks plc led by tycoon Ananda Krishnan, intend to take the country’s sole pay-TV operator private in a deal valued at RM8.5bil cash or at an offer price of RM4.30 a share.
The minorities’ shares are valued at up to RM2.4bil. The major shareholders are buying over the company that was listed in October 2003 as they feel that the privatisation would pave the way for Astro to optimise its capital structure for its expansion locally and regionally.
Astro will only be delisted if the major shareholders secure more than 90% of the shares of its company from the privatisation exercise, otherwise its listing status will be maintained.
Ananda owns 42% of the listed entity, while Khazanah Nasional Bhd has a 21% stake.
“We have a very fair price on the table. I think we can achieve the 90% acceptance target,” said CIMB group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak.
CIMB Investment Bank Bhd has been appointed adviser to Astro Holdings, the vehicle for the privatisation, while RHB Investment Bank Bhd and UBS Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd have been appointed advisers to Astro.
Should the acceptances cross the 90% threshold, the delisting process is expected to be completed in mid-June this year.
In a media conference yesterday, Nazir said the privatisation was timely given Astro’s business evolution as i t created a more conducive shareholding and operating structure to support the company’s future high capital expenditure requirements and long gestation period.
“We believe the deal offers minority investors an attractive price while not subjecting them to the associated risks of the company’s next growth phase,” he said.
Nazir added that given the complexion of Astro’s business, the stock was not properly valued by the market.
The offer price of RM4.30 represents a 21% premium over its presuspension closing price of RM3.56 on Marc h 15.
This deal mirrors Ananda’s privatisation of Maxis Communications Bhd in 2007 following a progression of investments in India and Indonesia.
“I think the deal is quite fair and generous. We are talking about current money. Some people may say that you get better value in the future, but who actually knows?” said JF Apex Securities Bhd chief operating officer Lim Teck Seng.
Another media analyst feels that the price is fair given current uncertain market conditions.
“Of course you can’t please everybody. This price has also been bandied around for a while. So I think shareholders should be happy,” said the analyst.
Meanwhile, Astro Holdings shareholders, which are Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd and affiliates, Khazanah and Bumiputra Foundat ions, which collectively hold 72.9% of the existing shares in Astro, have no plans to sell down their stakes in the privately held entity.
“They want to invest in the business with the vision of making it an integrated media group. There is no back-to-back deal,” said Nazir.
On whether there was a chance for Astro to be relisted, Nazir said: “There is a Maxis template. Astro will consider it in future. Period.”Astro’s privatisation will pave the way for enhancement and expansion of product offering in Malaysia which includes high-definition (HD) service, news channels and digital media.
“The privatisation will lead to the opportunity to accelerate domestic and international growth. The capital expenditure moving forward is substantial. The estimated requirement is RM3bil to RM3.5bil. Half will be for the domestic market, while the other half is for its overseas markets,” said Nazir.
For the domestic business, this would entail capital investment for the multi-phased innovative features including HD and additional related content cost.
For the international business, this would entail additional utilisation of capital for further investment to accelerate investment in its existing business in India, China and also new initiatives such as Internet protocol TV (IPTV) in Australia, the Middle East and North Africa.
“Growth moving forward will be more exciting. It is a bet the major shareholders are taking,” said Usaha Tegas group treasurer Lim Ghee Keong.
In Malaysia, Astro offers pay-TV services, commercial radio, TV programming and other related media content.
In India, Astro through its partner SunDirect Pay-TV has investments in content initiatives.
In Hong Kong, through Celestial Pictures, it owns the world’s largest Chinese movie library.
In Australia, it has invested in an IPTV company through Fetch TV.
Astro has also entered into a joint venture with Saudi Telecom and other partners to create content for IPTV and other devices and platforms in the Middle East and North Africa.
The board has also appointed Public Investment Bank Bhd and JPMorgan Securities (M) Sdn Bhd independent financial advisers.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/18/business/20100318084004&sec=business
By TEE LIN SAY
Deal to be valued at RM8.5bil cash or RM4.30 a share
linsay@thestar.com.my
BUKIT JALIL: The major shareholders of Astro All Asia Networks plc led by tycoon Ananda Krishnan, intend to take the country’s sole pay-TV operator private in a deal valued at RM8.5bil cash or at an offer price of RM4.30 a share.
The minorities’ shares are valued at up to RM2.4bil. The major shareholders are buying over the company that was listed in October 2003 as they feel that the privatisation would pave the way for Astro to optimise its capital structure for its expansion locally and regionally.
Astro will only be delisted if the major shareholders secure more than 90% of the shares of its company from the privatisation exercise, otherwise its listing status will be maintained.
Ananda owns 42% of the listed entity, while Khazanah Nasional Bhd has a 21% stake.
“We have a very fair price on the table. I think we can achieve the 90% acceptance target,” said CIMB group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak.
CIMB Investment Bank Bhd has been appointed adviser to Astro Holdings, the vehicle for the privatisation, while RHB Investment Bank Bhd and UBS Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd have been appointed advisers to Astro.
Should the acceptances cross the 90% threshold, the delisting process is expected to be completed in mid-June this year.
In a media conference yesterday, Nazir said the privatisation was timely given Astro’s business evolution as i t created a more conducive shareholding and operating structure to support the company’s future high capital expenditure requirements and long gestation period.
“We believe the deal offers minority investors an attractive price while not subjecting them to the associated risks of the company’s next growth phase,” he said.
Nazir added that given the complexion of Astro’s business, the stock was not properly valued by the market.
The offer price of RM4.30 represents a 21% premium over its presuspension closing price of RM3.56 on Marc h 15.
This deal mirrors Ananda’s privatisation of Maxis Communications Bhd in 2007 following a progression of investments in India and Indonesia.
“I think the deal is quite fair and generous. We are talking about current money. Some people may say that you get better value in the future, but who actually knows?” said JF Apex Securities Bhd chief operating officer Lim Teck Seng.
Another media analyst feels that the price is fair given current uncertain market conditions.
“Of course you can’t please everybody. This price has also been bandied around for a while. So I think shareholders should be happy,” said the analyst.
Meanwhile, Astro Holdings shareholders, which are Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd and affiliates, Khazanah and Bumiputra Foundat ions, which collectively hold 72.9% of the existing shares in Astro, have no plans to sell down their stakes in the privately held entity.
“They want to invest in the business with the vision of making it an integrated media group. There is no back-to-back deal,” said Nazir.
On whether there was a chance for Astro to be relisted, Nazir said: “There is a Maxis template. Astro will consider it in future. Period.”Astro’s privatisation will pave the way for enhancement and expansion of product offering in Malaysia which includes high-definition (HD) service, news channels and digital media.
“The privatisation will lead to the opportunity to accelerate domestic and international growth. The capital expenditure moving forward is substantial. The estimated requirement is RM3bil to RM3.5bil. Half will be for the domestic market, while the other half is for its overseas markets,” said Nazir.
For the domestic business, this would entail capital investment for the multi-phased innovative features including HD and additional related content cost.
For the international business, this would entail additional utilisation of capital for further investment to accelerate investment in its existing business in India, China and also new initiatives such as Internet protocol TV (IPTV) in Australia, the Middle East and North Africa.
“Growth moving forward will be more exciting. It is a bet the major shareholders are taking,” said Usaha Tegas group treasurer Lim Ghee Keong.
In Malaysia, Astro offers pay-TV services, commercial radio, TV programming and other related media content.
In India, Astro through its partner SunDirect Pay-TV has investments in content initiatives.
In Hong Kong, through Celestial Pictures, it owns the world’s largest Chinese movie library.
In Australia, it has invested in an IPTV company through Fetch TV.
Astro has also entered into a joint venture with Saudi Telecom and other partners to create content for IPTV and other devices and platforms in the Middle East and North Africa.
The board has also appointed Public Investment Bank Bhd and JPMorgan Securities (M) Sdn Bhd independent financial advisers.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/18/business/20100318084004&sec=business
Tingkatkan kualiti khidmat jalur lebar untuk pengguna
Oleh ROHANA MAN: rohana.man@utusan.com.my
23 Mac 2010 / 7 Rabiul Akhir 1431
RAKYAT mampu mencapai tanda aras yang telah ditetapkan oleh Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) dan Kementerian Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan dalam mentransformasikan negara ke arah masyarakat berpengetahuan dan ekonomi berpendapatan tinggi menjelang tahun 2020.
Ia boleh dicapai menerusi usaha-usaha yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan dalam memperluaskan rangkaian untuk menjamin capaian maklumat dan perkhidmatan yang lebih adil di seluruh negara.
Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim berkata, kerajaan kini sedang menyusun semula spektrum jalur lebar berhubung penggunaan frekuensi. Apabila selesai kelak, ia bukan sahaja dapat memberi faedah kepada pemain besar (big player), malah kepada pemain sederhana dan pemain kecil.
Menurutnya, dalam konteks itu, kerajaan akan melihat semula dana USB agar kemudahan menyeluruh dapat diberi kepada semua lapisan masyarakat sama ada di bandar, luar bandar atau pedalaman.
"Pelbagai aspek akan dilihat semula seperti kos, kelajuan, kualiti dan perkhidmatan yang akan menjadi satu penanda aras sebagai panduan kepada SKMM serta industri komunikasi dan multimedia tempatan dalam memastikan objektif dasar Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Negara (NBI) dicapai," katanya pada majlis Taklimat Mengenai Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Negara di Kuala Lumpur, baru-baru ini. Taklimat itu disampaikan oleh pegawai kanan SKMM, Zamani Zakaria.
Dalam taklimat itu, Rais memberitahu Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak akan mengumumkan projek Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Negara dan Jalur Lebar Kelajuan Tinggi pada pukul 8.00 malam, 24 Mac ini (esok) di Dataran Merdeka.
Pada majlis itu, Najib akan mengumumkan beberapa perkara penting berkaitan jalur lebar berkelajuan tinggi (HSBB) dan jalur lebar untuk orang awam.
Menurutnya, orang awam yang dimaksudkan itu adalah mereka yang tinggal di bandar- bandar kecil, kawasan kampung, luar bandar dan pedalaman di seluruh negara.
Beliau berkata, pengumuman itu penting bagi meningkatkan kefahaman rakyat terhadap persediaan dan pelaksanaan projek NBI terutama dalam aspek menyediakan perkhidmatan jalur lebar kepada penduduk di kawasan luar bandar.
"Pada majlis itu kelak, Najib akan mengumumkan persediaan-persediaan khidmat jalur lebar di kawasan luar bandar termasuk kawasan pedalaman di Sabah dan Sarawak.
"Kerajaan tidak mahu timbul kritikan bahawa projek jalur lebar hanya disediakan untuk orang bandar sahaja, manakala orang susah di luar bandar terpinggir daripada menikmati kemudahan tersebut," katanya.
Justeru, katanya antara perkara yang akan diumumkan adalah persediaan dan pelaksanaan khidmat jalur lebar di bandar dan luar bandar.
"Ada dua jenis jalur lebar yang akan dilaksanakan iaitu jalur lebar untuk orang awam dan HSBB. Untuk HSBB, tahap kelajuan akan diukur semula agar ia dapat memberi kelapangan kepada sektor swasta sekali gus mampu menarik pelabur luar untuk membuat pelaburan di negara ini.
"Manakala jalur lebar untuk orang awam pula, perkhidmatan yang disediakan kelak lebih menjurus kepada persediaan asas sahaja iaitu menyediakan tahap kelajuan sederhana yang boleh memacu pendidikan dan ekonomi masyarakat," tambahnya.
Mengulas lanjut, Rais berkata, antara lain visi NBI adalah bertindak sebagai pembolehcara dan pelengkap kepada Model Ekonomi Baru (NEM) iaitu menyediakan infrastruktur bertaraf dunia untuk pembangunan aplikasi dan kandungan; akses kepada rangkaian generasi akan datang berasaskan Internet Protocol (IP) untuk Internet berkelajuan tinggi dan perkhidmatan baru serta mencapai 50 peratus penembusan jalur lebar isi rumah pada akhir tahun 2010 sekali gus menyumbang satu peratus Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) serta mewujudkan 135,000 peluang pekerjaan baru.
"NBI akan memacu ekonomi negara dan keperluan itu meliputi seluruh negara termasuk kawasan pedalaman di Sabah dan Sarawak serta kampung-kampung kecil di Semenanjung Malaysia.
Rais turut menjelaskan persoalan tentang jumlah isi rumah yang memiliki komputer, telefon bimbit dan talian tetap di negara ini.
Katanya, statistik 2009 menunjukkan sebanyak enam juta isi rumah di seluruh negara memiliki komputer dan 30.4 juta (106 peratus) melanggan khidmat telefon bimbit.
Menurutnya, pemilikan itu menjelaskan lagi faktor penembusan jalur lebar dalam kalangan seluruh penduduk negara.
Namun, katanya, faktor itu tidak menegaskan pemilikan dan kegunaan alat itu sebagai indikator atau penanda aras dalam menentukan setakat mana jalur lebar boleh digunakan pada masa akan datang.
"Sebab itulah, kementerian dan SKMM sepakat menyatakan bahawa perlu ada satu penanda aras bagi melihat peningkatan penggunaan alat tersebut di negara ini," ujarnya.
Katanya, selain menerusi pemilikan komputer dan telefon bimbit, penembusan jalur lebar juga boleh berkembang menerusi televisyen.
"Satu hari nanti, televisyen boleh digunakan sebagai konsol yang boleh menerima isyarat-isyarat berkaitan jalur lebar," katanya.
Menurutnya, pada masa sekarang sudah ada pihak-pihak tertentu mencadangkan agar televisyen digunakan sebagai monitor kepada jalur lebar sekiranya ada kotak diletakkan di atas televisyen.
"Hal seperti ini merupakan kemungkinan belaka. Jadi, indeks-indeks yang diguna pakai setakat ini harus dikaji semula dalam konteks penembusan yang diperoleh," tambahnya.
Sehubungan itu, katanya, pihaknya dengan kerjasama SKMM akan meneliti semula kos, kelajuan, kualiti dan perkhidmatan jalur lebar agar satu penanda aras dapat ditetapkan.
Menurutnya, dalam aspek tersebut, kerajaan akan meneliti agar segala kos berkaitan kemajuan perkhidmatan jalur lebar di negara ini dapat diturunkan harganya.
"Saya tahu perkara berkaitan penurunan harga penggunaan jalur lebar ini merupakan satu isu utama di kalangan pengguna memandangkan harganya berbeza dengan negara lain. Jadi, saya harap selepas tarikh 24 Mac ini, segala isu berkaitan perkara tersebut dapat diredakan dan diterima pakai oleh semua pihak.
"Apa yang penting, pelaksanaan tersebut mestilah sejajar dengan konsep 1Malaysia," katanya.
Rais menegaskan, adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kementerian dan SKMM untuk menurunkan kos yang dipersetujui oleh pemain-pemain besar industri jalur lebar di negara ini.
"Apabila selesai kelak, kita bukan sahaja dapat memberinya kepada pemain besar tetapi juga pemain sederhana dan pemain kecil. Begitu juga, dana USB akan dilihat semula dalam konteks memberi kemudahan menyeluruh kepada semua orang sama ada di bandar atau luar bandar," tambahnya.
Setakat 3 Mac 2010, jumlah langganan jalur lebar di negara ini adalah sebanyak 33.2 peratus daripada keseluruhan isi rumah dan sasaran kementerian pada akhir tahun ini adalah sebanyak 50 peratus penggunaan dapat dicapai.
Optimis dengan pencapaian matlamat tersebut, Rais berkata, SKMM mampu melaksanakannya seperti yang digariskan oleh agensi itu sebelum ini.kata, SKMM mampu melaksanakannya seperti yang digariskan oleh agensi itu sebelum ini.
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0323&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Rencana&pg=re_06.htm
23 Mac 2010 / 7 Rabiul Akhir 1431
RAKYAT mampu mencapai tanda aras yang telah ditetapkan oleh Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) dan Kementerian Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan dalam mentransformasikan negara ke arah masyarakat berpengetahuan dan ekonomi berpendapatan tinggi menjelang tahun 2020.
Ia boleh dicapai menerusi usaha-usaha yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan dalam memperluaskan rangkaian untuk menjamin capaian maklumat dan perkhidmatan yang lebih adil di seluruh negara.
Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim berkata, kerajaan kini sedang menyusun semula spektrum jalur lebar berhubung penggunaan frekuensi. Apabila selesai kelak, ia bukan sahaja dapat memberi faedah kepada pemain besar (big player), malah kepada pemain sederhana dan pemain kecil.
Menurutnya, dalam konteks itu, kerajaan akan melihat semula dana USB agar kemudahan menyeluruh dapat diberi kepada semua lapisan masyarakat sama ada di bandar, luar bandar atau pedalaman.
"Pelbagai aspek akan dilihat semula seperti kos, kelajuan, kualiti dan perkhidmatan yang akan menjadi satu penanda aras sebagai panduan kepada SKMM serta industri komunikasi dan multimedia tempatan dalam memastikan objektif dasar Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Negara (NBI) dicapai," katanya pada majlis Taklimat Mengenai Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Negara di Kuala Lumpur, baru-baru ini. Taklimat itu disampaikan oleh pegawai kanan SKMM, Zamani Zakaria.
Dalam taklimat itu, Rais memberitahu Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak akan mengumumkan projek Inisiatif Jalur Lebar Negara dan Jalur Lebar Kelajuan Tinggi pada pukul 8.00 malam, 24 Mac ini (esok) di Dataran Merdeka.
Pada majlis itu, Najib akan mengumumkan beberapa perkara penting berkaitan jalur lebar berkelajuan tinggi (HSBB) dan jalur lebar untuk orang awam.
Menurutnya, orang awam yang dimaksudkan itu adalah mereka yang tinggal di bandar- bandar kecil, kawasan kampung, luar bandar dan pedalaman di seluruh negara.
Beliau berkata, pengumuman itu penting bagi meningkatkan kefahaman rakyat terhadap persediaan dan pelaksanaan projek NBI terutama dalam aspek menyediakan perkhidmatan jalur lebar kepada penduduk di kawasan luar bandar.
"Pada majlis itu kelak, Najib akan mengumumkan persediaan-persediaan khidmat jalur lebar di kawasan luar bandar termasuk kawasan pedalaman di Sabah dan Sarawak.
"Kerajaan tidak mahu timbul kritikan bahawa projek jalur lebar hanya disediakan untuk orang bandar sahaja, manakala orang susah di luar bandar terpinggir daripada menikmati kemudahan tersebut," katanya.
Justeru, katanya antara perkara yang akan diumumkan adalah persediaan dan pelaksanaan khidmat jalur lebar di bandar dan luar bandar.
"Ada dua jenis jalur lebar yang akan dilaksanakan iaitu jalur lebar untuk orang awam dan HSBB. Untuk HSBB, tahap kelajuan akan diukur semula agar ia dapat memberi kelapangan kepada sektor swasta sekali gus mampu menarik pelabur luar untuk membuat pelaburan di negara ini.
"Manakala jalur lebar untuk orang awam pula, perkhidmatan yang disediakan kelak lebih menjurus kepada persediaan asas sahaja iaitu menyediakan tahap kelajuan sederhana yang boleh memacu pendidikan dan ekonomi masyarakat," tambahnya.
Mengulas lanjut, Rais berkata, antara lain visi NBI adalah bertindak sebagai pembolehcara dan pelengkap kepada Model Ekonomi Baru (NEM) iaitu menyediakan infrastruktur bertaraf dunia untuk pembangunan aplikasi dan kandungan; akses kepada rangkaian generasi akan datang berasaskan Internet Protocol (IP) untuk Internet berkelajuan tinggi dan perkhidmatan baru serta mencapai 50 peratus penembusan jalur lebar isi rumah pada akhir tahun 2010 sekali gus menyumbang satu peratus Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) serta mewujudkan 135,000 peluang pekerjaan baru.
"NBI akan memacu ekonomi negara dan keperluan itu meliputi seluruh negara termasuk kawasan pedalaman di Sabah dan Sarawak serta kampung-kampung kecil di Semenanjung Malaysia.
Rais turut menjelaskan persoalan tentang jumlah isi rumah yang memiliki komputer, telefon bimbit dan talian tetap di negara ini.
Katanya, statistik 2009 menunjukkan sebanyak enam juta isi rumah di seluruh negara memiliki komputer dan 30.4 juta (106 peratus) melanggan khidmat telefon bimbit.
Menurutnya, pemilikan itu menjelaskan lagi faktor penembusan jalur lebar dalam kalangan seluruh penduduk negara.
Namun, katanya, faktor itu tidak menegaskan pemilikan dan kegunaan alat itu sebagai indikator atau penanda aras dalam menentukan setakat mana jalur lebar boleh digunakan pada masa akan datang.
"Sebab itulah, kementerian dan SKMM sepakat menyatakan bahawa perlu ada satu penanda aras bagi melihat peningkatan penggunaan alat tersebut di negara ini," ujarnya.
Katanya, selain menerusi pemilikan komputer dan telefon bimbit, penembusan jalur lebar juga boleh berkembang menerusi televisyen.
"Satu hari nanti, televisyen boleh digunakan sebagai konsol yang boleh menerima isyarat-isyarat berkaitan jalur lebar," katanya.
Menurutnya, pada masa sekarang sudah ada pihak-pihak tertentu mencadangkan agar televisyen digunakan sebagai monitor kepada jalur lebar sekiranya ada kotak diletakkan di atas televisyen.
"Hal seperti ini merupakan kemungkinan belaka. Jadi, indeks-indeks yang diguna pakai setakat ini harus dikaji semula dalam konteks penembusan yang diperoleh," tambahnya.
Sehubungan itu, katanya, pihaknya dengan kerjasama SKMM akan meneliti semula kos, kelajuan, kualiti dan perkhidmatan jalur lebar agar satu penanda aras dapat ditetapkan.
Menurutnya, dalam aspek tersebut, kerajaan akan meneliti agar segala kos berkaitan kemajuan perkhidmatan jalur lebar di negara ini dapat diturunkan harganya.
"Saya tahu perkara berkaitan penurunan harga penggunaan jalur lebar ini merupakan satu isu utama di kalangan pengguna memandangkan harganya berbeza dengan negara lain. Jadi, saya harap selepas tarikh 24 Mac ini, segala isu berkaitan perkara tersebut dapat diredakan dan diterima pakai oleh semua pihak.
"Apa yang penting, pelaksanaan tersebut mestilah sejajar dengan konsep 1Malaysia," katanya.
Rais menegaskan, adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kementerian dan SKMM untuk menurunkan kos yang dipersetujui oleh pemain-pemain besar industri jalur lebar di negara ini.
"Apabila selesai kelak, kita bukan sahaja dapat memberinya kepada pemain besar tetapi juga pemain sederhana dan pemain kecil. Begitu juga, dana USB akan dilihat semula dalam konteks memberi kemudahan menyeluruh kepada semua orang sama ada di bandar atau luar bandar," tambahnya.
Setakat 3 Mac 2010, jumlah langganan jalur lebar di negara ini adalah sebanyak 33.2 peratus daripada keseluruhan isi rumah dan sasaran kementerian pada akhir tahun ini adalah sebanyak 50 peratus penggunaan dapat dicapai.
Optimis dengan pencapaian matlamat tersebut, Rais berkata, SKMM mampu melaksanakannya seperti yang digariskan oleh agensi itu sebelum ini.kata, SKMM mampu melaksanakannya seperti yang digariskan oleh agensi itu sebelum ini.
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0323&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Rencana&pg=re_06.htm
Sunday, March 21, 2010
New Era Digital Lifestyle
What's HSBB
High Speed Broadband (HSBB) is a broadband service that offers bandwidth delivered at network speeds of 10Mbps and above. Unlike normal broadband connections which deliver bandwidth at network speeds ranging between 384kbps and 4Mbps, basic HSBB packages will eventually allow Malaysians to experience high speed Internet of up to 100 times faster than the usual rate while businesses will be able to have maximum speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps (1Gbps).
HSBB will initially be deployed via fiber in the inner Klang Valley, Iskandar Malaysia and key industrial zones throughout the country. It is expected that 1.3 million premises will have the ability to access HSBB coverage by end 2012.
Digital Lifestyle
With the bandwidth provided by HSBB, a whole new lifestyle experience will open up for Malaysians in terms of providing greater opportunities and access to rich content like never before in entertainment, gaming, education, business, work, health, communications, services and much more.
What will HSBB mean to consumers?
What will HSBB mean to business?
Sources : www.tm.com.my
High Speed Broadband (HSBB) is a broadband service that offers bandwidth delivered at network speeds of 10Mbps and above. Unlike normal broadband connections which deliver bandwidth at network speeds ranging between 384kbps and 4Mbps, basic HSBB packages will eventually allow Malaysians to experience high speed Internet of up to 100 times faster than the usual rate while businesses will be able to have maximum speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps (1Gbps).
HSBB will initially be deployed via fiber in the inner Klang Valley, Iskandar Malaysia and key industrial zones throughout the country. It is expected that 1.3 million premises will have the ability to access HSBB coverage by end 2012.
Digital Lifestyle
With the bandwidth provided by HSBB, a whole new lifestyle experience will open up for Malaysians in terms of providing greater opportunities and access to rich content like never before in entertainment, gaming, education, business, work, health, communications, services and much more.
What will HSBB mean to consumers?
What will HSBB mean to business?
Sources : www.tm.com.my
TM to launch HSBB March 24
Written by The Edge Financial Daily
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 23:30
KUALA LUMPUR: TELEKOM MALAYSIA BHD [
registerQuotes("TM", "TM_span");]
(TM) will officially launch its much awaited high-speed broadband (HSBB) retail service in an event at Dataran Merdeka here on March 24.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to launch the new National Broadband Initiative, of which HSBB is the flagship project.TM will then reveal the new branding for its HSBB service as well as the pricing. "Our HSBB packages will be of premium service but not of premium pricing," TM group chief executive Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said in a statement today.The four initial areas that will be covered by TM HSBB are Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar. By the end of 2012, TM's target under the first phase of the national HSBB rollout is 1.3 million premises.According to TM, its total expenditure related to the HSBB project as of Dec 31, 2009 reached RM1.9 billion, which covered last mile access, IP (Internet protocol) core deployment and capacity expansion for international links. Total approved claims from the government up to December 2009 stood at RM990 million.Signed in September 2008, the RM11.3 billion national HSBB project is a public-private-partnership agreement between TM and the government to develop next-generation high-speed broadband infrastructure and services for the nation.TM is putting up RM8.9 billion while the government is contributing RM2.4 billion on an incurred claims basis based on project milestones reached by TM.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/161287-tm-to-launch-hsbb-march-24.html
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 23:30
KUALA LUMPUR: TELEKOM MALAYSIA BHD [
registerQuotes("TM", "TM_span");]
(TM) will officially launch its much awaited high-speed broadband (HSBB) retail service in an event at Dataran Merdeka here on March 24.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to launch the new National Broadband Initiative, of which HSBB is the flagship project.TM will then reveal the new branding for its HSBB service as well as the pricing. "Our HSBB packages will be of premium service but not of premium pricing," TM group chief executive Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said in a statement today.The four initial areas that will be covered by TM HSBB are Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar. By the end of 2012, TM's target under the first phase of the national HSBB rollout is 1.3 million premises.According to TM, its total expenditure related to the HSBB project as of Dec 31, 2009 reached RM1.9 billion, which covered last mile access, IP (Internet protocol) core deployment and capacity expansion for international links. Total approved claims from the government up to December 2009 stood at RM990 million.Signed in September 2008, the RM11.3 billion national HSBB project is a public-private-partnership agreement between TM and the government to develop next-generation high-speed broadband infrastructure and services for the nation.TM is putting up RM8.9 billion while the government is contributing RM2.4 billion on an incurred claims basis based on project milestones reached by TM.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/161287-tm-to-launch-hsbb-march-24.html
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
5% growth seen for mobile phones
Wednesday March 3, 2010
By B.K. SIDHU
Handset sales forecast to pick up with more varieties offered
bksidhu@thestar.com.my
By B.K. SIDHU
Handset sales forecast to pick up with more varieties offered
bksidhu@thestar.com.my
PETALING JAYA: Growth of mobile handset sales in Malaysia was flat last year but, with a rebound in the economy, a 5% growth is forecast by experts for 2010.
This prediction is also backed by sales increasing 1.4% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2009.
The Google Nexus One smartphone (left) and the Apple iPhone sit side by side. Google unveiled its new Nexus One smartphone in January in a direct challenge to heavyweight Apple’s iPhone handsets. — AFP
Handset maker HTC Malaysia country manager S.K. Wong believes the handset market will flourish as a variety of mobile handsets will be offered this year.
“We believe it will be a very exciting year (for handset makers and consumers),” he said in an email.
IDC market analyst Chua Fong Yang said 5.5 million handsets were sold in Malaysia in 2008 and about the same figure was recorded last year. In 2008 the handset market was worth RM3.5bil but there are no available figures for 2009 and this year.
As at end-2009 the country had 30.3 million mobile subscribers and mobile penetration rates had reached 106.2%. Of this, 24 million and 6.2 million were prepaid and postpaid users respectively, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission website.
Sales of global handsets fell by 0.9% in 2009, the first decline in eight years, as consumers cut back on spending during the downturn, according to technology research company Gartner Inc. A rebound is expected and analysts are forecasting growth rates of 11% to 13% this year.
A total of 1.21 billion handsets were sold globally in 2009 led by sales of smartphones and lower-end devices. Of that, 483.5 million devices were sold in the Asia-Pacific region, up 6.7% from 453.1 million in 2008, Gartner said. Smartphone sales totalled 172.4 million units, a 23.8% increase from 2008, and this was led by compelling device experiences and touch interfaces.
It was reported that Samsung, Apple Inc and Google’s mobile phone operating system, Android, emerged as the biggest winners of 2009, making strong market share gains, while Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson lost ground.
Nokia’s world market share dipped from 38.6% in 2008 to 36.4% last year while both Samsung and LG grew their market share to 19.5% and 10.1% respectively.
In Malaysia, IDC Asean telecommunication research manager Lincoln Lee said the top three mobile phone vendors in terms of unit shipments for last year was Nokia, with a market share of 53%, Samsung (18%) and Sony Ericsson (11%). Increasingly, the Apple iPhone 3G & 3GS are gaining market share with about 91,000 units sold since March last year.
The other smartphone that is gaining popularity is Blackberry and Celcom Axiata Bhd claims it has over 100,000 Blackberry users.
Maxis Communications Bhd has been selling iPhones in the country since March last year and its monopoly will end as DiGi.Com Bhd enters the market before end-June this year. Market players are anticipating that prices of services and packages will drop but not that of the device with DiGi’s entry.
IDC’s Chua believes that touch-screen and QWERTY keyboards will remain a popular feature which will be a prerequisite among customers below the age of 25.
Ease of having social network software integrated as part of mobile phone features would also attract younger users and a user normally changed handsets every three to four years, he said.
Apple and Blackberry are popular but many are awaiting more Android phones to hit the market, particularly Nexus One, which is a tie-up between Google and Taiwanese electronics giant HTC. The other makers of the Android phones include LG, Samsung, Acer and Asur.
“Despite strong initiatives from various mobile phone vendors to launch Android in Malaysia in 2010, IDC foresees that the launch of Android-based mobile phones will only take place in the second half-year,” IDC said.
An analyst said Apple’s concern was the growth of Android phones but Apple had some lead time to maximise on its positioning before the Android craze catched up as Android phones could be the future of ubiquitous Internet surfing and the cost could be half or a fraction of the iPhone cost. Android phones will be driven via channel basis compared with the operator-driven iPhone.
For the next three years, IDC remains confident that the sales of Android mobile phones will not exceed that of iPhones in Malaysia.
Digital broadcast: TM eyes bigger role
Business Times: 8 May 2009
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863) says it will get involved in the national digital broadcast plan in a bigger way than just as an infrastructure builder.
"We are already in the transmission industry and we are fully capable of being in the (digital) business," group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said, when asked whether the group would consider bidding for a licence to build digital transmission infrastructure for broadcasters to transmit programmes.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission was reportedly planning to invite bids for such a licence in the third quarter.Zamzamzairaini said digital broadcasting is more than just having a physical infrastructure. Such digital service can be linked up with TM's high-speed Internet highway project.The group, he said, expects to wrap up talks with some licensed service providers on the wholesale purchase of its high-speed broadband (HSBB) project by year-end."
We are on track with the rolling out of our HSBB project," chairman Tan Sri Md Radzi Mansor said after TM's annual and extraordinary general meetings in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Zamzamzairani said discussions with licensed service providers also cover pricing of the wholesale access of the HSBB and capacity requirement.Besides wholesale access to licensed service providers, TM also plans to sell the HSBB connection straight to the retail market.TM will face off directly with licensed service providers, who will also be its customers, in the retail market, he said.
TM has signed an agreement with the government to roll out the first phase of the RM11.3 billion national HSBB project over the next 10 years.Meanwhile, TM will repay shareholders by September 2009 a total of RM3.5 billion from the money it received from Axiata Group Bhd, formerly TM International Bhd.TM has received the full amount of RM4.03 billion owed to it by Axiata following the demerger exercise of the two companies.TM shareholders will also get another RM382 million in the form of a final gross dividend, or 14.25 sen per share, by June or July.Radzi said the capital repayment will not change the group's dividend policy of returning at least RM700 million, or up to 90 per cent of its net profit, to shareholders.
Khazanah Nasional Bhd, which has a 44.5 per cent stake in TM, stands to receive almost RM2 billion cash, or 98 sen per share, from the capital repayment. The second biggest receiver is the Employees Provident Fund, which owns about 15 per cent.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/tiyem/Article/index_htmlch
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863) says it will get involved in the national digital broadcast plan in a bigger way than just as an infrastructure builder.
"We are already in the transmission industry and we are fully capable of being in the (digital) business," group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said, when asked whether the group would consider bidding for a licence to build digital transmission infrastructure for broadcasters to transmit programmes.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission was reportedly planning to invite bids for such a licence in the third quarter.Zamzamzairaini said digital broadcasting is more than just having a physical infrastructure. Such digital service can be linked up with TM's high-speed Internet highway project.The group, he said, expects to wrap up talks with some licensed service providers on the wholesale purchase of its high-speed broadband (HSBB) project by year-end."
We are on track with the rolling out of our HSBB project," chairman Tan Sri Md Radzi Mansor said after TM's annual and extraordinary general meetings in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Zamzamzairani said discussions with licensed service providers also cover pricing of the wholesale access of the HSBB and capacity requirement.Besides wholesale access to licensed service providers, TM also plans to sell the HSBB connection straight to the retail market.TM will face off directly with licensed service providers, who will also be its customers, in the retail market, he said.
TM has signed an agreement with the government to roll out the first phase of the RM11.3 billion national HSBB project over the next 10 years.Meanwhile, TM will repay shareholders by September 2009 a total of RM3.5 billion from the money it received from Axiata Group Bhd, formerly TM International Bhd.TM has received the full amount of RM4.03 billion owed to it by Axiata following the demerger exercise of the two companies.TM shareholders will also get another RM382 million in the form of a final gross dividend, or 14.25 sen per share, by June or July.Radzi said the capital repayment will not change the group's dividend policy of returning at least RM700 million, or up to 90 per cent of its net profit, to shareholders.
Khazanah Nasional Bhd, which has a 44.5 per cent stake in TM, stands to receive almost RM2 billion cash, or 98 sen per share, from the capital repayment. The second biggest receiver is the Employees Provident Fund, which owns about 15 per cent.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/tiyem/Article/index_htmlch
Maxis, TM get Sri Lanka invite to invest in satellite project
Business Times : 5 January 2010
Both Maxis and Telekom Malaysia have expressed interest and said they will invest if the project is commercially viable, says Sri Lanka
NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka is inviting two top Malaysian telco operators Maxis Communications Bhd (6012) and Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) to invest in its US$150 million (RM525 million) maiden satellite project.Plans are in the pipeline to launch the nation's first geostationary satellite after it signed a deal with UK-based Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL) last December.
"We have invited Maxis (Communications) and Telekom Malaysia, both of which have already invested in Sri Lanka," Priyantha Kariyapperuma, director-general of Sri Lanka's Telecom Regulatory Commission, said in a telephone interview from Colombo."They have expressed interest and said they will invest if the project is commercially viable." Dialog, a subsidiary of Axiata Group Bhd (formerly known as TM International), is the top telecommunications service provider in Sri Lanka, with the largest mobile network.
Maxis became another major Malaysian player in the island after its parent company Usaha Tegas purchased a sizeable stake in Sri Lanka Telecom.Kariyapperuma said the invitation is still in a preliminary stage and nothing constructive had emerged yet from the two firms."It is still in preliminary stage, we should be able to get more details later this year," he said.The Sri Lankan government is in the process of setting up its space agency and plans to launch its first satellite, to be named after the famous British physicist Sri Arthur C. Clarke, who made the island his home until his death. - Bernama
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/maxtel/Article/index_html
Both Maxis and Telekom Malaysia have expressed interest and said they will invest if the project is commercially viable, says Sri Lanka
NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka is inviting two top Malaysian telco operators Maxis Communications Bhd (6012) and Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) to invest in its US$150 million (RM525 million) maiden satellite project.Plans are in the pipeline to launch the nation's first geostationary satellite after it signed a deal with UK-based Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL) last December.
"We have invited Maxis (Communications) and Telekom Malaysia, both of which have already invested in Sri Lanka," Priyantha Kariyapperuma, director-general of Sri Lanka's Telecom Regulatory Commission, said in a telephone interview from Colombo."They have expressed interest and said they will invest if the project is commercially viable." Dialog, a subsidiary of Axiata Group Bhd (formerly known as TM International), is the top telecommunications service provider in Sri Lanka, with the largest mobile network.
Maxis became another major Malaysian player in the island after its parent company Usaha Tegas purchased a sizeable stake in Sri Lanka Telecom.Kariyapperuma said the invitation is still in a preliminary stage and nothing constructive had emerged yet from the two firms."It is still in preliminary stage, we should be able to get more details later this year," he said.The Sri Lankan government is in the process of setting up its space agency and plans to launch its first satellite, to be named after the famous British physicist Sri Arthur C. Clarke, who made the island his home until his death. - Bernama
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/maxtel/Article/index_html
Forex gains help lift TM fourth quarter earnings
Business Times : 23 February 2010(Jeva Arulampalam)
Telekom Malaysia expects its business to continue being driven by two key products, Internet and data, this year
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863) said its fourth quarter net profit inched up 3.3 per cent to RM170.25 million due mainly to foreign exchange (forex) gains.The group expects its business to continue being driven by two key products, Internet and data, this year while it works on stopping the decline in its voice services, group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said."These efforts to arrest voice decline include bundling Internet and voice services together and enhancing the fixed-to-mobile calls service - basically to encourage the use of fixed lines to make calls to mobile lines," he told reporters at the group's results briefing in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Among its key performance indicators for this year are a revenue growth of 2 per cent and an ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) margin of 33 per cent.
TM has also allocated a business as usual capital expenditure not exceeding RM1.4 billion.The group's revenue in the quarter ended December 31 2009 fell 9 per cent to RM2.27 billion from a year ago due to lower revenue from its emergency call centre project, called MERS 999.Internet and multimedia revenue, however, rose 2.6 per cent to RM402 million, driven by an increase in the number of broadband customers.In the full year ended December 31 2009, TM's net profit rose 180.4 per cent to RM643 million (excluding the results of the demerged Axiata Group) due to lower operating costs, gain on disposal of equity investment and forex gains over its US dollar debts.Its revenue fell 0.8 per cent to RM8.61 billion due to the drop in voice revenue and revenue from MERS 999.
The group's voice revenue accounts for 46 per cent of overall group revenue compared with 51 per cent in 2008."Excluding revenue from MERS 999, the current year revenue would have increased by 0.9 per cent," group chief financial officer Datuk Bazlan Osman said.Its ebitda was up 6.4 per cent to RM3.1 billion.The company is proposing a final dividend of 13 sen totalling RM348.9 million on top of the interim dividend of 10 sen distributed in September last year."With the proposed dividend payout of RM706.5 million, this brings our 12-month total return to shareholders to 38.5 per cent," Zamzamzairani said.On the high-speed broadband project, he said the group was on track to commercially launch the retail service in Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar by the end of next month."We will also provide service coverage in some areas within Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Iskandar Malaysia, with the goal to have complete coverage by the third quarter of this year," he added.TM is targeting to complete fibre installation on 750,000 premises this year, including the 150,000 achieved last year.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/jtelm-2/Article/
Telekom Malaysia expects its business to continue being driven by two key products, Internet and data, this year
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863) said its fourth quarter net profit inched up 3.3 per cent to RM170.25 million due mainly to foreign exchange (forex) gains.The group expects its business to continue being driven by two key products, Internet and data, this year while it works on stopping the decline in its voice services, group chief executive officer Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said."These efforts to arrest voice decline include bundling Internet and voice services together and enhancing the fixed-to-mobile calls service - basically to encourage the use of fixed lines to make calls to mobile lines," he told reporters at the group's results briefing in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Among its key performance indicators for this year are a revenue growth of 2 per cent and an ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) margin of 33 per cent.
TM has also allocated a business as usual capital expenditure not exceeding RM1.4 billion.The group's revenue in the quarter ended December 31 2009 fell 9 per cent to RM2.27 billion from a year ago due to lower revenue from its emergency call centre project, called MERS 999.Internet and multimedia revenue, however, rose 2.6 per cent to RM402 million, driven by an increase in the number of broadband customers.In the full year ended December 31 2009, TM's net profit rose 180.4 per cent to RM643 million (excluding the results of the demerged Axiata Group) due to lower operating costs, gain on disposal of equity investment and forex gains over its US dollar debts.Its revenue fell 0.8 per cent to RM8.61 billion due to the drop in voice revenue and revenue from MERS 999.
The group's voice revenue accounts for 46 per cent of overall group revenue compared with 51 per cent in 2008."Excluding revenue from MERS 999, the current year revenue would have increased by 0.9 per cent," group chief financial officer Datuk Bazlan Osman said.Its ebitda was up 6.4 per cent to RM3.1 billion.The company is proposing a final dividend of 13 sen totalling RM348.9 million on top of the interim dividend of 10 sen distributed in September last year."With the proposed dividend payout of RM706.5 million, this brings our 12-month total return to shareholders to 38.5 per cent," Zamzamzairani said.On the high-speed broadband project, he said the group was on track to commercially launch the retail service in Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar by the end of next month."We will also provide service coverage in some areas within Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Iskandar Malaysia, with the goal to have complete coverage by the third quarter of this year," he added.TM is targeting to complete fibre installation on 750,000 premises this year, including the 150,000 achieved last year.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/jtelm-2/Article/
Small take-up seen for TM HSBB service
Business Times: 23 February 2010
OSK Research expects the take-up rates for TM Bhd's high-speed broadband (HSBB) service to be small in the initial years.This is because the addressable market comprised areas, already served by its existing fixed broadband service, Streamyx.
The research firm stated the take-up rates will also be small, due to competition from wireless alternatives, which present a greater value proposition given their mobility feature."We see the revenue impact from HSBB as insignificant for financial year 2010 and have only factored in minimal revenue contribution for 2011," it said in a research note here today.
However, OSK Research believes a key success factor and major driver for the take-up of TM's HSBB would be a good subscriber experience, especially in the early days of the rollout."We believe the perceived value of HSBB comes from what the service is able to offer in terms of broadband quality rather than for content, at least in the medium-term," it said. - BERNAMA
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100223113431/Article/
OSK Research expects the take-up rates for TM Bhd's high-speed broadband (HSBB) service to be small in the initial years.This is because the addressable market comprised areas, already served by its existing fixed broadband service, Streamyx.
The research firm stated the take-up rates will also be small, due to competition from wireless alternatives, which present a greater value proposition given their mobility feature."We see the revenue impact from HSBB as insignificant for financial year 2010 and have only factored in minimal revenue contribution for 2011," it said in a research note here today.
However, OSK Research believes a key success factor and major driver for the take-up of TM's HSBB would be a good subscriber experience, especially in the early days of the rollout."We believe the perceived value of HSBB comes from what the service is able to offer in terms of broadband quality rather than for content, at least in the medium-term," it said. - BERNAMA
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100223113431/Article/
TM may pause for consolidation
Business Times :23 February 2010
SHARE prices on Bursa Malaysia rebounded in earnest in tandem with the rebounds on the regional stock markets yesterday. Overall advancing counters overwhelmed declining counters by 469 to 196.The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) rebounded from its intra-day low of 1,260.51 to its intra-day high of 1,267.09 yesterday. It closed at 1,266.44 points, giving a day-on-day gain of 8.77 points, or 0.77 per cent.
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) staged a technical rebound yesterday. Its daily price trend closed at RM3.35, giving a day-on-day gain of 9 sen, or 2.76 per cent. Chartwise, TM's daily price trend rose from its low of RM2.96 on November 30 2009 all the way down to its intra-day low of RM3.22 on on January 30 2010, posting a gain of 26 sen, or 8.78 per cent.
Its hourly price trend staged a technical breakout of its immediate overhead resistance (B1:B2) on February 19 2010 and followed by a follow-through rebound yesterday.Its hourly fast MACD (moving average convergence divergence) continued to stay above its hourly slow MACD yesterday. Both its hourly fast and slow MACDs continued to stay above their respective neutral reference lines.TM's hourly price trend is likely to pause for a short consolidation before resuming its prior technical rebound.The subject expressed above is based on technical analysis and opinions of the writer. It is not a solicitation to buy or sell.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/temm/Article/
Business Times:24 February 2010
THE government wants to see more players in mobile communication, particularly the mobile broadband industry, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said.He urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to give priority to licence application by small and medium enterprises (SME) wanting to venture into mobile communication.Malaysia has about 16 million Internet users while cellular phone penetration stood at 106 per cent, a healthy sign for telecommunication."
The problem is which frequency to give the appplicants. This problem must be addressed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission," he said after launching "TMpoint on Wheels"at Menara TM in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Rais said the ministry would consider applications by companies with potential for deve-lopment, paid-up capital and experience to pro-vide cost-effective services.On "TMpoint on Wheels" (TMOW), Rais said the service was in line with the 1Malaysia concept of People First.TMOW provides Internet service, TM, Celcom, Astro, TNB, Syabas and local council bill payments, Touch n Go top-up, sale of telephones and i-Talk prepaid cards. - Bernama
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/gmom/Article/
THE government wants to see more players in mobile communication, particularly the mobile broadband industry, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said.He urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to give priority to licence application by small and medium enterprises (SME) wanting to venture into mobile communication.Malaysia has about 16 million Internet users while cellular phone penetration stood at 106 per cent, a healthy sign for telecommunication."
The problem is which frequency to give the appplicants. This problem must be addressed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission," he said after launching "TMpoint on Wheels"at Menara TM in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Rais said the ministry would consider applications by companies with potential for deve-lopment, paid-up capital and experience to pro-vide cost-effective services.On "TMpoint on Wheels" (TMOW), Rais said the service was in line with the 1Malaysia concept of People First.TMOW provides Internet service, TM, Celcom, Astro, TNB, Syabas and local council bill payments, Touch n Go top-up, sale of telephones and i-Talk prepaid cards. - Bernama
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/gmom/Article/
Business Times :22 February 2010
Telekom Malaysia’s full-year net profit was RM643 million, compared with RM791.9 million the previous year. Its pre-tax profit jumped to RM921.588 million for the financial year ended December 31, 2009 as compared with RM353.803 million in the previous year.
However, the group's revenue declined by 0.8 per cent to RM8.607 billion as compared with RM8.674.9 billion recorded in the last financial year, mainly due to lower revenue from its Malaysian Emergency Rescue Services 999 (MERS 999) system in the current financial year."Excluding revenue from MERS 999, the current year revenue would have increased by 0.9 per cent as compared with preceding financial year," said TM in a filing to Bursa Malaysia.
Operating profit before finance cost increased by 46 per cent to RM1.064 billion due to lower operating costs recorded in the current financial year and the absence of losses on disposal of equity investment. -- Bernama
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100222180815/Article/
Telekom Malaysia’s full-year net profit was RM643 million, compared with RM791.9 million the previous year. Its pre-tax profit jumped to RM921.588 million for the financial year ended December 31, 2009 as compared with RM353.803 million in the previous year.
However, the group's revenue declined by 0.8 per cent to RM8.607 billion as compared with RM8.674.9 billion recorded in the last financial year, mainly due to lower revenue from its Malaysian Emergency Rescue Services 999 (MERS 999) system in the current financial year."Excluding revenue from MERS 999, the current year revenue would have increased by 0.9 per cent as compared with preceding financial year," said TM in a filing to Bursa Malaysia.
Operating profit before finance cost increased by 46 per cent to RM1.064 billion due to lower operating costs recorded in the current financial year and the absence of losses on disposal of equity investment. -- Bernama
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100222180815/Article/
Broadband fees unlikely to fall just yet
Business Times 10 February 2010
IT WILL be a crowded market for Internet service providers this year but consumers shouldn't expect prices to fall.Although competition will be tougher, Packet One Networks (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1) believes the broadband market is big enough for all currently."I don't think there's a need for a price war. The market is still quite open, relatively untapped, and plenty of opportunities out there," chief executive officer Michael Lai said in a media briefing in Petaling Jaya yesterday.Today, P1 has more than 100,000 subscribers, which is the highest among Malaysian peers using WiMAX technology like YTL Group, Redtone International and Asiaspace.
However, P1 is also competing with bigger rivals like Telekom Malaysia Bhd, mobile operators Maxis Bhd, Celcom Axiata Bhd and DiGi.Com Bhd.With YTL slated to officially launch its wireless broadband services by the end of this year, and more aggressive broadband push by giants TM and other mobile operators, P1 expects margins to come under pressure this year."We see challenges in margins, but at the end of the day, whether or not your margin can be maintained is dependent on two things, revenue and cost. So, the key thing for us now is to increase our sales, and manage our cost properly," said Lai.Still, P1 remains positive on the industry and its prospects. "This year, we aim to at least double our last year's subscriber base," he said.
The company has invested some RM400 million to roll out its wireless network since its launch in August 2008 and it will spend another RM200 million this year.It plans to go to East Malaysia in the second half of the year.P1 is planning to introduce more devices to the market this year, including the much-anticipated netbook that uses WiMAX, developed by P1 and its partners.He did not disclose the prices and specifications of the netbook, but promised that prices will be "attractive" for customers.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/p1max/Article/
IT WILL be a crowded market for Internet service providers this year but consumers shouldn't expect prices to fall.Although competition will be tougher, Packet One Networks (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1) believes the broadband market is big enough for all currently."I don't think there's a need for a price war. The market is still quite open, relatively untapped, and plenty of opportunities out there," chief executive officer Michael Lai said in a media briefing in Petaling Jaya yesterday.Today, P1 has more than 100,000 subscribers, which is the highest among Malaysian peers using WiMAX technology like YTL Group, Redtone International and Asiaspace.
However, P1 is also competing with bigger rivals like Telekom Malaysia Bhd, mobile operators Maxis Bhd, Celcom Axiata Bhd and DiGi.Com Bhd.With YTL slated to officially launch its wireless broadband services by the end of this year, and more aggressive broadband push by giants TM and other mobile operators, P1 expects margins to come under pressure this year."We see challenges in margins, but at the end of the day, whether or not your margin can be maintained is dependent on two things, revenue and cost. So, the key thing for us now is to increase our sales, and manage our cost properly," said Lai.Still, P1 remains positive on the industry and its prospects. "This year, we aim to at least double our last year's subscriber base," he said.
The company has invested some RM400 million to roll out its wireless network since its launch in August 2008 and it will spend another RM200 million this year.It plans to go to East Malaysia in the second half of the year.P1 is planning to introduce more devices to the market this year, including the much-anticipated netbook that uses WiMAX, developed by P1 and its partners.He did not disclose the prices and specifications of the netbook, but promised that prices will be "attractive" for customers.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/p1max/Article/
TM to boost broadband in Sarawak
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM) plans to boost the broadband penetration rate in Sarawak from the current 17 per cent to more than 20 per cent by year-end. TM Sarawak general manager, Omar Zaki Mustafa, said the TM would push to increase the broadband penetration of households in Sarawak. "We will focus on our Streamyx services by offering many special packages to get new customers," he told reporters in Kuching today. Omar said this when asked to comment on TM's role in meeting Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC)s target of achieving a 50 per cent broadband penetration in the state by year-end.
Currently, the broadband penetration rate in Sarawak is 19.3 per cent.
Earlier, Omar officiated at the opening of TM's SME Biz Net Seminar 2010. About 200 customers attended the seminar, which is part of the nationwide programme for its small and medium enterprise customers. The seminar aims to create awareness among its customers on the latest products, services and technology. Meanwhile, Omar said TM would also push to provide free round-the-clock WiFi connection in the state. He said currently there were only a few WiFi hotsposts in the state such as in Kuching and Miri. "TM will increase the number of WiFi hotsports in the state by 1,000 before year-end. By then, more people are getting mobility," he said. Beside that, Omar said, TM was collaborating with MCMC to set up 18 community broadband centres (CBCs) in rural areas under MCMC's Universal Service Provision programme. "We have completed nine, including in Kota Samarahan, Julau, Dalat and Simunjan. We will complete the other nine by year-end," he said. - BERNAMA
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100204192529/Article/
Currently, the broadband penetration rate in Sarawak is 19.3 per cent.
Earlier, Omar officiated at the opening of TM's SME Biz Net Seminar 2010. About 200 customers attended the seminar, which is part of the nationwide programme for its small and medium enterprise customers. The seminar aims to create awareness among its customers on the latest products, services and technology. Meanwhile, Omar said TM would also push to provide free round-the-clock WiFi connection in the state. He said currently there were only a few WiFi hotsposts in the state such as in Kuching and Miri. "TM will increase the number of WiFi hotsports in the state by 1,000 before year-end. By then, more people are getting mobility," he said. Beside that, Omar said, TM was collaborating with MCMC to set up 18 community broadband centres (CBCs) in rural areas under MCMC's Universal Service Provision programme. "We have completed nine, including in Kota Samarahan, Julau, Dalat and Simunjan. We will complete the other nine by year-end," he said. - BERNAMA
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100204192529/Article/
TM's HSBB access rates
FOR the "TM reveals HSBB access rates" story that appeared on January 30, we wish to clarify that the one time fee TM charges service providers to activate Internet ports are between RM100 and RM200, and not RM52-RM55.The RM52-RM55 charge is the monthly recurring port charge. Besides, on a monthly basis, it also charges service providers between RM50 and RM550 per megabit per second (Mbps) for bandwidth subscription. The different charges are for different types of usage.The error is regretted.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/tmkor/Article/
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/tmkor/Article/
TM Internet service disrupted
Telekom Malaysia Berhad's (TM) Internet service today has been disrupted by a damaged underwater cable circuit at the Asian American Gateway (AAG) at Lantau, China. A TM statement said with the damage at AAG which links Malaysia to the United States, customers surfing websites hosted in Hong Kong and the US would experience slow connection. Those using Internet protocol (IP) like virtual private network (VPN) and critical business applications linked to Hong Kong and US might encounter service disruption. The statement said to overcome the problem, several Internet lines were directed to alternative connections to reduce traffic congestion.
With the repair work, traffic to North America and Hong Kong would experience disruption while traffic to other countries would remain the same. TM customers can report problems by calling the 100 line and choose "internet service" or sending email to help@tm.com.my. --BERNAMA
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100131210943/Article/
With the repair work, traffic to North America and Hong Kong would experience disruption while traffic to other countries would remain the same. TM customers can report problems by calling the 100 line and choose "internet service" or sending email to help@tm.com.my. --BERNAMA
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20100131210943/Article/
TM reveals HSBB access rates
Mobile operators, broadband service providers and pay-TV operators will now know how much it will cost them to ride on TM's fibre optics network
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863), the country's dominant fixed-line operator, has finally revealed the pricing for its High Speed Broadband (HSBB) access to industry players, more than one year after the project was first announced.This means that service providers, including mobile operators, broadband service providers and pay-TV operators will now know how much it will cost them to ride on TM's fibre optics network to offer services like video-on-demand, Internet protocol television (IPTV), voice call and Internet surfing.TM met with some 100 industry players in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening, which lasted over two hours.
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863), the country's dominant fixed-line operator, has finally revealed the pricing for its High Speed Broadband (HSBB) access to industry players, more than one year after the project was first announced.This means that service providers, including mobile operators, broadband service providers and pay-TV operators will now know how much it will cost them to ride on TM's fibre optics network to offer services like video-on-demand, Internet protocol television (IPTV), voice call and Internet surfing.TM met with some 100 industry players in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening, which lasted over two hours.
Besides revealing the prices, TM also made its indicative terms and conditions (ITC) documents available to the players.It is believed that most of the industry players came away feeling that the pricing offered by TM was "good" and "reasonable", but remained concerned on how the prices will affect them in the long run."I am concerned over the prices five years down the road. (That's because) the HSBB access pricing is not in the official access list under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
This means that TM may increase the pricing significantly in the future (if it wants to)."If it was in the access list, then there's a little bit more control," said an industry player who declined to be named.Meanwhile, TM executive vice-president Rafaai Samsi gave an assurance that the company would not abuse its "power"."From our understanding, the government/regulator will only step in when there's a market failure. So it is in our best interest to keep the pricing reasonable to all, to avoid a market failure," Rafaai told Business Times in an interview yesterday.Still, some industry players feel that the HSBB access pricing was complicated.The pricing comes in two forms: a one-time charge and a monthly recurring charge.It charges service providers one-time fees of between RM100 and RM200 for activation of each Internet port.
On a monthly basis, it charges the service providers between RM50 and RM550 per megabit per second (Mbps) for bandwidth subscription. Different monthly charges are catered for different type of usage."The pricing we got was too broad. We will need another discussion with them (TM) personally to get more clarity on the pricing, the timeline as well as the roll-out locations," said an official from Packet One Networks Sdn Bhd.Still, Rafaai believes that customers will see value in its pricing after studying it in detail.TM held its first briefing with the industry players March last year to reveal the ITC of the HSBB Transmission service. However, it did not reveal its pricing then.The launch of the HSBB consumer retail service is on schedule: in March this year in Bangsar, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Shah Alam and Subang Jaya. Mobile operators, broadband service providers and pay-TV operators will now know how much it will cost them to ride on TM's fibre optics network
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) (4863), the country's dominant fixed-line operator, has finally revealed the pricing for its High Speed Broadband (HSBB) access to industry players, more than one year after the project was first announced.This means that service providers, including mobile operators, broadband service providers and pay-TV operators will now know how much it will cost them to ride on TM's fibre optics network to offer services like video-on-demand, Internet protocol television (IPTV), voice call and Internet surfing.TM met with some 100 industry players in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening, which lasted over two hours. Besides revealing the prices, TM also made its indicative terms and conditions (ITC) documents available to the players.It is believed that most of the industry players came away feeling that the pricing offered by TM was "good" and "reasonable", but remained concerned on how the prices will affect them in the long run."I am concerned over the prices five years down the road. (That's because) the HSBB access pricing is not in the official access list under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). This means that TM may increase the pricing significantly in the future (if it wants to)."If it was in the access list, then there's a little bit more control," said an industry player who declined to be named.
Meanwhile, TM executive vice-president Rafaai Samsi gave an assurance that the company would not abuse its "power"."From our understanding, the government/regulator will only step in when there's a market failure. So it is in our best interest to keep the pricing reasonable to all, to avoid a market failure," Rafaai told Business Times in an interview yesterday.Still, some industry players feel that the HSBB access pricing was complicated.The pricing comes in two forms: a one-time charge and a monthly recurring charge.It charges service providers one-time fees of between RM100 and RM200 for activation of each Internet port. On a monthly basis, it charges the service providers between RM50 and RM550 per megabit per second (Mbps) for bandwidth subscription.
Different monthly charges are catered for different type of usage."The pricing we got was too broad. We will need another discussion with them (TM) personally to get more clarity on the pricing, the timeline as well as the roll-out locations," said an official from Packet One Networks Sdn Bhd.Still, Rafaai believes that customers will see value in its pricing after studying it in detail.TM held its first briefing with the industry players March last year to reveal the ITC of the HSBB Transmission service. However, it did not reveal its pricing then.The launch of the HSBB consumer retail service is on schedule: in March this year in Bangsar, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Shah Alam and Subang Jaya.
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