Latest 4G trial by P1 soon

Thursday April 7, 2011
By LEE KIAN SEONG
lks@thestar.com.my


Firm will do pilot commercial run of new technology by year-end

PORT DICKSON: Packet One Networks Malaysia Sdn Bhd (P1) expects to embark on a pilot commercial trial for the latest 4G wireless technology, Long-Term Evolution Time Division Duplex (LTE TDD) by the year-end, said chief executive officer Michael Lai (pic).

LTE TDD provides higher data rates and larger capacity and can reduce service delay. It also offers improved real-time and high-speed services.

Lai told a briefing yesterday that P1 would upgrade its current WiMAX network to LTE TDD when the technology and devices had reached its mature status, probably by the end of 2012.

However, he said the cost to upgrade the system was still unknown, noting that China Mobile Ltd had just started its trial on the technology in China and would take at least six months to see the outcome.


Packet One Networks Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Michael Lai speaking at the Media Retreat 2011 in Port Dickson on April 6.

On Tuesday, P1 hosted the world's first WiMAX-LTE TDD live demonstration.

“The LTE TDD investment will be like our regular network spending that we apply for WiMAX annually. We will continue with our trial on LTE TDD to make sure that it can co-exist with WiMAX,” he said.

Lai said P1 had invested RM650mil in its WiMAX system and the investment was expected to reach RM1bil next year to cover 65% of the population. P1's WiMax services now has about 300,000 subscribers and covers 45% of the population.

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