Yesterday the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced the 4 winners of licenses to operate the 2.3GHz WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) spectrum in Malaysia (PDF link to news release).
The 4 winners were:
- Bizsurf (M) Sdn Bhd (a unit of YTL-e Solutions Bhd)
- Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd (subsidiary of Green Packet and formerly known as MIB Comm Sdn Bhd)
- Asiaspace Dotcom Sdn Bhd
- Redtone-CNX Broadband Sdn Bhd
The bigger news is that none of the 3 telecom companies in Malaysia won a license. The failure to obtain a WiMAX license isn’t that big a deal to TM and Maxis, who both have 3G licenses, but DiGi has really been left out in the cold again, having failed to win a 3G license also previously. It really looks like our Government doesn’t want any foreigners to have a too big foothold in Malaysian telecommunications. My heart goes out to DiGi – I’m an unabashed DiGi fanboy – but they say they’ll be ok.
The four winners are expected to spend between RM250-RM300 million each to roll out wireless broadband services based on WiMAX in the next 3 years and the MCMC says that their decision is in line with their goal that broadband penetration increases to 75% by 2010 (keep hoping).
My take: I’m actually disappointed that none of the telcos won a license. I think that a telco that also operates a wireless broadband service will usher in fixed-mobile convergence in Malaysia quicker. With WiMAX being operated by the telcos competitors, I’m afraid that switching between cellular and wireless broadband will be less than seamless.
If anything, I hope the news will spur TM Net (the damn slackers!) to buck up its services.
All I’ll say is that my experience with bizsurf and CNX made me curse more in one year than I’ve ever cursed in my lifetime so far.
Huh really? I’ve never even heard of them previously.
Malaysia is doomed to sucky broadband for eternity…
Hi,
I agree with you, but I believe this is going to be worst than TMNut…as this companies are small and not fully proven yet in the consumer market. Its like suddenly they have a national role…