KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) will announce its much-anticipated pricing structure for its next-generation high-speed broadband service, “UniFi”, which was launched here last night with the promise of a “world of faster, richer and more reliable online experience”.
The gala launch event, which was graced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, featured broadband lifestyle showcases, interactive exhibitions and a live concert for members of the public.
In his speech, TM chairman Datuk Dr Halim Shafie said the pricing would be made available on TM’s website this morning.
TM is also scheduled to hold a press conference in the afternoon to unveil the HSBB retail offerings, packages and pricing.
“Now that UniFi, our next-generation Internet infrastructure and service has arrived for Malaysians, we anticipate it will be a digital lifestyle changer as well as enabler for the vast majority of our subscribers. I am truly excited at this next phase of growth for TM where we are aiming to take our services to the next level,” Halim said.
TM’s UniFi high-speed broadband packages comprises triple-play services of high-speed Internet, video (IPTV), and phone, with speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps.
TM said the IPTV service, which makes up part of the value-add bundled service, would be delivered via an 8Mbps connection exclusively and in addition to the data speeds subscribed by the customers. It added that with IPTV, customers could enjoy 22 linear channels, video-on-demand and interactive services such as games, and tourism information.
The initial areas covered by TM’s UniFi are the four exchange areas of Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar, and will be expanded to another 22 exchange areas by June and a further 22 by December. All in by year-end, it will cover 48 exchange areas with a total of 750,000 premises passed.
These will include key areas such as Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Iskandar Malaysia.
As of yesterday, TM said it had completed 311,000 premises passed, surpassing the target of 300,000 premises passed by the end of March. “Premises passed” refers to the number of premises that are connected by UniFi and have the ready option to take up the service.
By the end of 2012, TM said about 1.3 million premises would be passed nationwide.
TM group CEO Datuk Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said: “The building of the HSBB fibre-optic infrastructure was the first of its kind in the world with regards to its scope and time-to-build.
“Some 4,000 of our staff are involved in the project and have been working relentlessly since 18 months ago after we signed the public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with the government. This project also involved over 2,500 staff of our contractors,” he said.
Signed in September 2008, the RM11.3 billion national HSBB project is a PPP agreement between TM and the government to develop next generation HSBB infrastructure and services. TM is putting up RM8.9 billion while the government is co-investing RM2.4 billion on an incurred claims basis based on project milestones reached by TM.
