With imminent launches of its broadband and IPTV networks, Malaysian cellco Maxis is aiming to become the country’s biggest integrated service provider.
Maxis intends to soft-launch fixed broadband and IPTV services using Telekom Malaysia’s fiber HSBB network in the third quarter.
“We have spent 4 billion ringgit ($1.24b) over the past four years, and will spend 1.4 billion ringgit in 2010 alone, on network enhancements which will provide the necessary pipeline to create a full experience of the internet platform,” vice president T. Kugan told telecomasia.net.
Kugan said Maxis had installed 10,000km of fiber cable and nearly 7000 mobile base station sites, and had signed a deal to run cable on low voltage electric poles.
Maxis’ vice president and head of home services, Afiz Abdullah, says Malaysia, which has a population of 27 million, has a large untapped home broadband market.
“As there are more than 16 million Internet users in Malaysia with a growing need to stay connected, customers will demand greater broadband access both in and out of their homes,” Abdullah told telecomasia.net.