Japan’s Mitsui to acquire 10% of Smart Axiata
Malaysia’s Axiata Group has secured a new strategic partner and minority investor in its Cambodian operations. Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co and its affiliate will collectively take a 10% stake in Smart Axiata in a deal worth $66 million. The agreement is expected to close by end-May, and also covers a call option granting Mitsui the right to acquire an additional 10% stake in Smart within 12 months post-completion. Axiata group CEO Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim said the strategic partnership will help Smart’s growth efforts in areas including digital services and the IoT. He said Axiata Group remains committed to maintaining a majority stake in Smart.
Celcom, Ericsson conduct Malaysia’s first 5G trial
Celcom Axiata and Ericsson have completed Malaysia’s first 5G trial, and the first 5G trial in South East Asia concentrating on the 28-GHz band. The trial achieved a peak throughput of up to 18Gbps and latency as low as 3ms using 5G radio prototypes from Ericsson. Celcom and Ericsson entered an agreement in February to jointly evaluate opportunities for 5G and the IoT in Malaysia. Celcom recently announced plans to deploy key pre-5G technologies including 4x4 multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and 256 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) as part of its journey to 5G, and the collaboration with Ericsson forms part of this initiative.
Optus launches cloud-based telephony system for SMBs
Australia’s Optus has launched a new cloud-based telephony system for SMB customers that promises to help cut costs and reduce the complexity associated with traditional PABX telephony systems. The service, Optus Loop, has been developed in collaboration with unified communications service provider Broadsoft. It combines mobile and fixed line telephony, supporting voice, instant messaging and presence, desktop file sharing, virtual meeting rooms and voice and video conferencing capabilities. Features include seamless transfer of calls from desk phones to mobile, voicemails incorporated into email, simultaneous ringing on all devices as well as custom on hold call messages. Loop will be offered in both prepaid options or as part of a 12-60 month plan.