FASTER, CHEAPER BROADBAND BY 2019
We’re working out system with service providers, says MCMC
THE Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is ready to reduce current broadband charges by half, with double the speed as early as next year, as pledged in Barisan Nasional’s manifesto for the 14th General Election (GE14).
MCMC communications and digital ecosystem sector chief officer Datuk Mohd Ali Hanafiah Mohd Yunus said at this stage, they were working out the system with the licensed owners and service providers for implementation.
“This year, we implemented the ‘double the speed with the same price plan’. In line with BN’s manifesto, it (lower charges) will be implemented by 2019.
“We are focusing on fixed broadbands and will start with cities, before implementing it nationwide,” he said yesterday.
He said the price of broadband Internet for 10 megabit per second was as low as RM119. It used to be as high as RM179.
“For the speed of 100 megabit per second, one can subscribe for as low as RM179-RM189, compared with RM299 previously,” he added.
Ali said with faster speed, users would be able to experience better service.
He said once the cities were covered, MCMC would work to ensure rural areas enjoyed the same quality of service.
“One of our main agendas is to close the digital gap between rural areas and cities.”
Ali said this at the “Hack for Good” competition award ceremony at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Kuala Lumpur campus here yesterday.
The competition was Malaysia’s first of its kind Narrow Band (NB) Internet of Things (IoT) Hackathon.
Held as a joint initiative by Ericsson, UTM, MCMC and Axiata Business Services, it received 140 entries from students and professionals.
The competition encouraged participants to build IoT solutions with four main themes.
The top 11 ideas were shortlisted, and a Pre-Hack Workshop was carried out to prepare the participants with the skills for prototype development.
Participants were given a month of hacking time to develop the prototype, using Celcom Malaysia’s NB IoT Network and Ericsson APIs.
NBEE IOT topped the professional category and the overall hackathon winner, and took home a cash prize of RM25,000 for its prototype for bee farming.