The Borneo Post

Digi on the go in 2018

Telco firm underlines opportunit­ies of internet, data growth in the year ahead

- By Sharon Kong bizhive@theborneop­ost.com

Telco firm underlines opportunit­ies of internet, data growth in the year ahead

As a mobile connectivi­ty and internet services provider with long- standing history in Malaysia, Digi.Com Bhd (Digi) has an ambition to ensure that the group maximises on the opportunit­y of internet and data growth.

Chief executive officer Albern Murty revealed in an exclusive interview that Digi recorded double digit growth in postpaid in 2017 which started off on the strategy that the group was going to move towards the larger base of focus for postpaid’s distributi­on.

In addition, Digi, which comes from a very strong prepaid base, took up position in the third quarter of 2017 (3Q17) and ended the year as the largest operator in terms of subscriber­s. “We wanted to move then into maximising the opportunit­ies that both the internet growth, trends that users are looking at, and then of course, to add digital services into that picture. “This is also the same thing that we are going to do moving into 2018 which is really to dominate the data internet boom and then to capture the digital service position in 2018,” Murty told BizHive Weekly. “Part of that is, as I said will be very important for us, is the postpaid growth.We’ve also seen very good postpaid growth in East Malaysia – both in Sarawak and Sabah. “Most of that is coming from our own base of prepaid customers maturing, moving from traditiona­l voice-SMS into data and then now, moving onto commitment plans

We wanted to move then into maximising the opportunit­ies that both the internet growth, trends that users are looking at, and then of course, to add digital services into that picture. Albern Murty, Digi chief executive officer

as commitment plans are both made more affordable but also much more relevant to their lifestyle.” Shift towards new offerings

Digi noted in a management and discussion analysis for 3Q17 that its relentless focus to deliver robust internet experience fuelled internet revenue growth of 8.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 15.6 per cent year-on-year.

The group went on to highlight that its internet and digital-based offerings supported better monetisati­on and internet revenue growth, paving the way for 1.6 per cent higher sequential service revenue with all-time high postpaid revenue and stabilised sequential prepaid revenue.

With these digital services, Digi started to shift the way it served its customers, rather than relying on physical channels and contact centres.

“We’ve also moved a lot of our customers interactin­g with us on our digital platforms,” Murty added. “Started off on the web, our Digi Store Online, but also now on MyDigi, where we have close to 2.3 million customers using that service both for selfhelp but also now for rewards and running their own usage needs.

“For example, when they run out of quota or when they want to do a reload top-up, transfer for family or pay bills and so on, so forth. MyDigi’s becoming both a lifestyle app but also a self-serving app, that’s something that we did in 2017.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Malaysia