WANTED: FASTER, CHEAPER INTERNET
Consumers willing to pay RM89 monthly for unlimited quota at speed of 100Mbps, CFM survey shows
SIXTY-EIGHT per cent of 1,800 respondents said a fixed broadband Internet package with unlimited quota at a speed of 100 megabytes per second (Mbps) for RM89 per month was ideal, a survey by Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia (CFM) shows.
The survey, conducted last month, showed 50.8 per cent of consumers had Internet subscriptions ranging from RM100 to RM200, while 85.8 per cent were dissatisfied with their Internet speed.
The poll result highlighted that consumers in Malaysia were looking forward to high-speed broadband services at more affordable prices with speeds that were acceptable for home use, said CFM chairman Mohamad Yusrizal Yusof.
The findings coincide with Maxis Bhd’s move to offer affordable high-speed fibre broadband plans for homes and businesses.
The plans, available from September 13, will boast of speeds from 30Mbps to 100Mbps.
The new consumer and business fibre plans were available in speeds of up to 100Mbps and at prices between 36 and 65 per cent lower than previous similar plans, it said.
For consumers, the 100Mbps plan comes at RM129 per month and 30Mbps at RM89 per month.
Meanwhile, businesses can take up the 100Mbps plan for RM139 per month, and 30Mbps for RM99 per month, inclusive of business grade service options of “Always
On” and “peace of mind” benefits.
The government wanted the broadband price to be reduced by at least 25 per cent by the end of the year, besides striving to increase the broadband speed and coverage area.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo recently said besides implementing laws to set the ceiling price, the ministry would have meetings with state governments, telcos and operators on the “last mile access”.
Maxis chief executive officer Robert Nason said broadband had a great future and he saw a significant growth potential in this market.