High-speed broadband when there is sufficient demand
KUCHING: TelekomMalaysiaBhd ( TM) will expand its coverage of high-speed broadband services in the state when there is demand.
Its state general manager Sarbini Hamdan said as a public-listed company, TM could not afford to provide the service everywhere as huge cost was always involved in setting up such service.
“We will provide the service if there is a enough demand. It is not about providing the service everywhere regardless of demand because there is cost involved,” he told a press conference after the signing ceremony for the provision of Hospitality Entertainment Solution between TM and Imperial Hotel Kuching here yesterday.
Sarbini was asked whether there was any plan by TM to expand its high-speed broadband services in the state following a call by Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg in April for TM to improve its infrastructure to meet the rising demand for faster Internet speed.
Abang Johari, who is also Housing Minister, conveyed to TM’s top management in Sarawak during a meeting that the state must have the fastest Internet speed and communications to enable the state to attract investment and in developing coastal tourism.
Sarbini said the expansion of high- speed broadband services in the state would be conducted gradually by phases, adding that the company would look into expanding the services to the people when there was enough demand.
“However, that does not mean that we are not going to serve that
We will provide the service if there is a enough demand. It is not about providing the service everywhere regardless of demand because there is cost involved. Sarbini Hamdan, TM Sarawak general manager
area. If there is enough demand then we will enter.”
He said TM was currently providing high speed broadband in various speeds such as the 4Mbps, 5Mbps, 8Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps, adding that the 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps services were provided under Unifi packages while 4Mbps and 8Mbps services were provided under the Streamyx packages.
Sarbini said there were about 8,000 Unifi users in the state which is less than 30 per cent penetration rate. The present Unifi ports could cater for more than 26,000 users.
“It is demand and supply. We give the supply and we welcome more demand to fill in the capability. Now we have Unifi in Tabuan Jaya, Petra Jaya, Lutong, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu.”
Sarbini also said the state had the fourth largest Unifi home passes in the nation, which showed that the state was far ahead of other states.
Meanwhile, TM SME Sales vicepresident Khaidhir Elias said TM was developing more applications and content which would be the very core products for the company in the future.
“All this while, people are very familiar with TM in providing connectivity services but now we are in content market. We have been very aggressive in promoting content, be it for the consumer market and business.”