Of HSBB(Unifi) & Streamyx

A look into my blog visits for the past month revealed that many Malaysians were excited about TM's HSBB (now known as Unifi).

I guess the poor Internet services from our local ISPs made the prospect of HSBB much more promising.
However, when the price was released, many people were not happy mainly due to the price and especially the download caps which have been removed till further noticed with the help of Tweeples (Twitter users) who complained to TM.
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To implement NBI, the areas are zoned into three, depending on population densities, economic activities and existing telecoms infrastructure. Zone 1 is HSBB. Zone 2 covers urban and semi-urban areas. Zone 3 is meant for rural areas and this is where the RM4.6bil will go into, according to Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim.

The MCMC has identified 462 under-served areas in the country for the roll out of telephony, broadband and cellular access. The funds have to be managed properly to avoid possible pilferage and leakages. The MCMC claims it has been transparent in its management of the USP fund.

Rais says there is a new approach to the USP to include services provided for the disabled, women under rehabilitation and low cost residential areas and underpriviledged children.

“It is our social responsibility to ensure that everyone, be they rich or poor, young or old, is empowered with basic telephony and Internet services in any part of the country,’’ Rais says.
The target is to reach 50% broadband penetration by year-end; the country achieved 33.2% or 2.07 million homes by the end of last year.

Rais says “we are on track.’’

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Another thing that I like to point out is that HSBB applies for speeds of 10mbps and above but Unifi provides 5mbps packages to users but they included a dedicated 8mbps line for IPTV for all packages.

As mentioned above, the government plans to achieve 50% broadband penetration but so far
only the high end Streamyx prices have been reduced.

2mbps for RM120 and 4mbps for RM140.

Which is RM20 per month reduced but what I failed to get is that speeds below 2mbps Streamyx never got reduced.

For example, a 384kbps Streamyx combo package still costs RM60.
When you count price per mbps, it is around RM180.

For a 2mbps package, the price per mbps is RM60.

The lower speeds packages are actually disadvantageous for the customer as you are paying 3 TIMES more than higher speed packages.

Makes you wonder if they can manage to get 50% broadband penetration when poor people are actually paying more in ratio.

They should emulate Hong Kong.