Malaysia has finally reached saturation point for handphone ownership. If only we could say the same for broadband ownership which is only 30%.

At least one cell phone for every Malaysian

BUTTERWORTH: Malaysia has joined Asian nations such as Japan, South Korea and Thailand in achieving 100 per cent cell phone ownership for its 27 million population.

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission statistics, based on the 28.9 million registered users in the first quarter of this year, suggested that each Malaysian owned at least one cell phone.

MCMC Technology, Standards and Network Division deputy director Rizal Abdul Malek said with the figure, Malaysia had become among the first Asian countries to achieve 100 per cent cell phone penetration .

Rizal said the figure could be higher if cell phone ownership among children was included. Some children use the gadget only for entertainment such as an audio player and for games, without registering pre-paid or post-paid services.

Last year, 87.9 percent of Malaysians owned cell phones.

Rizal said among factors that contributed to the increase was the fact that cell phones had become a need rather than a luxury item nowadays.

"Stiff competition among telecommunications companies has pushed the cost of services down, in particular SMS text message charges," he said after delivering a paper titled "Communications Industry Development Impacts" at a seminar in Seberang Jaya here yesterday.

Rizal said broadband penetration in Malaysia stood at 30 per cent and the government had taken aggressive steps such as the High Speed Broadband project being carried out by Telekom Malaysia Bhd to achieve the target of 50 per cent penetration by next year.

http://www.nst.com.my/articles/9pho/Article/index_html

High Speed Broadband at last?

Rejoice as TM will (finally) increase the speed of internet access for us at the middle of next year.(why so long?)


High-speed broadband to be deployed in 2010

2009/10/22

The country's high-speed broadband is expected to be deployed by middle of next year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said at the moment the system was being tested at four exchanges in the Klang Valley namely Bangsar, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya and Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

Telekom Malaysia, he said, had also started physical work at 22 other exchanges nationwide.

"The network access will provide high-speed broadband via 1.3 million premises in the Klang Valley, Iskandar Malaysia and in several economic and industrial zones in Malaysia.


"The comprehensive test is to be completed this year and the service will come on stream by middle of next year," he said in reply to Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR-Machang) during question time.

He said that apart from last mile access, the joint venture project between the government and Telekom Malaysia would also cover core network and international gateway which was currently under preparation.

"Most of the domestic core network has been installed and is being tested. As for the international gateway, the existing American-Asia Gateway undersea cable system is being enhanced and expected to be completed by end of this year," he said. - Bernama

http://www.nst.com.my/articles/20091022130157/Article/index_html