Editor’s note: MCMC has clarified that JENDELA Phase 1 is still targetted for end-2022. The only area that’s expedited is the 5G rollout under Phase 2. We have updated the post to reflect the actual situation.
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The Communications and Multimedia Minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, has announced yesterday that the JENDELA Phase 1 targets are on track and 5G deployment will be expedited due to the planned launch of 5G services in Q4 2021.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has revealed the JENDELA performance results for the last quarter today. It showed that the telcos have mostly exceeded its fixed and mobile broadband targets.
Between January to March 2021, a total of 292,826 new premises have gained access to gigabit fibre broadband which is 132.2% of target. Meanwhile, there are 29 new mobile sites which is 116% of target and a total of 3,278 sites being upgraded which is 101.7% of the target.
As of 31st March 2021, Malaysia has a total of 5.707 million premises with fibre and achieved 93.51% 4G population coverage. However, there’s hardly any improvement when it comes to average download speeds which JENDELA aims to bump to 35Mbps.
According to the report, the current average speed is 25.44Mbps, which is an improvement of just 1.76%. In fact, the average speeds in Q1 2021 had dropped slightly from 25.6Mbps recorded in December 2020. MCMC is using monthly data from Ookla to track the mobile broadband speeds.
Based on the published numbers, Malaysia’s 4G coverage is increasing at a rate of 1.48% per quarter. Plan submissions for JENDELA Phase 1 project were closed on 31st March 2021 and the implementation is said to begin in Q3 2021. The Phase 1 projects will see new towers being deployed at 1,661 locations in 106 clusters, mostly in rural areas of Malaysia.
Despite the expedited targets, MCMC Chairman Dr. Fadhlullah Suhaimi told us that he is confident that the 4G coverage targets will be met and exceeded on a monthly basis. As highlighted in the report, one of the immediate solutions to provide faster connectivity in rural areas is to deploy satellite broadband at 839 locations using the Universal Service Provision (USP) fund.
When it comes to fibre coverage, it is currently progressing at a rate of 300,000 premises per quarter. Early this year, TM has announced that it has exceeded its JENDELA targets and are committed deliver another 300,000 fiberised premises by the first half of this year. At the moment, there are 1.79 million premises remaining under Phase 1 and the deployment is still on track for its target by end of 2022.
The biggest area of improvement needed would be improving average download speeds. Despite the achievements made in upgrading existing towers, Malaysia is still far from hitting its target of delivering average mobile speeds of 35Mbps. As reported by Ookla’s Speedtest in December, Malaysia’s mobile speed lags behind 6 ASEAN countries including Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar.
3G to 4G migration on track
As announced last year, Malaysia aims to shutdown 3G networks by end of this year, to free up spectrum for 4G use. The MCMC said that a total of 629,018 customers have switched to 4G devices which is 130% of its original target and a total of 20,492 3G carries have been switched off.
The MCMC said that the 3G shutdown will be done gradually according areas. During the media briefing, Maxis CEO Gokhan Ogut shared that Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) adoption is happening faster than expected. If a customer doesn’t have an VoLTE device, they could still make calls via the 2G network.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is having a Public Inquiry (PI) to relook into the Mandatory Standard for Quality of Service (MSQoS). According to the MCMC, a new MSQoS with higher standards will be required in line with the latest technology developments, consumer demand and the country’s digital economy development under MyDigital.
The commission has issued a notice of PI under Section 61 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998 to relook into 3 MSQoS related to telco services and 1 new MSQoS for telco customer service. Below is the full list of MSQoS that will be covered by the PI:
The PI is aimed at collecting the views of the public and all relevant stakeholders on the proposed new MSQoS. The MSQoS determines the minimum quality which telcos would need to adhere to when providing their services.
Some of the conditions that need to relook into include duration of resolution of complaints, response by customer service, notifying customers if there’s a interruption involving network speeds, data breach and network latency. Telcos that fail to meet the MSQoS can be issued a fine for each offence under Section 242 of CMA 1998.
Under the proposed revision for wireless broadband, telcos will have to maintain a network latency of “not more than 150ms” at 90% of the time, versus the current “not more than 250ms” at 70% of the time.
In terms of wireless broadband speeds, the current minimum standard of 650kbps at 80%of the time for TDD and 65% of the time for FDD technology, will be raised to 2.5Mbps at 90% of the time. For Fixed Wireless Access, the minimum speed proposed is 25Mbps at 90% of the time. When it comes to Packet loss, the new standard is made more stringent from 3.00% to 0.5% packet loss.
For wired broadband, all DSL users must get 70% of its subscribed speed for 90% of the time. Meanwhile, all fibre broadband customers must get 90% of their subscribed speed for 90% of the time. Maximum latency for wired broadband has been reduced to 50ms at 95% of the time, while latency for DSL remains unchanged at 85ms for 95% of the time.
The public and all stakeholders are invited to view the proposed MSQoS and provide their feedback on the official website at mcmc.gov.my. The PI will be running from 8th April until 4th June 2021 at 12pm. The MCMC said that it will consider all views to support or to amend the proposed MSQoS.
Under JENDELA, Malaysia aims to provide an average speeds of 35Mbps on mobile with 96.9% 4G population coverage. While network upgrades are currently on track, the average mobile down speeds are still low at 25.44Mbps according to the latest JENDELA quarterly report.
Are you experiencing poor WiFi coverage, slow speeds and stuttering video streaming? If you got a question or need advice for your WiFi issues, ask us on this week’s SoyaCincau Live and Raw!
Due to encouraging response, we are doing Part 2 of “Why does my WiFi suck?” today. This is a 30-minute “Ask us Anything” live show where we will answer all of your questions about tech and gadgets.
The show is happening this evening (9th April) at 6pm and it is happening simultaneously on both Clubhouse and Facebook Live. So get your questions ready and fire away!
If you missed last week’s show, you can watch the replay below:
Digi has introduced a new internet pass which offers loads of data in conjunction with the Ramadan month. For RM7 per week, you can enjoy 100GB of high-speed data for you to stay connected during sahur.
The limited-time Pas Sahur is priced at RM7 which offers 100GB of data for 7 days between 3am to 7am daily. It is offered until 12th May 2021, which is the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
The pass is applicable to all prepaid, postpaid and mobile broadband customers. You can activate the pass via the MyDigi. Alternatively, it can be activated by dialling *128*2*2# for Next Prepaid users or *116*2# for other prepaid users.
According to the FAQ, there are no speed restrictions for Pas Sahur and any usage outside of 3am to 7am will be deducted from your existing data quota. If you’re a principal postpaid user, take note that the data quota from Pas Sahur will not be shared with your supplementary family lines.
In conjunction with Ramadan and the upcoming Raya celebrations, Celcom has announced its new Raya promo where you can enjoy non-stop HD streaming, video calls and more without limit on its Home Wireless broadband plans. On top of that, you can stand a chance to win RM500 Lazada voucher if you subscribe online from now until 30th April 2021.
The “Unlimited” promo is offered for its highest Home Wireless XL plan which is priced at RM150/month. Originally, the plan offers 150GB of high-speed data coupled with 1TB of Super VideoWalla & MusicWalla. This 1TB quota can be utilised for YouTube, Netflix, Dimsum, viu, Astro Go, iFlix, iQiyo, Spotify and Joox. The plan is bundled with a 4G-LTE Cat11 wireless modem on contract and there’s also a 7-day return policy where you can cancel with no monthly fee if you’re not satisfied with the service.
As shown on their website, the Raya promo promises to offer “Unlimited” for both high-speed data and Super Video Walla and Music Walla. Take note that the “Unlimited” offer is only valid for 2 months upon activation.
If you do check out the Terms & Conditions, it appears that there’s nothing unlimited about this Raya promo at all. When you subscribe to the plan, what you’re actually getting is an additional 150GB of quota for 2 months. So in total, you’re only getting 300GB of high-speed data for the first 2 months, followed by 150GB monthly for the remaining months in the 2-year contract.
Once you’ve hit your data limit, your speed will be throttled to 64kbps. If you need more, 10GB of add-on quota costs RM50 and 100GB will cost you RM150. There’s also an add-on for video or music walla at RM20 for 40GB.
In addition, it appears that the Super Video Walla quota still remains at 1TB and it isn’t unlimited as advertised on the website. In reality, you’re getting 300GB of high-speed data plus 1TB for video and music streaming for the first two months.
To advertise this plan as “unlimited” is misleading and most consumers may not be aware that they are only getting double the high-speed quota. A total of 1.3TB inclusive of Video Walla is more than enough for most users and there’s no need for Celcom to misuse the word “unlimited” if they don’t mean it. We hope telcos will stop using the word unlimited if there are imposing data caps and limits on the plan.
If you need unlimited data for you and your family, Maxis has introduced its new Family Plan which comes with 4 postpaid lines and 1 home broadband from RM299. For your home, you can get either fibre or a fixed 4G powered broadband.
For RM299 a month, you’ll get four postpaid lines that come with unlimited data, calls and SMS. The price includes 30Mbps fibre broadband with backup 4G which kicks in when your fibre line goes down. If you’re out of fibre coverage, you can opt for their Home 4G WiFi solution for the same price.
If you need faster speeds on fibre, you can add RM40/month for 100Mbps, extra RM60/month for 300Mbps, extra RM130/month for 500Mbps or extra RM210/month for 800Mbps. Similar to its existing offers, you can get a Samsung 65″ TV from as low as RM1/month on instalment. If you need new phones, the plan also allows you to add up to four devices on Maxis Zerolution from RM19 per mobile line.
Compare this to the current MaxisOne Prime offering, you would save RM92/month with the same 4 postpaid lines and 30Mbps fibre broadband combo (RM89 for fibre + RM158 for MaxisOne 158 + RM48 x 3 Share Lines = RM391/month). This is great if you have a family of four and everyone needs unlimited calls, SMS and data for their mobile devices. Unfortunately, there’s no option to reduce the number of supplementary lines.
Existing Maxis Postpaid and Broadband customers can switch to this new family plan but according to the FAQ, you’ll need to refresh your contract. If you have an existing device contract, you’ll need to terminate that first which will incur an early termination fee.
Celcom Axiata has signed an agreement with Tenaga Nasional Berhad subsidiary Allo Technology to expand its high-speed broadband and convergence services to more consumers and businesses in Peninsular Malaysia. The move will allow Celcom to offer its fibre broadband services to additional 80,000 homes located in Melaka, Perak and Cyberjaya via Allo’s HSBB network infrastructure.
More homes will gain access to fibre as Allo is currently expanding its fibre network to connect more than 150,000 homes in Selangor, Kedah, Johor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan by the end of this year. Through this collaboration, Celcom’s Home Broadband services which include both 4G and fibre will be able to cover more than 4.2 million homes throughout Malaysia.
Apart from home users, Celcom says it will also leverage on Allo’s infrastructure to expand other segments of its connectivity services including commercial offerings to Enterprises. The partnership is aligned with JENDELA‘s aspiration to provide a better quality of services and increased coverage of high-speed broadband services.
As part of its pilot program, Celcom and Allo will provide free connectivity to selected homes in Melaka. Selected families in several towns including Felda Kemendor in Jasin will get to enjoy free broadband service for six months to support households who are working or studying at home during the movement control order.
Celcom’s fibre broadband plans start from RM80/month for 30Mbps and it goes all the way up to RM200/month for its highest 500Mbps option. At the moment, they are offering a Celcom Max fibre and mobile postpaid bundle where you can save RM21/month for life. A 100Mbps fibre plan with Celcom Mega Postpaid can be yours for RM179/month.
Celcom seems to be cracking down hard on a small number of users that have been caught abusing their mobile plans. It appears that some Xpax Unlimited prepaid subscribers that pop-in their SIM on their wireless broadband router were given a suspension notice for two weeks.
As spotted on a B618 Owner group on Facebook, a user had received the following SMS on their wireless router’s web admin interface:
RM0 ALERT! We detected that you are still using an authorised device for your data usage and have violated Celcom’s Fair Usage Policy. As a result, your data services will be suspended for 2 weeks, in 2 days. You can refer to our Fair Usage Policy at https://www.celcom.com.my/legal/fair-usage-policy. For any enquiries, chat with us via WhatsApp https://bit.ly/CelcomWA. Sincerely, Celcom.
The screenshot also shared another message highlighting a 20GB hotspot offer for RM10. This is an indication that the user is likely to be on an Xpax Unlimited Prepaid which offers unlimited data capped at 3Mbps for RM35/month. The plan comes with 3GB hotspot data included and Celcom is now offering 20GB of hotspot data for RM10.
It is worth highlighting that most prepaid and postpaid plans that offer unlimited data are meant to be used on your mobile devices only. The plans are not supposed to be used as a fixed wireless broadband solution for your home.
Under Celcom’s FUP, it is mentioned that you shall not use the Mobile Internet Service for “for an activity that connects any device to one or many internet-enabled devices including but not limited to computers, laptops and mobile devices for tethering or the purpose of broadcasting internet access to multiple devices, unless the mobile’s plan is explicitly designated for such usage; or for any other reason that, in Celcom’s sole and absolute discretion, violates Celcom’s policy of providing service for individual use.”
If your home doesn’t have access to fibre broadband, Celcom wants you to subscribe to their home wireless broadband plan which starts from RM70/month for 25GB of data and 40GB of video walla. For heavy data users, their Home Wireless XL plan offers 150GB data plus 1TB of Video walla for RM150/month.
For those who are looking for a wireless broadband plan with unlimited quota, you can consider Unifi Air which costs RM79/month. Alternatively, there’s Maxis unlimited 4G Home WiFi at RM138/month. However, do note that Maxis reserves the right to limit your video streaming quality during peak hours if your usage exceeds 300GB in a month.
As spotted by Amanz, a Unifi community forum had posted a “new broadband plan” called Broadband Lite. At first glance, this looks like a broadband plan which shouldn’t exist especially in 2021.
RM38 for 1Mbps Streamx with 1GB data quota
The plan is a Streamyx service which uses ADSL technology. Priced at RM38/month, it offers 1Mbps download and 384kbps upload, and it has a monthly data cap of 1GB. Once you’ve hit your data limit, your speed will be throttled to 128kbps.
The plan comes with a 12-month contract and it comes with a free wireless router. You can make voice calls with the plan at Pay As You Use rates but you’ll need to hook up your own phone.
With more Malaysians dependent on the internet for Work From Home and online learning, 1GB for a whole month is not going to cut it. Even prepaid mobile users can redeem 1GB for free on a daily basis.
Plan was first introduced in 2015
The reality is that this Broadband Lite plan isn’t entirely new and it was first announced back in June 2015. TM has reached out to us with a statement to clarify that there’s no new reintroduction and it was an old plan. It added that Streamyx is gradually being phased out as they are continuing to expand its fibre network under JENDELA.
In fact, the plan is actually not even accessible from the main Unifi website. The cheapest “Streamyx” plan advertised is Unifi Lite Home Broaband which offers unlimited quota for RM89.
There are better and cheaper options
To address connectivity demand for B40 users, the telco has introduced its Jaringan Prihatin offering where users can get 30GB extra data and RM15 rebate each month. Eligible users can even redeem a free Unifi Mobile Bebas prepaid SIM, and enjoy 2GB data monthly plus 1GB data daily for free and without contract.
For those who need unlimited Internet to share with multiple devices, Unifi Mobile Bebas actually offers a monthly unlimited pass at RM35/month. Unlike typical “unlimited prepaid” plans, you can even use it for unlimited hotspot.
This is a significantly better option to the 1Mbps Broadband Lite plan from 2015. However, this would only work if you are residing in Unifi Mobile’s 4G coverage area with good signal.
Alternatively, there’s also Unifi Air which provides unlimited wireless broadband with speeds up to 20Mbps for RM79/month without a contract. If you need a wireless router, a 24-month contract will apply.
Satellite Pay-TV operator Astro has kicked off a trial programme for its new Ultra Plug & Play Box. The set-top-box looks identical to the 4K capable Astro Ultra Box but it allows you to watch Astro without installing an external satellite dish.
According to Astro’s Facebook post, they are looking for 300 users to join the trial and they will ship the box directly to your doorstep. The post said that the Ultra Plug & Play Box is suitable for customers staying in condominiums and all you’ll need is a high-speed internet connection of at least 30Mbps. While waiting for the set-top-box to arrive, users will be given access to watch the channels via Astro Go.
Information on the actual trial offering is rather limited and they are recommending a Super Pack Lite Sports package which offers over 80 channels for RM92/month. The pack also includes access to watch UEFA EURO 2020 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. There’s no indication that the trial is offered for free and it is very likely that you’ll be tied to a contract.
If you’re interested to sign up, you can contact Astro by WhatsApp or call them at 03-7481 8000.
With an IP-based connection, the Ultra Plug & Play Box will offer a more reliable viewing experience without being affected by heavy rain or satellite disruption. It is also worth mentioning that Astro had previously ran a trial where users can watch Astro over the internet without requiring a set-top-box or dish by installing an Android TV app on their smart TV. However, the satellite Pay-TV operator didn’t continue to offer the app to all users.
In case you missed it, Astro has partnered with Netflix to offer more video-on-demand streaming options on its Ultra or Ulti Box. With this partnership, you can enjoy greater convenience and potential savings as your Netflix subscription is billed directly into your Astro bill.
The Selangor state government has teamed up with TM to provide subsidised internet plans for M40 groups. Dubbed as SISM40 (Skim Internet Selangor Kategori M40), the scheme offers a monthly subsidy between RM10-30 for fibre broadband subscriptions for 12 months. This would provide M40 households savings of up to RM360 in a year.
To be eligible for the SISM40 scheme, you’ll need to be a Malaysian citizen residing in Selangor for at least 5 years. It is open to individuals aged 18 years and above with a household income between RM4,800 to RM11,000. Each household is entitled to sign up for a single subscription.
If you’re an existing Unifi Home broadband subscriber, you are not eligible to apply unless you’re still on Unifi Lite or Streamyx. Registration for the SISM40 scheme will be available from 1st July until 31st December 2021 via their official portal.
There are 3 categories available – Home, Single and Family. Both Single and Family options offer Unifi Fibre Broadband with Unifi Mobile bundle, while Home only offers Unifi Broadband standalone. All plans come with 24 months contract but the subsidy for most of the plans is only for the first 12 months.
Under the SISM40 scheme, you can get 100Mbps Unifi Home from RM119/month (with subsidy). There’s also a 30Mbps Unifi Home and Unifi Mobile 99 postpaid SIM combo for RM138/month (with subsidy). If you need two postpaid lines, the cheapest family option is 30Mbps Fibre Broadband bundled with Unifi Mobile 99 and Unifi Mobile 39 plans for RM177/month (with subsidy).
Despite the initial statement of offering just 12 months of subsidy, the SISM40 website has listed a longer 24 months of RM30/month subsidy for the SISM40 SINGLE 300 and SISM40 FAMILY 300 bundles. According to the FAQ, an upfront payment of RM100 is required for all plans.
To apply, you’ll need to sign up on their website and you will be notified on your eligibility by email within 14 days. If you cancel within the 24-month contract period, you will be charged a penalty fee. However, if you’re moving to a location without Unifi Fibre coverage, the penalty can be waived.
TM is now offering “smart device” bundles on installment when you sign up for their Unifi home fibre broadband plans. Unifi customers can get an LG 55″ 4K UHD TV or an Acer TravelMate P214 laptop from RM69/month on a 24-month contract. As an added bonus, Unifi is offering RM100 Shopee voucher if you subscribe online.
The LG 55″ 4K UHD TV (55UN731C) and retails for RM2,799. Meanwhile, the Acer TravelMate P214 on offer retails for RM2,799. According to the FAQ, the laptop runs on an Intel Core i3-10110U processor with 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. It is also stated that the laptop comes with a 3-year local warranty, 3-year on-site service and 1-year international traveller’s warranty.
Fibre + Unifi TV + Mobile
To get either device for RM69/month, you’ll need to subscribe to Unifi’s all-in-one plan with 300Mbps, 500Mbps and 800Mbps options. These plans bundle fibre broadband, Unifi TV and Unifi Mobile postpaid. If you subscribe to the 100Mbps plan, the TV and laptop would cost you RM89/month.
Here’s how much it costs all-in with the device bundle:
800Mbps – broadband + TV + mobile – RM447/month
500Mbps – broadband + TV + mobile – RM347/month
300Mbps – broadband + TV + mobile – RM297/month
100Mbps – broadband + TV + mobile – RM297/month
Fibre + Unifi TV
If you don’t need Unifi Mobile postpaid, the device bundle is also offered on Fibre broadband + Unifi TV combo but you’ll need to pay a slightly higher instalment amount. On the 500Mbps and 800Mbps plans, it will cost you RM89/month. Meanwhile, on the 300Mbps and 100Mbps plans, the instalment is RM99/month.
For those who just want a 100Mbps Unifi Broadband plan without Unifi TV, you are able to get the TV or laptop for RM99/month.
Here’s how much it costs all-in with the device bundle:
800Mbps – broadband + TV – RM438/month
500Mbps – broadband + TV – RM338/month
300Mbps – broadband + TV – RM298/month
100Mbps – broadband + TV – RM288/month
100Mbps – broadband – RM228/month
Free Vivo Y12s and Samsung Galaxy A02
Existing Unifi customers can get a free Vivo Y12s or a Samsung Galaxy A02 when they add on an Unifi Mobile 99 postpaid line. The plan which offers unlimited data, calls, SMS and 20GB of hotspot data is tied to a 24-month contract and you’ll have to pay RM79/month.
If you don’t need a new phone, it is worth highlighting that you can enjoy the same Unifi Mobile 99 postpaid plan for less at only RM59/month with the current promo. On top of that, it is tied with a shorter 12-month contract period, however, it only gets 10GB of hotspot data.
For more info, you can visit Unifi’s Smart Devices page.
U Mobile, a mobile operator that’s known for offering affordable unlimited plans, appears to be venturing into the fibre broadband business very soon. The orange telco has recently posted a job opening for a Senior Manager Product Marketing role for Fibre Broadband on JobStreet.
The role requires the individual to lead U Mobile’s new fibre business and is responsible for coming out with a comprehensive fibre broadband product and services. They are looking for people with a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in product marketing/management within the telco industry.
It isn’t clear if U Mobile would actually roll out its own fibre infrastructure. If it wants to immediately offer fibre broadband services nationwide, we reckon they might sign access agreements to tap onto existing fibre networks such as TM’s HSBB, Time, Celcom Timur and TNB’s Allo.
U Mobile’s big 3 rivals – Celcom, Digi and Maxis, are currently offering fibre broadband plans with the option of bundled packages with postpaid plans. The most affordable fibre plan from Celcom is 30Mbps for RM80/month while Maxis‘ entry-level fibre plan is 30Mbps for RM89/month. Digi currently offers 50Mbps fibre broadband for RM90/month or RM75/month if you’re a Digi postpaid customer. It would be interesting to see how U Mobile would do fibre broadband differently and if they could offer more affordable options for consumers.
The JENDELA programme appears to be hitting most of its targets ahead of schedule based on the latest quarterly report released by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). For the period of April to June, the industry has erected new and upgraded mobile sites above expectations while the number of new premises with fibre access is nearly double of its original target for the quarter.
In the last 3 months, a total of 342,424 new premises have fibre access which is 185.3% of its original target of 184,802. This brings the total of fiberised premises to 6 million as of 30th June 2021.
For mobile connectivity, there are 52 new sites while 2,465 existing sites were upgraded. In terms of speed, there’s a slight bump to 26.03Mbps as of 30th June, which is still a far cry from its 35Mbps target for Phase 1 of the JENDELA programme. The MCMC uses Ookla Speedtest data to evaluate average mobile speeds on the national level.
As highlighted recently by Ookla, Malaysia’s average mobile speeds did increase to 29.58Mbps in April before it started to decline. This is likely attributed to the new movement control orders as there’s an increase in demand for data as more Malaysians turn to mobile connectivity for online learning and work from home arrangements.
As Malaysia aims to shutdown 3G by the end of this year, the current network migration seems to be going according to plan. The industry has switched off nearly 40,000 3G sites and migrated close to 900,000 users between January to June 2021.
The current Phase 1 of the JENDELA programme is running until the end of 2022. To recap, it aims to increase 4G population coverage from 91.8% to 96.96% while increasing average mobile speeds from 25Mbps to 35Mbps. In terms of gigabit fibre broadband access, the programme aims to increase the number of premises passed from 5 million to 7.5 million by the end of next year.
As of 31st March 2021, Malaysia’s 4G population coverage stands at 93.77%. According to the MCMC, the next 4G coverage measurement will be available in August 2021. By 2025, the Malaysian government aims to have 100% 4G population coverage and 100Mbps speeds by adopting 5G. It also targets to have a total of 9 million premises covered by fibre connectivity.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been running their satellite internet service Starlink for a while now, and they’re slowly but surely becoming one of if not the best satellite internet service out there. And don’t just take that from us as that’s according to new tests done by Ookla, the guys behind Speedtest.
Ookla’s tests show that Starlink performed the best among its satellite internet service rivals in America, Viasat and HughesNet. Their tests showed that Starlink not only outperformed their rivals by a huge margin in up/down speeds, but importantly also have a much lower latency. And just for good measure, Ookla also compared them to fixed broadband, and while not as good as the usual stuff, Starlink is certainly catching up.
Low latency of course has been Starlink’s biggest selling point compared to their satellite internet rivals. If you’ve ever played online video games or live stream a lot, you’ll know that latency is just as important as internet speeds.
High latency results in a lower communication bandwidth, meaning that even though the data being sent via your internet may be going really fast, very little of it is actually being sent in the first place. That’s why having low latency is crucial for a good experience online.
That being said though, Malaysians probably shouldn’t wait on Starlink to make an appearance here anytime soon. As we mentioned earlier this year, while Starlink allows for Malaysians to sign up for it, neither SpaceX nor Starlink are on MCMC’s licences register. This means that they can’t legally operate here as they don’t have the necessary Network Facility or Service Provider license.
Nevertheless, satellite internet remains an interesting proposition, especially for those living in rural areas with little to no broadband and mobile data access.
In case you’ve been living under the proverbial rock, we now have a new Prime Minister and a new cabinet. While there weren’t too many changes in Prime Minister Ismail Sabri’s cabinet shuffle, one of the changes happens to be for the post of Minister of Communications and Multimedia.
Former Minister of Federal Territories Tan Sri Annuar Musa has been chosen by the new Prime Minister to head the Communications and Multimedia Ministry. He will replace Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, who was redesignated as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. With Annuar Musa set to take the helm this week, let’s take a look at the three issues he will have to tackle as he takes on his new post.
1. Malaysia’s cabotage policy for submarine cable repair
While Transport Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong is the more notable face of the cabotage issue, it should be noted that the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia is put in charge of attracting more submarine cable landings under the MyDigital blueprint. Unfortunately, recent developments continue to highlight Malaysia’s struggles with its cabotage policy which affects Malaysia’s telecommunications and internet services as well as digital infrastructure investments.
It started when Dr Wee revoked the cabotage exemption for foreign-registered vessels performing undersea cable repairs in Malaysian waters late last year. This exemption was first introduced under the previous Pakatan Harapan administration back in 2019 to speed up undersea cable repairs as the required DP2 ships were not available.
After the exemption was revoked, the tech industry, as well as MDEC, have raised concerns about the policy which will affect digital foreign investments into the country. It was reported by The Edge that tech giants may review their cable investments in Malaysia after the revocation of the cabotage exemption.
Despite Malaysia’s ambition to have the most submarine cable landings by 2025, Malaysia was not included by Facebook and Google for Echo and Bifrost undersea cable networks that were announced in March this year. Malaysia was also being left out from the recently announced Apricot subsea cable which is also seen as a huge loss of opportunity.
Launched by both Facebook and Google, Apricot is a 12,000km long submarine cable that’ll link up a number of East Asian countries such as Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and Indonesia, and boost connectivity throughout the region. It would also help with the rising need for faster internet and wireless networks.
Facebook and Google’s decision also didn’t come as a surprise, as they had already written to former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to lobby for the reinstatement of the cabotage exemption. Without the cabotage exemption, submarine cable repairs can take up to a month here, significantly longer than in our neighbouring countries. The delay is largely due to the Domestic Shipping License Exemption and consultation required with the Malaysia Shipowners’ Association before the required DP2 foreign vessels can carry out the repair work in our waters. As argued in Parliament in November last year, former Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the exemption was given only for cable repair to speed up the process as Malaysia only had DP1 ships.
With Annuar Musa now taking over as Communications and Multimedia Minister, hopefully, he can provide a push for Putrajaya to review the cabotage policy again. Several ministries were instructed to provide a solution back in April, but there was no decision made since, leading to the Malaysia Internet Exchange (MyIX) and the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) to issue yet another statement to raise concern over the cabotage issue last month.
MyIX Chairman Chiew Kok Hin said, “Multinational companies (MNCs) and foreign investors, some of which are MyIX members, are deeply concerned with the silence on the cabotage issue.” While MyIX appreciates the government’s priority in tackling the current COVID-19 pandemic, they believe that the cabotage issue needs to be addressed immediately.
2. Internet coverage and quality of service
Of course, as the Communications and Multimedia Minister, another key part of his job is to oversee the country’s connectivity and communication services, especially as many Malaysians continue to work and study from home. We’ve already seen some initiatives under the National Digital Network (JENDELA) carried out under former Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, and so the stage is set for Annuar Musa to carry on.
Malaysia remains in Phase 1 of the JENDELA program until the end of next year, which means that for the time being, Annuar Musa will be continuing its aims of increasing 4G coverage while also improving average mobile speeds from 25Mbps to 35Mbps. JENDELA also aims to increase the number of premises with fibre internet from 5 million to 7.5 million by 2022.
Furthermore, Annuar Musa will be overseeing the shutdown of the 3G network which aims to free up the 3G spectrum for 4G use. While the number of users with older 3G devices is declining many are still stuck on 3G networks. Crucially, he and the MCMC will need to ensure everyone is on board with 4G before the shutdown occurs. This means educating people on the need to have the latest SIM to get 4G as well as ensuring all telcos cover all 3G coverage gaps so that there’s no service interruption, especially for the rural folks.
But as Annuar Musa and the JENDELA program work on meeting those goals, it should go beyond just meeting the numbers. There’s no point to have faster internet plans at relatively affordable prices if the actual internet service is often below the advertised speeds. Not only is there a need for more people to have access to 4G and fibre broadband, but also the need to have a reliable and stable connection in every corner of the country.
3. Unfair telco policies and misleading claims
First off, we’d like to see Annuar Musa take on the telcos who have unfair policies against the customer. As we highlighted in an article previously, depending on your internet service provider, it can get quite costly to terminate your internet if it’s still within your contract. There’s also some extra hassle like needing to give an early notice and return a broadband termination unit to them as well.
Unfortunately, MCMC’s response to this at the time was that telcos are indeed able to charge any amount for early termination penalties as long as the customer had agreed to the terms. This can get extremely expensive, such as the case of TM and Maxis requiring customers to pay remaining subscription fees in full. If you have a RM199/month subscription with 10 months left, that’s a penalty charge of RM1,990. Rival ISPs meanwhile only charge a one-off RM500 penalty.
Annuar Musa ought to look at stamping out such high termination charges by ISPs. A customer should be able to leave a broadband provider if the telco fails to deliver their services according to promise. If there’s a fairer termination policy, telcos would be more motivated to buck up in order to retain the customer instead of trapping them with unfair contracts.
Then there’s also the issue of “unlimited” data plans that aren’t actually unlimited. Essentially, there’s been a number of telcos with data plans that claim users get unlimited data, but in reality, hide a ‘fair usage policy’ (FUP) in its terms and conditions. This FUP may have started as a way to curb abuse, but often ends up being abused by the telcos to set a hard data caps on your supposedly unlimited data plan.
MCMC had already issued notices to several telcos over the matter back in May, but it would be great if Annuar Musa can put his foot down and put an end to unethical practices and misleading advertising.
Annuar Musa has the opportunity to improve Malaysia’s connectivity
While the way in which he became the Communications and Multimedia Minister would continue to be debated and looked at, the fact is that he is now in charge of the ministry. As such, we’ll be taking a close look at his actions to ensure that he continues to improve upon Malaysia’s internet and connectivity issues via the JENDELA program. The cabotage policy also remains a point of contention, with Dr Wee again taking charge of the Transport Ministry.
Nevertheless, with Annuar Musa in the Ministry, we can hope that he makes the right calls for Malaysians, and not be swayed by other factors. Only time can tell if that will happen.
If you’re a Unifi fibre broadband user in Cheras and Bukit Anggerik, you may face disruption for your fibre service at the moment. Unifi has acknowledged the issue on its Facebook page and they are trying to fix it as soon as possible.
According to Unifi, the issue was caused by a cable cut which is believed to be due to construction works. It added that due to the complexity of the connectivity, it may take a while before all affected services are restored. Unifi assured its users they are working around the clock to fix the issue as quickly as possible.
Based on the Unifi Alerts page, the current estimated time to resolve is at 2am tomorrow (7th September). Unifi will provide more updates on its Facebook and Twitter channels.
RM0: Maxis Fibre: You may experience service interrupti …on at Taman Cheras Utama, Taman Desa Baiduri,Taman SPPK,Taman Suria Jaya,Taman Connaught & Taman Len Sen Cheras Kuala Lumpur. We are working to restore it as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
It appears that other broadband providers that utilises TM’s High Speed Broadband (HSBB) network are affected as well. Several Maxis users have complained online and some have also received an SMS from Maxis about the issue. From the looks of it, the issue started this afternoon and it affects Taman Cheras Utama, Taman Desa Baiduri, Taman SPPK, Taman Suria Jaya, Taman Connaught and Taman Len Sen.
(thread) 1/6 #unifialerts Sabtu, 6 Februari 2021, 4ptg.
Kami telah mengesan satu insiden kabel putus yang mengakibatkan gangguan sambungan internet buat pelanggan unifi (mobile dan fiber) di Lahad Datu dan Tawau, Sabah. pic.twitter.com/2pWa8h3H38
Besides Cheras and Bukit Anggerik, Unifi has also reported another cable cut incident in Sabah. The issue has also caused service disruption for Unifi Mobile and Fibre services in Lahad Datu and Tawau.
U Mobile is now a fibre broadband player and they are offering high-speed broadband with speeds up to 1Gbps. This is made possible with its partnership with Allo, a fibre infrastructure provider that’s wholly owned by Tenaga Nasional Berhad. As an introductory offer, users can get their first month free and 50% off for the first two years.
U Mobile currently offers 3 home fibre broadband options – 100Mbps, 500Mbps and 1Gbps. All plans come with unlimited quota and are tied with a 24-month contract. The base 100Mbps plan costs RM129/month while the 500Mbps option costs RM199/month. Its highest fibre broadband offering is 1Gbps which is going for RM299/month.
According to the T&C, the 3 options offer symmetrical connection whereby you’ll get the same upload speed as downloads. This means the 100Mbps plan also gets 100Mbps uploads while the 1Gbps option also offers 1Gbps upload speed.
If you terminate the plan within the 24-month contract, the T&C states that the early termination fee is RM500, which is more reasonable than TM and Maxis. The plans come with a modem and installation under the contract.
[ UPDATE 8/9/2021 10:30 ]: According to U Mobile, they are bundling the D-Link-DVG-F2452 router for 100Mbps and 500Mbps customers. For 1Gbps subscription, they are offering the Nokia G-240g-E. The orange telco is also working on offering Easy Mesh and WiFi 6 solutions in the future.
The penalty to replace or repair the router costs RM180 for the 100Mbps and 500Mbps plans, and it’s RM500 for the 1Gbps option.
50% off promo for existing customers
To be entitled to the 50% off promo for the first two years, you will need to be a subscriber of an eligible U Mobile Postpaid line. To enjoy the 100Mbps plan at RM64.50/month, you need to be on U Mobile’s GX68, P79, P99 and P139 plan. To enjoy the 500Mbps plan for RM99.50/month, it is applicable on the P79, P99 and P139 plan. Meanwhile, the 50% off promo for 1Gbps (RM149.50/month) is only available if you’re on the P99 and P139 postpaid plans. On top of that, you also enjoy the first-month bill for free if you sign up by 16th December 2021 and activate the broadband by 15th January 2022.
Eligible plans to enjoy 50% off
At the moment, U Mobile’s Home Fibre Broadband service is only offered within Allo coverage areas. This includes selected residential areas in Melaka, Cyberjaya, Perak and Kedah as a pilot. The plans are currently only offered to new and existing U Mobile subscriptions and they plan to open it up to non-U Mobile customers soon.
MEASAT has revealed today that it aims to increase its ConnectMe Now service to cover 300,000 users at 3,000 sites by the end of this year. ConnectMe Now is a satellite-based broadband service that can be deployed quickly in rural underserved areas that don’t have access to 4G or fixed broadband.
At the end of 2020, the satellite service was deployed at 1,000 sites in rural Malaysia and they now have doubled that figure to 2,031 sites which cover 200,000 users. According to MEASAT, they are the sole satellite broadband provider that serves the underserved communities nationwide in Malaysia. It is estimated that 3-5% of Malaysia’s population are residing in areas with little or no internet connectivity and this is where MEASAT aims to fill the broadband gap via satellite.
ConnectMe Now is seen as an immediate solution to address connectivity concerns as more Malaysians depend on the internet for work and online learning. The service can be deployed with zero upfront cost and no contract in villages with a population of 100 people.
To turn this into a sustainable business, the service creates an ecosystem whereby landowners of the satellite deployment will be incentivised to host and provide power supply to the equipment while a local dealer can earn additional income by selling prepaid vouchers which are required to access the service.
On a typical setup, the satellite-powered WiFi service will utilise 2x Omni WiFi outdoor antennas that can provide connectivity within a 100-metre range. For larger areas, it is also possible to extend WiFi coverage. For areas without a stable power supply, a solar-powered solution can be deployed as well.
At the moment, the ConnectMe Now service is fully funded by MEASAT and they also work closely with state governments to provide subsidised subscriptions for rural residents. Recently, ConnectMe had provided connectivity at several COVID-19 vaccination centres in Sabah which are deployed in just a matter of days.
MEASAT-3d to launch in 2022
At the moment, ConnectMe Now offers download speeds of up to 30Mbps and upload speeds of up to 5Mbps with its existing network of MEASAT satellites. The satellite provider will launch its new MEASAT-3d satellite in 2022 which provides better capacity and internet speeds for rural users. The new satellite uses Airbus’ Eurostar E3000 which has a High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) capacity of 30 Gbps. Users on the ground can expect speeds of up to 100Mbps when the new satellite is deployed next year.
Last month, MEASAT decommissioned its MEASAT-3 satellite after a series of failures. The MEASAT-3d will be crucial to ensure that MEASAT continues to provide in-orbit satellite redundancy on the 91.5°E hotslot. Besides high-speed broadband, the new satellite will also be used to distribute 4K and 8K video content around the region.
Digi has introduced its #JomFibre campaign which offers up to RM1,200 worth of savings for fibre broadband subscription when you sign up with a postpaid line. Depending on which postpaid plan you’re on, you can enjoy a 300Mbps fibre connectivity for as low as RM100/month for a period of 24 months.
Digi currently has a total of 6 fibre broadband options that offer 50Mbps at RM90/month, 100Mbps for RM130/month, 300Mbps for RM150/month, 500Mbps for RM190/month, 800Mbps for RM270/month and 1Gbps for RM290/month. At the moment, Digi postpaid customers can get an RM15/month rebate when they add a fibre service to their account.
With the #JomFibre promo, Digi Postpaid 60 users can get RM35/month rebate while Postpaid 90, 120 and 150 subscribers can enjoy RM50/month rebate. These upsized rebates are applicable to Digi Fibre 150 (300Mbps), FIbre 190 (500Mbps), Fibre 270 (800Mbps) and Fibre 290 (1Gbps) plans.
With this promo, a Digi Postpaid 90 user can enjoy 300Mbps fibre plan for RM100Mbps, 500Mbps for RM140/month, 800Mbps for RM220/month and 1Gbps for RM240/month. Do note that the rebates are given over a 24-month period according to your contract. The #JomFibre promo is now available until 30th November 2021.
According to the FAQ, the base 50Mbps fibre plan will be bundled with a free WiFi 5 router. If you subscribe to Digi’s 100Mbps plans or higher, you will get a free WiFi 6 router. Take note that Digi only offers broadband services and the plans do not come with any landline or fixed voice services.
Digi’s fibre broadband plans come with asymmetrical speeds where the download and upload speeds are not equal. The base 50Mbps plan has 20Mbps upload, while the 100Mbps and 300Mbps options get 50Mbps upload. The 500Mbps plan gets 100Mbps for uploads while the 800Mbps and 1Gbps plans get 200Mbps upload.
As an added bonus, customers that sign up for Digi Fibre 150 (300Mbps) will receive a free RM150 Samsung Smart Monitor voucher. This offer is limited to the first 2,000 customers that sign up via the Digi Store online, Digi Stores or Digi Store Express. The voucher can be redeemed via the MyDigi app.
Digi is also running a weekly contest on its Facebook and Twitter channels where you and your friends can stand a chance to win a complimentary 2-year fibre broadband subscription from Digi.
According to Digi, their fibre service is available nationwide including Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. This is made possible with its partnership with Time, Allo and TM. For more info, you can visit Digi’s Fibre Broadband page and check if your area is covered here.
