TIME spurns cellular market, revealing plans to utilise 3G spectrum for broadband internet

Malaysian telco TIME dotCom says it plans to invest MYR800 million (USD213 million) in the launch of 3G-based broadband internet services if it is successful in its application for a UMTS licence. TIME subsidiary TT dotcom is one of three bidders for two additional UMTS licences put up for auction in August 2005; the winners are expected to be announced next month. TIME says it will not use the 3G frequency to launch cellular services, instead it plans to use the concession to augment its broadband internet offerings. TIME says if it receives the concession it will roll out commercial wireless 3G broadband services by September 2006 and is targeting 80% coverage by 2010. ‘Our 3G penetration would be at 2% of market share in 2007, and our strategy would be to sell 3G through our broadband service. Our angle is to bring the bandwidth to the people,’ TIME senior vice president Tan Eng Suan told the Financial Daily nespaper. ‘All the pricing and market offering would be skewed towards effective broadband penetration rather than going towards the cellular market.’