Telekom Malaysia to wait six months to define broadband access terms and prices

As the Malaysian government prepares to sign a deal with Telekom Malaysia™ for the implementation of a MYR11.3 billion (USD3.28 billion) high speed broadband network, the operator has stated that it will not announce access prices or terms for at least six months. Malaysian news source The Star is reporting that, despite pressure from alternative operators, a TM official has confirmed, ‘We will define the access terms six months after we sign the agreement.’ However, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will form a committee to ensure pricing levels and access are fairly agreed, following vocal concerns from operators who claim that a lack of transparency in the process would allow TM to take advantage of its role in the building of the network. The TM official confirmed, ‘We have to sit down and negotiate first and if any player is unhappy, the MCMC will come in to mitigate.’