Malaysian fixed line incumbent Telekom Malaysia™ has announced plans to boost the number of its Streamyx hotspots and hotzones to 10,000 by the end of 2010, the Star Online reports. With competition in the country’s broadband sector hotting up, TM said that it would look to wireless broadband services to enhance its current product offerings, with group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa noting: ‘We are strong in the fixed network, both in copper and fibre, but alongside this network, we will need some form of a wireless solution to help our customers enhance their experience when they buy services from us.’
Meanwhile, regarding potential tie-ups for the incumbent’s high speed broadband (HSBB) services, which are currently offered under the UniFi banner, the executive said TM was still in negotiation with a number of operators. At present, TM has extended its new fibre-based high speed network to cover some 700,000 households, and expects to have covered 34 exchange areas by next week. By the end of 2010 the telco aims to have further extended its fibre footprint to around 750,000 premises in 48 exchange areas. Around 30,000 orders for UniFi services have so far been completed.