TM outlines CAPEX plans for 2012

Malaysian fixed line incumbent Telekom Malaysia™ has revealed that it has set aside up to MYR3 billion (USD945 million) for capital expenditure in 2012, and while some of the funds are destined to help towards the continued rollout of the High Speed Broadband (HSBB) network, the operator also aims to spend money on expanding its internet access beyond homes and offices via Wi-Fi hotspot construction. Commenting on the telco’s investment plans, TM CEO Datuk Seri Zamzamzairani Md Isa said: ‘We are looking to invest MYR2.7 billion to MYR3 billion in CAPEX this year to provide access, build our core network and support systems. We will continue to invest in HSBB but increasingly our expansion would be based on a demand driven model.’ With regards to the expenditure on the HSBB, Zamzamzairani also noted that CAPEX for the fibre-optic network would ‘slowly taper off since a lot has been spent on building the access for the supply driven model.’ So far TM in understood to have connected some 1.1 million premises of the 1.3 million it was supposed to during the first phase of the infrastructure rollout; these premises were based on a supply driven model, but any future HSBB rollout will now be based on demand rollout.