Telekom Malaysia has announced that it is introducing two new fixed broadband packages, saying it is doing so ‘in full support of the Government’s move towards boosting broadband take-up’. The first of the two new plans will offer downlink speeds of 1Mbps and carry a 1GB monthly data usage allowance for MYR38 (USD10.40) per month; the telco claims this price point is some 57% lower than the cost of its existing 1Mbps entry-level service. This new 1Mbps plan will reportedly be available to consumers from 16 June 2015. Meanwhile, TM has also unveiled a new tariff for those looking to connect via its fibre-optic high speed broadband network, with a UniFi-branded triple-play package offering a 10Mbps downlink rate in addition to fixed voice telephony and IPTV to be priced at MYR179 per month, around 10% lower than the current MYR199 rate; the new pricing will become effective from 15 July 2015.
Commenting on the decision to amend its broadband packages, TM’s Executive Vice President, Consumer and SME, Imri Mokhtar, was cited as saying: ‘We applaud the Government’s move to drive broadband adoption, and to increase household penetration from the current 70% in a shorter time … We believe the new 1Mbps package will motivate customers to move up to 1Mbps to experience higher speeds at the same price albeit with the 1GB volume capping – especially those who are currently subscribing to the 384kbps package. Whilst the new 10Mbps package will also help encourage those who are already enjoying high speed broadband to further enhance their experience.’
As noted in TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, at the end of December 2014 TM reported a total of 2.231 million broadband subscribers, up from 2.215 million a year earlier, of which 729,000 were connected via fibre, compared to 635,000 at end-2013.