Malaysian mobile network operator Celcom Axiata has set aside MYR1.2 billion (USD308 million) for capital expenditure this year as it looks to improve its service offerings, The Star Online reports. Cellcom’s chief executive Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly was cited as saying that the planned investment will be used to expand the operator’s 4G coverage area, while also enhancing the quality of coverage in 25 ‘prime city areas’. The executive noted: ‘These prime city areas will have higher quality services in the context of 4G network and very standardised throughput speed so that people who are using our services, specifically 4G services, would enjoy better streaming, downloading, uploading and access to [the] internet at any point in time within these areas.’
Meanwhile, Shazalli also revealed that Celcom is aiming to boost the number of data subscribers on its books by 35% in 2016; according to the CEO, of the company’s 12 million mobile subscribers, around seven million are currently data users. It expects such growth to be driven by its ‘First’ branded tariffs, including the just-launched ‘First Platinum’ package, which targets those customers with higher data usage, offering 18GB of data per month for MYR150, as well as unlimited calls and SMS to all networks.