Another update on 4G LTE in Malaysia. The Star reports that majority of the earlier mentioned 9 companies have been informed via fax that they have been allocated the 2.6GHz spectrum for 4G LTE use. This will only take effect on 1st January 2013 which is a long way to go, and time is something that the players need to roll out commercially. As mentioned earlier, the 9 companies are Maxis, DiGi, Celcom, U Mobile, P1, AMAX, YTL, REDtone and a new comer. Each of them will be getting 20MHz block of the spectrum.

2 years should give the players sufficient head start to evaluate vendors, conduct trials and plan out their coverage expansion. By 2013, we should have more 4G LTE devices in the market. Hopefully better than the Samsung Craft, the first 4G LTE phone.

[ SOURCE ]

	AMAX, Celcom, DiGi, Industry in General, LTE, Maxis, P1, Players on the Field, REDTone, Technologies, U Mobile, Yes
	3G, 4g, 4G LTE, 4G LTE Malaysia, 4G Malaysia, 4g wimax, amax, asiaspace, Celcom, Celcom Axiata, DiGi, Long Term Evolution, lte, LTE Malaysia, Maxis, P1, P1 WiMAX, REDTone, REDtone WiMAX, U Mobile, WiMAX, Yes, YTLcomms

The Star reports that the Malaysian government is expected to release 9 blocks of spectrum for 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) to 9 players soon.

The 9 companies are believed to be:

• 4 Mobile telcos – Celcom, DiGi, Maxis & U Mobile
• 4 WiMAX operators – AMAX, P1, REDtone & YTL
• a company believed to be linked to Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukary

According to the paper’s source, each player will be getting 20MHz block of 2.5GHz and 2.6GHz spectrum which comprise the 70MHz and 120MHz blocks respectively, or a total of 190MHz.

Awarding 4G LTE to 9 companies is a big number and we wonder based on what merit that the spectrum is given. Looking at WiMAX itself, only half of the awarded operators are in commercial service while U Mobile, the newest mobile telco is still struggling to roll out its own 3G coverage nationwide. With the current scenario, we’re baffled to see them getting LTE spectrum when they can’t get their current 3G or WiMAX service covered properly. According to the report, the spectrum will be given to all so that nobody will be deprived from participating in rolling out 4G LTE. Strangely our very own Telekom Malaysia is not on the list.

Although we love competition, 9 seems to be too much for a country like Malaysia. Just recently Maxis & Celcom had started their own 4G LTE testing with its partners while DiGi says that they will focus on 3G first at the time being. We also wonder, what will happen to the WiMAX operators? Will they abandon WiMAX for LTE in future?

[ SOURCE ]

	AMAX, Celcom, DiGi, LTE, Maxis, P1, P1, Players on the Field, REDTone, Technologies, U Mobile, WiMAX, Yes
	3G, 4g, 4G LTE, 4G LTE Malaysia, 4G Malaysia, 4g wimax, amax, asiaspace, Celcom, Celcom Axiata, DiGi, Long Term Evolution, lte, LTE Malaysia, Maxis, P1, P1 WiMAX, REDTone, REDtone WiMAX, U Mobile, WiMAX, Yes, YTLcomms

We heard that AMAX is to re-engineer their WiMAX backhaul connectivity. This might explain the MIA situation of AMAX as their site is no longer accessible.

According to its CEO, Datuk Abdul Ghani Abdullah, TM’s charges metro-E link is more costlier than microwave backhaul therefore prompting their move to switch to microwave. Due to this exercise, AMAX has informed their customers of AMAX’s WiMAX service downtime. Customers will not be billed from 1st May onwards until the re-engineering process is complete.

The CEO also added that AMAX has filed a complaint to MCMC on TM’s high pricing which appears to be trying to kill off broadband competition in the country. He also added that AMAX currently has 2000 customers in the Klang Valley with 15,000 more registered pending coverage expansion.

On the other end of the table, TM has refuted such claims saying that AMAX had initially agreed with the terms set for the connectivity agreement and it is unfair for them to accuse them in this manner. According to TM, they had deliver their obligation however AMAX has failed to honour their obligation when it comes to payment.

Amidst rumours of AMAX going bust, the CEO also denied that AMAX is in trouble. To date, they have 42 people in their workforce. However he did admit that they had to let go of some staff as they we’re slowing down but assures that they are here to stay.

[ Source ]

	AMAX, Industry in General, Players on the Field
	amax, AMAX Reengineer, asiaspace, TM Backhaul, WiMAX

BERNAMA reports that the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Comission (SKMM) is monitoring three WIMAX operators for not meeting their respective coverage targets.

The report said that all three have failed to achieve the 25 percent targetted market penetration.

Deputy Minister of Information Communication and Culture Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said from March 2008 to March 2009, the three companies had failed to achieve the target and can be fined.

He added that the government was ready to withdraw the licences of companies that failed to deliver the target, including Asiaspace Sdn Bhd.

So far nothing has happened.

He also said that athough the target has not been met, all four companies have shown an improved performance since March 2009.

We’re not sure what he means by “all four have shown improved performance” because it has been over a year since March 2009 and YTL still have not managed to convince the public that they indeed have a WiMAX network up and running. AMAX and REDtone are not fairing too well either with very limited coverage and a relatively small subscriber base.

But it seems like we’ve heard all this before. Those with long memories will recall that MCMC had alledgedly issued fines to the same operators for the exact same reason. The only difference is that the statement was made October 2009.

In October, 2009 The Star reported that SKMM issued letters on the fines to YTL e-Solutions (RM1.9mil), AsiaSpace (RM1.7mil), REDtone International (RM200,000) for failure to meet the 25% population coverage by the end of March but the operators have all made appeals against the fines.

We’re not sure if much has changed since then and the only WiMAX operator that’s really moving forward is P1; even then we’re seeing them being plagued with a very unstable network.

[source]
[source 2]

	AMAX, Industry in General, MCMC/SKMM, P1, P1, Players on the Field, REDTone, WiMAX, Yes

We visited the AMAX booth during our PC Fair KL walkabout and saw that they were showcasing something very peculiar.

Some of the promoters were donned with devices that were showing TV content. At first, we thought that it was streaming content but after talking with the promoters, we found out that it was something very, very different.

Asiaspace the owners of AMAX WiMAX is apparently offering on trial basis mobile TV services via DMB or Digital Media Broadcasting – developed in Korea. This is the first time we’re seeing this technology being showcased directly to the Malaysian consumer.

We we’re told by the promoters that the DMB service has all the terrestrial channels like TV1, TV2, TV3, 8TV etc, covered along with some pay-channels included. They however couldn’t give further details on what these pay channels are.

More details and device pictures after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

	AMAX, Cool stuff, Mobile Devices, Others, Players on the Field, WiMAX
	amax, AMAX WiMAX, asiaspace, digital multimedia broadcasting, dmb, mobile tv, WiMAX Malaysia

It has been nearly a year since the WiMAX players had launched their commercial service and coverage has always been the main concern of consumers today. MCMC even aims WiMAX operators to target 25% of Malaysia population by end of this year. That’s 6.75 million people to cover.

So how are our WiMAX operators doing? P1 and AMAX so far are the only operators who published their coverage areas online. Compare the Klang Valley coverage below:

P1 W1MAX Coverage [ SOURCE ]

AMAX WiMAX Coverage [ SOURCE ]

These screenshots are obtained today 4th June 2009. As shown above, P1 has been expanding aggressively in the Klang Valley. Meanwhile AMAX too is also expanding by patches and we can see that there are several new spots  in Cheras updated recently.

P1 is currently the most visible WiMAX player and the coverage availability is quite extensive as shown above. If they keep this up, the 25% target could be achieved by year end.

No coverage details are available for YTL and RedTone at the moment although RedTone has started showing some WiMAX packages recently.

	AMAX, P1, Players on the Field, WiMAX
	AMAX Coverage, Klang Valley WiMAX Coverage, P1 AMAX Compare, P1 W1MAX Coverage, WiMAX Coverage Map

AMAX’s website was one of the worst telco sites we have seen along with Celcom’s flash overdosed website. Recently we just checked AMAX’s website again and we’re relieved that they have finally revamped.

Read the rest of this entry »

	AMAX, Players on the Field, WiMAX
	AMAX Revamped Site, AMAX WiMAX Website

Update: AMAX WiMAX undergoing re-engineering, read about it here.

AMAX, is one of the 4 WiMAX operators in Malaysia which hasn’t been visible in the market. Apparently they are doing low key promotions as opposed to P1 W1MAX aggresive campaigns almost everywhere.

Not many people know what AMAX is, let alone their packages or coverage areas but recently we were given a tip off by a reader with their promotion.

Read the rest of this entry »

	AMAX, Players on the Field, WiMAX
	amax, AMAX Broadband Plans, AMAX Coverage, AMAX WiMAX, asiaspace, Business WiMAX, Malaysia WiMAX, USB WiMAX, WiFi WiMAX, WiMAX Coverage Map, WiMAX Student Package, Wireless Broadband