Singapore’s STT to invest in 33% stake in U Mobile

Struggling 3G Telco, U Mobile has finally gotten into the news again with the announcement of Singapore’s Technology Telemedia to invest 33% stake in the company. U Mobile is majority owned by UTV – U Television Sdn Bhd with Tan Sri Vincent Tan as chairman. The total investment is said to be worth over RM1 billion.

After its bad experience with the Koreans & Japanese, Tan Sri Vincent Tan has clarified that the deal with STT is different from KT Freetel and NTT Docomo. STT does not have an sell-back option if the deal doesn’t go well as planned which was obviously practised by its former strategic partners. The big man said it in his own words, jokingly: “Once bitten, forever shy.”

With this new investment, it will definitely give hope to U Mobile to gain some grounds in the telco industry. In terms of dealers, they have already made in roads nationwide and to date they have captured about 4% of the telco market. What they need now are exciting products and services to stay relevant as the 4th 3G operator in Malaysia.

They have a lot of catching up to do and we look forward for a come back.

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