YTL launches YES 4G

KUALA LUMPUR: YTL Communications Sdn Bhd today launched the world’s first fully converged 4G mobile Internet service with voice offering the industry’s lowest rates at nine sen a minute, per SMS or per 3MB of data through its pay-as-you-go plan.

The Yes service incorporates fully converged data and voice services, speeds of up to five times faster than 3G, new devices and a unified communication tool. The Yes service was officially launched by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

YTL Communications executive chairman Tan Sri Dr Francis Yeoh said: “Every Yes account comes with high-speed Internet access and a mobile phone number, making the convergence of data and voice seamless. Our subscribers will have not only high-speed mobile data access but will also enjoy voice, online chat and SMS services that can be accessed from anywhere in the world, through the Internet.”

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YTL 4G good for building Malaysia into high-income nation

MALAYSIA’S first nationwide 4G WiMAX network has the potential to change how people work, live and communicate, according to YTL Corp Bhd managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh.

More importantly, it (4G services) could enable businesses to be conducted more efficiently, which is in line with the Government’s New Economic Model (NEM) to transform the country into a high-income nation, he said.

“A 10% improvement in broadband penetration increases gross domestic product (GDP) by 1.3%.

“Currently, our broadband penetration is only 25% and if we move it to 75%, we will have a 6% increase in GDP” and would create a more sustainable economy dependent on knowledge workers, he said at InvestMalaysia 2010 yesterday.

The 4G service is being developed by YTL Communications Sdn Bhd, a unit of YTL.

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YTL expects Wimax rollout in July 2010

Previously criticized for sitting on its WiMax license, local conglomerate YTL has roped in Samsung to implement its WiMax network across the country over the next five years. However, it will take at least 14 months before the high-speed mobile broadband service from YTL’s subsidiary, YTL e-Solutions, is expected to be rolled out nationwide in July 2010.

YTL e-Solutions, one of the country’s four 2.3GHz WiMax spectrum licensees, was perceived a laggard as it had missed an August 2008 deadline to deploy WiMax services commercially.

In fact, the slow progress among the licensees to offer such services in the country prompted then-Energy, Water and Communications Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor to to issue a warning last August, threatening to withdraw their licenses if they failed to deliver.

YTL e-Solutions said it expects to spend over 1 billion ringgit (US$279 million) over the next 12 months ahead of its July 2010 launch. “We expect to roll out fully in 14 months with user trials beginning in the next six to eight months,” said Francis Yeoh, YTL e-Solutions’ executive chairman and managing director, after a signing ceremony between its subsidiary, Y-Max Infra, and Samsung Electronics here Thursday.

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YTL welcomes more risk with Wimax RM2.5 billion roll out

RAM Ratings says YTL POWER INTERNATIONAL BHD []'s (YTLPI) move to roll out its RM2.5 billion worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) network is quite unexpected.

The rating agency said on Thursday, March 11 this was not in line with its track record of investing in long-term concession assets with stable and sustainable cashflow.

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YTL 4G Wimax will increase GDP of Malaysia

The benefits of a nationwide WiMAX mobile Internet network will be countless, when individuals and businesses can finally “engage” fully with the global marketplace on a mobile device. Research shows that a mere 10% increase in broadband penetration increases GDP (or gross domestic product) by 1.5%.

A nationwide 4G spectrum will attract investments into the industry from technology players large and small. Malaysia’s manufacturing companies could soon be making new generations of WiMAX phones or CPEs (customer premise equipment) for the likes of Samsung.

Technological innovation would take off too. I can imagine new start-ups by whiz kids all around Malaysia, exploiting the spectrum to create new online content from e-commerce like Alibaba or Baidu, to entertainment and social networking sites like Youtube or Facebook.

In the case of YTL, our WiMAX plans have already attracted job applicants from America, China and India, as well as Malaysians living and working abroad. In fact, the CEO of YTL Communications, Wing K. Lee, is an American with many technology patents to his name and many more pending.

I like to believe that we are helping to reverse the brain drain. But the simple reality is when any Malaysian business offers exciting employment opportunities, people will come to work in Malaysia. And when intellectual capital pays its dividends, there will be better salaries and improved living standards.

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Entry of YTL 4G Wimax will not cause price war, says P1

Packet One Networks (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Packet Bhd, sees more competitive prices for its WiMAX services as competition heats up with the entrance of more players in the broadband market this year.

Broadband competition is expected to intensify this year with YTL Communications Sdn Bhd deploying its nationwide 4G WiMAX network service soon while Telekom Malaysia Bhd would be delivering its high-speed broadband network.

However, P1 chief executive officer Michael Lai said he did not expect a price war as a result of more competition.

“Although we may face challenges to our profit margins, we intend to improve our cost management efforts in order maintain margins,” he told a media briefing yesterday.

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YTL hopeful for surge in Malaysia broadband penetration

YTL Communications Sdn Bhd, the telecommunications arm of YTL Corporation Bhd, expects broadband penetration in Malaysia to surge between 70 and 80 per cent within five years from its present penetration level of about 25 per cent.

YTL Group’s Managing Director Tan Sri Dr Francis Yeoh Sock Ping said a 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration would increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 1.5 per cent.

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P1 moves into East Malaysia ahead of Y-Max

KUCHING: Green Packet Bhd’s (Green Packet) 55 per cent owned subsidiary, Packet One Network Sdn Bhd, (P1) which deploys Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) broadband network is targeting to secure 250,000 subscribers by the second quarter of financial year 2010.

OSK Research Sdn Bhd (OSK Research) in a research report cited that P1’s subscriber base has risen steadily since its service was commercialised in August 2008.

It noted that the number of new subscribers added jumped from 25,000 in the first quarter of 2009 to 39,000, surpassing that of dominant asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) operator Telekom Malaysia (TM), with P1 getting the largest share of fixed broadband subscriber addition in the third quarter of 2009.

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YTL Wimax expected to enter market in July 2010

PETALING JAYA: This year will be the broadband year for Malaysia – expect intense competition, new devices and packages flooding the market place, and do not rule out fixed broadband players stealing some market share from wireless players.

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) is expected to deliver its high speed broadband (HSBB) in some areas even if it is for trials. Equally interesting will be Maxis Communications Bhd’s entry, or re-entry to some people, into the fixed broadband market in a way that may surprise many.

Time dotCom Bhd (TDC) – a company many say is history – will re-emerge while YTL Communications Bhd, which has been grossly overselling its WiMAX 4G idea, wants to “sizzle” the market with a grand entry in July.

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YTL appoint Agenda as interactive agency for 4G

Malaysia – YTL Communications has handed JWT and Agenda the task of launching its national brand communications plan as it bids to build the first nationwide 4G mobile internet network.

“We need partners who are passionate about this, understand our challenges and are willing to walk the extra mile to make the difference,” Yap Kok Leong, chief marketing officer, YTL Communications, said.

YTL Communications is partnering with Clearwire, Cisco, GCT and Samsung on the project.

JWT will now work with Agenda to launch a 360-degree marketing communications plan in July 2010.

JWT managing director, Subhendu Mukherjee called the 4G mobile internet network project an “important initiative that will not only improve communications in Malaysia but also drive innovation and investment in the economy.”