Malaysia Real Estate

[waikiat]

Hi all,
The govt just released 4 license to 4 companies (non of them Tele or Mobile Operator), and we should be able to start using WiMax service in late 2007 or 2008. Its a revolution to telecommunication, where there is no more expensive phone call bill including long distance call. We could be online almost everywhere we are with our laptop, PDA, or even IP phone.

Here an article on TM to launch WiMax (I am wondering how could they do it without an license?) Anyway we could kick away the inefficient fixed line (with the stupid monthly phone rental, that pay for nothing)

==================================
21-03-2007: TM wants to launch own WiMax service
By Tamimi Omar
Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com


Telekom Malaysia Bhd is prepared to invest between RM250-RM300 million to use the 2.5GHz spectrum to launch its own WiMax (wireless interoperability for microwave access) services.

TM chief executive Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar said TM was in talks with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications to launch the service.

“The Ministry has already come up with a statement that they expect the WiMax operators to spend between RM250 million and RM300 million to deploy the network and we are prepared to invest that kind of money,” he said.

WiMax allows high-speed Internet access and file downloads from personal computers, laptops, phones or other mobile devices over greater distances than the Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) technology.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Invest Malaysia 2007 in Kuala Lumpur on March 21, Wahid said the expenditure for WiMax had been included in TM’s domestic capital expenditure. He added that there was no timeframe on when the talks would be concluded.

On the government’s decision not to give the 2.3GHz spectrum to TM, Wahid said: “Since we were not able to get the 2.3GHz spectrum, we will be looking at utilising the other spectrum for WiMax purposes.”

“At the end of the day, it is about the ability to deploy broadband effectively to the suburban and rural areas,” he added.

“The promise of WiMax is twofold, one is about the network, which is cheap compared to the rest because the reach is very far and you need fewer base stations to cover a larger area.”

“The other area is the commitment made by Intel, who has stated that every notebook from end-2008 would be pre-loaded with a WiMax chip and because we have a prevalence of wide availability of equipment, WiMax is more cost effective,” Wahid said.

===============================