12/6/2012MAXIS UNDERLINES ITS LEADERSHIP IN CONNECTING COMMUNITIES AND ENHANCING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN EAST MALAYSIA
Maxis invests a further RM122 million in East Malaysia in the next 6 months for 4G and enhanced rural connectivity
Enhanced network coverage by adding new 2G & 3G sites, and with higher network speeds, resulting in faster mobile internet and broadband experience
LTE sites in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu expected to be activated in 2013
Enriching the lives of communities by extending superior coverage to remote areas
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Kuching, 6 December 2012
Maxis Berhad (Maxis), Malaysias leading integrated communications service provider, continues to improve its network coverage in East Malaysia to give customers faster broadband and mobile internet experience in wider areas in this region. The improved coverage is the direct result of Maxis ongoing investment in enhancing existing as well as new sites.
Over the last three years, Maxis has invested RM297 million to enhance 2G and 3G network coverage in East Malaysia. To date, there are 624 2G sites (76% population coverage) and 346 3G sites (54% population coverage) in Sarawak, and 664 2G sites (81% population coverage) & 280 3G sites (44% population coverage) in Sabah. All 3G sites are now activated with HSPA+ which support network speeds up to 21Mbps, while 40% of the 3G sites have HSPA+ Dual Carrier which support network speeds up to 42Mbps.
Maxis is now committing a further RM122 million in East Malaysia in the next 6 months for 4G and enhanced rural connectivity. This significant investment includes deployment of 355 Nano and Femto sites, 352 enhanced 3G sites and 100 Kampung Tanpa Wayar (KTW) WiFi sites in both states. Maxis is the first telco in Malaysia to deploy femtocell, a technology that provides improved in-house and in-office coverage. The KTW project provides broadband and internet for rural communities and aims to increase broadband penetration levels in the country as well as narrow the digital divide between the urban and rural population.
As the biggest network investor in the country, Maxis has invested RM3.7 billion in capex in the past three years resulting in 95% 2G and 81% high speed 3G coverage of the population. Maxis now has 3,400 of its 5,200 3G sites enabled with 42Mbps capability. In Sarawak and Sabah specifically, we have upgraded the network so that customers can use their mobile phones, tablets and other wireless devices reliably in more places and enjoy a faster mobile broadband experience. We hope that our efforts will benefit not just individuals but also businesses, government, as well as communities in remote areas, said Mark Dioguardi, Maxis Joint Chief Operating Officer.
Maxis has also been a leader in deploying cutting-edge technologies in East Malaysia to extend coverage to remote and hard to reach areas, leveraging on MEASAT 5 satellite to connect rural communities. These include NanoBTS and femto technology, which run on solar power to serve plantations, farms, timber and mining towns with no electricity.
In collaboration with SKMM, new or enhanced broadband coverage at rural areas are currently in progress. To date, Maxis has completed 42 outdoor Femto,11 3G NanoBTS sites and 69 KTW WiFi sites.
Maxis currently operates10 Community Broadband Centres (CBC) nationwide, including eight in Sarawak with a new batch of 6 CBCs coming on stream by end of the year. These CBCs provide basic IT training to the community within the area. To date, an estimated 200,000 users in remote areas are now connected via phone and internet. Where possible, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) is used to support network speeds of up to 21Mbps and 42Mbps.
Being a technology leader, Maxis has moved beyond small-scale LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology trials, and has now integrated LTE at its modernised sites.
We have been conducting extensive LTE-DC HSPA+ interworking tests and optimisation in a live network environment using commercial devices to ensure that customers can enjoy seamless broadband experience wherever they are located. Maxis was the first telco in Malaysia to complete extensive LTE field trials. With East Malaysia being a significant target market for Maxis, LTE sites in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu are expected to be activated in 2013, added Mark.
Aside from its network enhancement initiatives, Maxis is continuously looking into ways to provide more value to its customers in East Malaysia through localised promotions, product offerings and targeted customer service.
Mobile communications is becoming more and more popular as a result of internet accessibility on the go. This is playing a big part in the lives of both rural and urban society. In line with this, we continue to make efforts in understanding the needs of the East Malaysian market, which has led to more innovative products and services targeting our customers in this region. We are pleased to have seen very positive response especially this year, said Suren J Amarasekera, Maxis Joint Chief Operating Officer.
Moving forward, Maxis will continue to deploy the latest technological advances in our networks and explore and invest in new methods to enhance overall customer experience.
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