Imran's Kifli.net

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is mulling to give a RM20 million project to McKinsey & Co to ensure its RM11 billion high-speed broadband (HSBB) is on time to meet the 50 per cent broadband penetration target this year.

The telecoms utility’s board is due to meet tomorrow to decide on the consultancy’s terms as it races to meet its deadline set recently by Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim. It is understood the current broadband penetration rate is now at 32 per cent.

“The board will meet tomorrow whether to award McKinsey the contract to make sure we meet this year’s target. It is a bit silly as we have the real targets to achieve,” a company source told The Malaysian Insider.

It is learnt that associates from McKinsey’s US headquarters have promised expertise from Telefonica, the Spanish multinational telecommunications giant, to help TM meet the targets, which now also include mobile broadband. Read more…

P1's Potong Advert

Apparently a group of people are not happy with P1′s new “potong” advert and have lodge a complaint with the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF). Below is the news article from New Straits Times.

PUTRAJAYA: The popular potong advertisement by P1 Wimax may land the advertiser in trouble.
Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (CMCF) said it was scrutinising the advertisement aired on television and radio.

“We are looking into it,” said CMCF executive director Mohd Mustaffa Fazil Mohd Abdan.

While refusing to reveal the number of complaints received, he said CMCF would act against such an advertisement, including action like “taking it down”.

“Under our Content Code, if there is a breach and the advertisement is found to be offensive, we can remove it,” he said.

CMCF is empowered to issue a written reprimand and impose a fine of not more than RM50,000 for offensive advertisements.

CMCF can also refer the offending party to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) as the umbrella regulatory body for further action.

The P1 Wimax broadband advertisement created an uproar over its liberal use of the word potong (cut).

Although the advertisement could be a tongue-in-cheek suggestion for viewers and listeners to “cut the wires” and “cut the hidden charges”, members of parliament are calling for the Information, Communications and Culture Ministry to pull the plug on it.

Datuk Mohamad Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) had previously said in Parliament that potong somehow brings a vulgar connotation for some people because it is a colloquial way of referring to circumcision.

Meanwhile, Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie said the advertisement had been reviewed by the National Censorship Board even before it was aired. She said it had passed the strict censorship code imposed by the board.

I know this piece of news was from last year, but I am exicited to see their progress and get highspeed broadband in Malaysia. I am guessing that TM needs to roll this out as soon as possible with the advent of wimax that is being aggressively promoted and provided by P1.

KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd has received a letter of award from the Government to implement the RM11.31bil high-speed broadband (HSBB) project.

TM said on Tuesday the project would be carried out in collaboration with the Government to deploy the access, domestic core and international networks to deliver an end-to-end HSBB infrastructure.

“The total cost of the HSBB investment for a period of 10 years is RM11.31bil whereby the Government will be investing RM2.4bil and the remaining RM8.91bil from TM,” it said.

TM said with the acceptance of the letter of award, the company and the Government would sign a formal agreement based on mutually agreed terms and conditions in due course.

It added that more details and relevant information would be announced when the HSBB agreement was signed.

On May 15, TM said it was pleased to learn the Government has approved the pertinent details and broad implementation strategies for the HSBB roll-out plan.

The plan was a key initiative in the effort to widen broadband penetration in the country. The HSBB coverage is expected to be available across 1.3 million premises.

News item from: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/2/business/20080902181752&sec=business