MCMC Dooms The Malaysia High Speed Broadband Project

I personally feel the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has doomed Malaysia Internet users to kingdom come for broadband. Though I’ve heard the MCMC board are really knowledgeable and respected. But their recent decision of leaving the whole High Speed Broadband Project (HSBB) to TMNet for 7 years left me in disbelief of their abilities or observation on what’s happening to our Malaysia broadband state now.

I mean seriously, haven’t they ever heard of one if not thousands (or millions) of complaints the TMNet Streamyx users have voiced all over the Internet? In fact, there is even a Facebook group condemning the ISP and worst, their customer service. Plus, TMNet doesn’t even care if they’re losing 80% of the business online.

I read in the business section of the newspapers today and in it contained:

The Government has deferred full access to the soon to be built high speed broadband (HSBB) network to industry players, except for Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM), by seven years to 2015.

Source: The Star

And, you know what else is funny in the news about this:

The seven years will be a headstart. It will give the company the time and the opportunity to build the network and recover their investment, he said.

When asked if those seven years were deliberately given to TM to monopolise the market, Sharil said: “If there is any monopolising of network, MCMC will take action. As the regulator, we can take action if there are any wrongdoings by any license holders who are anti-competitive.”

Source: Bernama

Sharil is the chief operating officer Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi of MCMC. As I was reading the article, the words headstart and monopolization doesn’t go well together. Especially when he’s already talking about a company which has and is monopolizing the wired broadband market.

And, what makes me even more mad is the company’s arrogance. With the launch of Wimax in Malaysia, media have asked if the company is threatened. Guess what they said:

iCapital does not see WiMAX as a threat to Streamyx, as both technologies have different target segments.

For heavy usage (i.e. substantial downloads), ADSL technology, which is used by Streamyx, still has the edge in terms of performance.

Source: The Star

Well, you know what. It’s not we Internet users are lazy to complain how much we hate the service but it’s because we are tired of complaining to a deaf ear. I’m still looking for the TMNet monopoly to fall. Then, the Malaysia Wimax licensees will shove what you said into your face.

And before I conclude this, let me share with you the factors made for this 7 year exception:

  • Long-term benefit of the end users
  • Effect on infrastructure investment
  • Effect on competition, including the presence of any anti-competitive practices; and
  • The promotion of national policy objectives under the Act

The list was from the Ministerial Direction on High-Speed Broadband and Access List. I picked this up and the Public Inquiry Paper on Review of Access List and Mandatory Standard on Access from MCMC’s website. They’re very interesting articles especially page 41 of the Public Inquiry Paper on Review of Access List and Mandatory Standard on Access.

It’ll tell you what is expected and to be expected from our national broadband plan. In short, I am so not impressed and really angry! :(

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Posted by dannyfoo on September 25, 2008 | Filed Under News |

Other articles you should have read:

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  • Malaysia Wimax Implementation and Effects
  • Happy 48th Birthday Malaysia
  • MCMC Malaysia Have To Arrest Email Mailing List Suppliers
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    • Comments

    

    16 Responses to “MCMC Dooms The Malaysia High Speed Broadband Project”

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    1. Response #1 by Danny Foo on April 7th, 2009

      Your disappoint has been seriously felt by me, Moogle. And I do want to share my own frustration too. Like today, my Internet went down all of a sudden. And you know what’ll be funny, downtime when FTTH has been rolled out! ROFL!

      Oh yeah, I too want to know what’s the secret letter and its contents sent to the MP. ;)

    2. Response #2 by Moogle Stiltzkin on April 7th, 2009

      Hi Danny.

      Firstly good article kudos for publishing it :]

      Yeah when they said they have few complaints i was shocked speechless. many people have complained to their customer service.

      These days people can’t be bothered because we all already know how Tmnut thinks. Let customer complaints fall on deaf ears, after they get bored and too tired to complain, so there is no more complaints = problem solved. Typical Malaysian style >->;

      They aren’t interested in finding real solutions, their only interested in keeping the status quo as being a monopoly. If they were offering a superior service i don’t think anyone would complain if they were a monopoly or not, but unfortunately this is not the case.

      What we get instead is a Government that year after year keeps defending this x-inefficient company that is a failure to Malaysia, and they have done all they can to keep tmnut as a monopoly at the expense of internet development in our country. X-inefficient companies are like the failed companies back during Russia soviet days which their government had kept afloat even though they were not good performers and would be killed off if the government had allowed other companies to compete with them….. This is what is currently happening with TMNUT and Proton o_O:

      Why wasn’t TNB allowed to provide internet through the powerlines ? The technology and infrastructure is already in place, so why wasn’t this done ? Someone should have a good look why the government decided not to let TNB work on broadband of the power lines.

      Anwyay…. sure HSBB and the AAG is a good start but I WAS VERY UPSET when i read the small print that basically said, 7 more years of guranteed monopoly to tmnut.

      If Tmnut doesn’t want to invest in a nationwide fiber optic broadband without such a huge incentive for them, just give the tender to the competition. Heck one of them even offered to use their own funding and get international expertise from Sweden, Japan, South Korea to help build it.

      In regards to the tender awared to tmnut, i had read a dialogue in a parliament meeting where one MP asked why the tender to tmnut had not been opened up for debate, and the speaker said he would send a letter to the mp to explain it. I have not yet seen what that explanation was, but i am sure many of us would be interested to know what lame ass excuse they will give.

      It’s sad because forget about even Japan, South Korea and Europe, just look at Singapore, Thailand, Australia and Indonesia …. their internet development is improving alot while we are getting left behind.

      HSBB may be available mostly around Klang Valley in the fourth quarter this year, so i can’t say they aren’t doing anything now, but when i say development, i mean that our development is being impeded by monopolization of the industry to tmnut ……. major reforms need to be undertaken so the HSBB is open to all industry players so we can finally see some real competition as if they don’t provide a good service we will subscribe to another ISP.

      Currently we are at the mercy of tmnut who can do as they please while their masters look on in glee…

      - A dissapointed Malaysian

    3. Response #3 by Danny Foo on April 2nd, 2009

      Maybe what they did was changed HSBB to FTTH. LOL!

    4. Response #4 by micea on April 2nd, 2009

      frankly I agree with u danny..over the years..we yearn to have a speedier broadband..not this crappy speed we have right now..for most part..TMnet IS the one we should blame with what happened to our pathetic situation…period..!!
      About that HSBB…the news came in 1997 already…but now is 2009…any progress?? NONE heard..

    5. Response #5 by Danny Foo on December 12th, 2008

      And, your point cipan? As your comment was too vague for me to know what to reply.

      Anyway, if you understood what I replied you’d know I did address what Shariff said.

    6. Response #6 by cipan on December 12th, 2008

      heehehhe..it’s funny ..u don’t answer the points given by sharif…. we always have the choice……it’s your money….

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