Bangkok--18 Aug--Farh Agency There are 6 firms using the 2.5GHz band on an assignment apparatus basis and 7 fixed wireless broadband providers using the 3.5GHz band By ASHWINRAMAN THE Malaysia’s government will withdraw all 2.5GHz and 3.5GHz high speed broadband spectrums which have been assigned on an apparatus basis to companies such as Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Maxis Communications Bhd and Time dotCom Bhd, to prevent monopoly in the broadband market. The move is expected to put halt on plans by TM, Maxis and the newly-formed alliance between DiGi.Com Bhd and Time dotCom to offer WiMAX services on the 2.5GHz band. It would also result in investment losses for companies offering broadband services on the 3.5GHz band such as NasionCom Holdings Bhd. Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said companies using the 2.5GHz band for WiMAX services already had other high speed platforms such as 3G and fibre optics while there was an issue of interference on the 3.5GHz band with the MEASAT-3 satellite. “The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) gave out apparatus assignment for 3.5GHz for wireless broadband gave out 2.5GHz for wireless broadband trials. Now there is going to be 2.3GHz spectrum given out to WiMAX players. It is only logical that 3.5GHz and 2.5GHz apparatus assigned have to be given notice that those apparatus assignment will be taken back,” he said. Dr Lim said companies such as TM, Maxis and now DiGi, have the 3G licences and are already offering high speed broadband access. Furthermore, Time dotCom has an extensive fibre optic network and TM will embark on a nationwide fibre network roll out soon. He said there are six companies which have the 2.5GHz band on an assignment apparatus basis while there are seven fixed wireless broadband providers using the 3.5GHz band. “Under an apparatus basis, we have to give them a five year notice that their spectrum will be withdrawn. If not, we’ ll have 10 WiMAX operators and all of them will concentrate on competing and not rolling out high speed broadband,” Dr Lim told reporters after launching the MMU International Symposium on Information and Communications Technologies 2007 in Petaling Jaya. He said the government will also decide if the five year notice period would be applied to companies that have not rolled out any services on the 2.5GHz or 3.5GHz bands. “For those after two or three years without even 10 customers, these companies should be given notices. They don’t even need five years. All those that have rolled out with some customers, we will give them five years to roll down the business,” Lim said. Both TM and Maxis, which failed to win the government tendered 2.3GHz WiMAX spectrum, have signalled their interest in rolling out such services on the 2.5GHz band. In addition, the development would affect Time dotCom’s recently established alliance with DiGi as one of the agreements in the partnership include the deployment and marketing of the former’s WiMAX services on the 2.5GHz band. As for the 3.5GHz users, it is learnt that the seven companies have collectively invested over RM400 million over the last few years to roll out their high speed services on the band. However, there have been issues of inteferences on the band with the Measat-3 satellite. The other six companies besides NasionCom are Airzed Broadband Sdn Bhd, Atlas One Sdn Bhd, eB Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd, Maxis, TM and Time dotCom. For further information, please contact: Mrs. Voraparn Eua-arporn (coco), GM of Farh Agency Tel: 0 26160991-2, Fax: 0 2616 0993, MB: 08 9144 4014, 08 1376 5927l Email: [email protected], [email protected]