Like many other countries in South Asia, Malaysia is on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) track and garnering speed every day! Let’s take a closer look at just how near launching the country is with LTE Networks in Malaysia- 2013 Forecast & Trends. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced on December 5, 2012, the allocation of the highly-anticipated 2,600MHz wireless platform, which will pave the way for LTE and 4G launches for Maylaysian wireless customers. According to savemoney.my, This launch will allow wireless operators to offer mobile broadband speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
So how does 4G compare to the current 3G network that most Malaysian wireless customers are currently using? “Well, for example, DiGi’s Mobile Internet Monthly 1GB 3G Postpaid plan gives you speeds of up to 700Kbps (i.e. around 0.7 Mbps only). As you can imagine, the promise of the very much faster 100Mbps is probably why Malaysians are eager to get their hands on the 4G LTE network.”
4G Sounding Familiar?
If you’re a wireless subscriber in Malaysia, and 4G is ringing some bells, it’s probably because companies such as P1 and YES have been advertising their “4G” plans for quite a while now. “In truth, their 4G plans are much closer to HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), a technology that is one leg up from 3G (say 3.5G). HSDPA – which is based on the 3G network – can support speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps.”
For example, P1′s One Plan 149 (4G) provides a download speed of 4Mbps, which is a far cry from 100Mbps, that will be present when 4G launches for real.
4G LTE Providers in Malaysia
In most recent news, there are eight companies that will be granted access to the 2600 MHz spectrum band, including Maxis, Celcom Axiata Bhd, DiGi, as well as smaller players such as Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd (more commonly known as P1), REDTone Marketing Sdn Bhd, U Mobile Sdn Bhd, YTL Communications (aka YES) Sdn Bhd and Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary’s Puncak Semangat Technology Sdn Bhd. As of April, 2013, only Maxis is the only company to have officially launched 4G/LTE smartphone plans. So what is Maxis offering exactly?
“First up, their 4G LTE speed. Maxis 4G LTE offers speeds up to 75Mbps, which is actually less than the minimum required speed of 100Mbps for 4G LTE as set by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). Depending on your coverage area, the typical average speed that Maxis 4G LTE offers ranges from 10Mbps to 30Mbps (which is a big improvement over the normal 3G speed, but still much lower than 100 Mbps). However, a major downside to this new plan would be the lack of coverage areas. At time of writing, only certain parts of the Klang Valley are able to get full or partial 4G LTE coverage.” [1]
Another popular wireless provider in Malaysia, DiGi, has been upgrading all of its network sites in Malaysia, to its “Tomorrow Network.” Over 5,000 sites will be upgraded, with upgrading work completing this year. What does this upgrade mean? According to its site, DiGi says social media capabilities will be much more robust.
“And so, just as we’ve seen your telecommunication needs evolve, so must our network infrastructure evolve to keep pace. After the upgrade, our network will be able to provide High Speed Internet covering at least 95.8% of all Malaysia, as well as being fully-equipped to handle LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology. With a more stable network, we aim to provide the best Internet experience for all our customers, with better quality and faster voice & Internet connections across a wider coverage area.”
The Tomorrow Network boasts the following benefits:
- Malaysia’s 1st LTE-equipped network, ready to serve fibre-like speeds to upcoming LTE mobile devices
- Expanding High Speed Internet Coverage (EDGE,3G) to cover 95% of all Malaysians
- A more stable network, resulting in more consistent speeds and better internet experience
- Greener, more efficient equipment that conserves more energy and is kinder to the environment [2]
Keep your eyes peeled for more 4G/LTE saturation in Malaysia. As you can see, the operators there are very busy getting “up to speed!”
[1] http://savemoney.my/4g-lte-in-malaysia-the-full-guide-to-what-who-and-how-much/
[2] http://www.digi.com.my/tomorrownetwork/
