Thursday, March 25, 2010

Broadband boost - More community Internet centres and lower rates from Telekom


This better be true and really up to what is being said and reported...

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced six initiatives last night to encourage broadband usage among Malaysians, including a reduction in rates on broadband packages from Telekom Malaysia.

The initiatives will benefit some 17 million Internet users in the countryand boost broadband coverage. Najib said the measures would be implemented under the National Broadband Initiative (NBI), which he launched together with Telekom’s High Speed Broadband (HSBB) service at Dataran Merdeka here lastnight. The initiatives are:


• to set up community broadband centres to serve 615,000 people in 246 locations nationwide at a cost of RM60 million;

• to establish Internet centres at 138 offices of the Information Department to provide broadband access to 400,000 users;

• to have e-kiosks at community centres and sub-district (mukim) offices in 1,100 locations at a cost of RM4 million;

• expansion of cellular coverage by setting up 873 new telecommunication towers, including 278 in Sabah and 257 in Sarawak;

• an allocation of RM1 billion from the Universal Service Provision (USP)fund to be used with the consensus of service providers to distribute notebookcomputers to needy students; and,

• Telekom to make available broadband packages together with netbooks, with rates reduced from RM50 to RM38 a month, and in USP areas a further reduction of RM20 a month.


Najib said attention should be given to the development of worldclass infrastructure to transform the nation into a progressive and high-income country.

“The HSBB is a key enabler to transform the country from a medium-to-high-income nation and Malaysia into a 21st century country.”


He said it would also enhance the country’s competitiveness and provide confidence to local and foreign investors.

Under the NBI initiative, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has targeted a 50 per cent broadband penetration by the year-end to 3.2 million homes.

NST

No comments: