30 Mar 2023
TM’S NEW FIBRE OPTIC NETWORK HUB (POINT OF PRESENCE) BRINGS FASTER, MORE RELIABLE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY TO RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS
Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) has today announced the completion of its new fibre optic network hub or point of presence (PoP) project phase one (1) installations, across northern region, Sabah and Sarawak. The launch ceremony, which was officiated by YB Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications and Digital, took place at SMK Padang Terap, Kuala Nerang, Kedah. Also present were Dato’ Haji Pkharuddin Bin Haji Ghazali, Director-General of Education and Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Bin Mentek, Secretary-General, Ministry of Communications and Digital.
PoP is a place where different devices connect to each other and to the internet. In simple terms, PoP brings fibre closer to users. By setting up PoP locations near schools, people in rural and remote areas can get better and faster internet services in their homes, instead of relying on mobile internet. This will improve internet access and connectivity for more people in the community.
During the ceremony, YB Fahmi highlighted the significant benefits and opportunities that the new PoPs would bring. The new PoPs represent a major step forward in the Government's efforts to narrow the digital gap and promote digital inclusion across Malaysia.
A total of 4,370 PoPs had been planned under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) where 4,323 PoPs will be installed near rural schools and 47 PoPs near industrial area. Phase one (1) of the project, involves 677 sites and the remaining will be implemented under phase two (2) over the span of three (3) years, 2022-2025. A total of 233 PoP circuits were installed under phase 1, with 100% completion achieved by TM, ahead of other industry players.
“We are thrilled to see the progress and achievements of this project, which will bring significant benefits and opportunities to the community, including improved internet quality, economic development and the development of new infrastructures,” said Shazurawati Abdul Karim, Executive Vice President of TM One.
PoP will create a more balanced and inclusive regional development, boosting the growth of new technologies like 5G and future generations of communication technologies. Through this initiative, users in TM's PoP area have now reached over 9,000 and are increasing. A total of 58 of its users are schools that have subscribed to Unifi services. The widespread internet accessibility will not only help to develop the rural economy but more importantly allow learning materials to be downloaded, to improve the quality of education in schools, equipping the future generations with a wealth of knowledge.
“As the nation's telecommunications leader, and enabler of Digital Malaysia, TM is committed to support the nation's development agenda through the benefits brought by hyperconnectivity and digital solutions, which will accelerate digital adoption and new economic growth,” added Shazurawati.
“The presence of PoP can attract technology companies, start-ups and other businesses that require a high-speed internet connection to operate. This can create more job opportunities, increase innovation, and stimulate economic growth in local communities,” concluded Shazurawati.
The collaboration between TM and the Government demonstrates the shared commitment to deliver digital inclusivity throughout Malaysia. For phase two (2) of PoP project, TM has been awarded with 174 sites in the central region. This phase is expected to further boost digital connectivity and economic development for Malaysia.
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TM reports operational improvement for 3Q 2019 amidst challenging environment
Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) today announced its financial results for the quarter ended 30 September 2019. Financial and Operational Highlights as at Year-to-Date (YTD) September 2019 vs YTD September 2018: Group Revenue of RM8.40 billion, 3.8% lower against YTD September 2018 – in line with guidance- mainly due to lower contribution from all lines of products except data and non-telecommunication related services. Group Reported Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) for YTD September 2019 increased to RM1.20 billion, from Loss Before Interest and Tax (LBIT) of RM187.3 million over the corresponding nine (9) months period last year, on the back of lower operating cost, from the Group's various cost optimisation initiatives. Group Reported Profit After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (PATAMI) showed significant improvement with a 718.9% growth YTD to RM683.8 million, from RM83.5 million in the corresponding period last year. Stripping off non-operational items, Normalised PATAMI stood at RM810.9 million, higher by 53.7% against the same period last year. The total capital expenditure (CAPEX) was within guidance at 8.8% of revenue or RM736.0 million. Out of the amount spent, 16% was made for Core Network, 58% for Access and the balance 26% was made for Support System. unifi updates: Increased YTD convergence penetration to 55% of TM Households compared to 48% in 30 September 2018. Total broadband customers as at 30 September 2019 was more than 2.15 million. #khabarbaik customer experience related initiatives in 3Q2019: Streamlined all Streamyx packages to a new unifi Lite plan at RM69/month for existing Streamyx customers. Introduced unifi Air to elevate the internet experience of existing Streamyx customers residing in TM's LTE coverage areas. Launched an all-in-one app; myunifi for an easy experience in managing unifi account. TM ONE updates: Signed a series of MoUs and cross-industry strategic digital collaborations with Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Ministry of Rural Development, Global Health, UMW Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (UMW), Open University Malaysia (OUM), Bintang Urusjuta (M) Sdn Bhd and Digital Perak Corporation Holdings (DigitalPerak). TM ONE further demonstrated its capability to enable digital businesses and government with ten (10) smart solutions and end-to-end Hyperconnected Ecosystem. Held its annual flagship event LEAP Summit 2019 themed "Creative Disruption – Get Ready for It!" to share the successes and lessons from global creative disruptors and provide in-depth insights on industry trends towards Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0). TM GLOBAL updates: TM as the National Telecommunication Infrastructure Provider continues to serve as the industry backbone - serving and collaborating with all other licensed operators in Malaysia as the strategic enabler of the Government's National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) towards reaching more underserved areas nationwide and supporting 5G requirements with its ready and upgraded network infrastructure. Dato' Noor Kamarul Anuar Nuruddin, Group Chief Executive Officer, TM, commenting on the results: "Overall, in 3Q 2019 we saw continued improvements in our fundamentals. I'm pleased to report that our cost management initiatives under our performance improvement plan carried out since last year continues to yield results with profitability improvement. We have managed to keep a closer eye on our operational efficiencies to deliver sustained profitability with lower YTD OPEX/revenue. However, in line with sector contraction, our revenue challenges still persist on the retail front, in line with our expectations and 2019 market guidance. Our CAPEX for YTD September 2019 is well within guidance, totalling 8.8% of revenue, and on track as we continue our targeted investments to ensure we deliver better service experience for all our customers. We continue to offer attractive unifi products and promotions to acquire more customers, whilst addressing Streamyx customers and coverage pain points with price adjustments and our wireless offerings. Over the last three months, we have expressed our intention to be the key driver for Malaysia's Digital Nation aspirations. TM is ready to propel the nation into Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) with our proposal to be the nation's infrastructure provider in both the fixed and mobile space. This commitment is reinforced with our participation in the 5G demonstration projects and our preliminary moves toward building infrastructure readiness. In the next few months, we will be showcasing our 5G use cases in SS15, Subang Jaya, Selangor and Langkawi, Kedah in collaboration with local municipal councils and other potential partners. The use cases will cover Big Data Analytics, Smart City, Smart Tourism and Smart Agriculture clusters. The deployment of our tested and proven 5G-enabled smart solutions for the showcase are testament of our commitment in humanising technology towards making life easier, and enriching the quality of life for all Malaysians." Prospects for the Financial Year Ending 31 December 2019 The Group's performance improvement initiatives and efficient cost management continue to improve our profitability. Our focus remains toward our customers, and to strengthen the Group's performance by investing to improve customer experience across segments to grow our revenue.
Orbix International School takes safety seriously by adopting TM R&D’s EWAR
TM R&D assists Orbix International School in adhering to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with deployment of EWAR towards curbing the spread of COVID-19 virus. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), through its innovation arm, TM Research & Development (TM R&D), further promotes the adoption of digital solutions in the education sector by deploying its Early Warning, Alert & Response or "EWAR" at Orbix International School (Orbix), a private school in Muar, Johor. EWAR is an Artificial Intelligence (A.I) driven contactless temperature screening solution internally-developed by TM R&D. In an effort to digitalise the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) outlined for schools, Orbix has installed EWAR Compact, one (1) of EWAR's product categories, within their premise to better facilitate the temperature screenings of their students, teachers and visitors towards curbing the spread of COVID-19 virus. Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D said, "We are honoured to be working with an educational institution such as Orbix to deploy our cost-effective and innovative solution in response to the required safety protocols. This illustrates the flexibility and readiness of education vertical in adapting to the new normal. At TM R&D, we are ever ready to assist businesses and organisations to get back on their feet safely." "We truly believe that deploying the EWAR Compact at schools or any educational institutions can provide students and teachers with a near-normal return to school experience as possible. We hope that this effort can encourage other schools and educational institutions to install EWAR Compact and simplify the adoption of the new SOPs in our battle against COVID-19." EWAR Compact is an AI-driven, one-on-one contactless thermal screening solution with a high accuracy of +/- 0.3℃, fast (~1sec) detection and voice prompt. In addition, AI-based facial recognition capabilities can also be applied with the solution. With EWAR Compact, students and teachers can go to schools with peace of mind, knowing that their schools are using the most effective technology available to safeguard their health. "Besides that, we are delighted to see more schools adopting digital solutions as this will expose teachers and students on how technology can help improve lives through safety. The exposure to EWAR Compact will also help students to experience digitalisation in action first-hand, and witness the benefits of digital adoption even before they enter the workforce. We hope this will help groom an industry-forward talent pool which will subsequently drive the nation's digital aspiration, befitting TM Group's role of the enabler of Digital Malaysia," she added. "Deploying EWAR Compact was a vital step for us as we were looking for the most effective technology available in safeguarding the health of our students and teachers. So far, we have received positive feedback on how EWAR Compact has enhanced the efficiency of temperature taking while simultaneously improving social distancing," said Govindan Nair, Chief Marketing Officer of Orbix Education. "The students especially have shared that they like how interactive the solution is. As we are firmly committed to ensuring the health and safety of our students, it is also important for us to expose our students to how innovation results in real-world solutions," he added. Back in July, TM R&D has successfully installed EWAR Compact at 12 selected schools under the purview of Bangsar / Pudu District Education Office (PPDBP) namely Victoria Institution, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Dato' Lokman, SMK Seri Saujana, SMK Desa Petaling, SMK Cochrane, SMK Taman Maluri, SMK Alam Damai, SMK Bukit Jalil, SMK Dato' Onn, SMK (P) Bandaraya, SMK Convent Jalan Peel and SMK Seri Permaisuri. During the early stages of the Movement Control Order (MCO), TM R&D has introduced two (2) main product categories under EWAR, namely EWAR Crowd and EWAR Compact as part of its contribution in the fight against COVID-19. The solution comes with four (4) main capabilities that close the critical loop from detection to containment. It is non-intrusive and has use-cases for both crowd and one-on-one scanning, respectively. EWAR Crowd comes with a dual-camera (thermal and optical) and is designed to conduct a rapid body temperature screening of approximately 10-15 individuals per second simultaneously at high traffic areas. It can easily be deployed in locations with mass traffic flow such as offices, shopping complexes, transportation hubs, universities, schools, tourist attractions, airports, immigration centres, and hospitals. EWAR Compact on the other hand is more suitable for a one-on-one contactless thermal screening. This can eliminate the need of the hand-held temperature taking, which can subsequently improve social distancing and minimise long queues. Both EWAR models have been installed at more than 150 sites across several industry verticals and have gone regional to help keep businesses safe beyond Malaysian shores. The solutions have been installed at the quarantine and treatment centre for COVID-19 cases at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang, large and mid-size office lobbies, hotels, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) payment counters, various sales galleries and Gamuda Land construction sites, just to name a few. TM R&D has been growing from strength to strength since 2016, winning seven (7) globally recognised awards over the last two (2) years. Our innovations cut across multiple verticals such as the Smart Retail Analytics and Smart Safety Helmet, all developed internally by local talents in TM R&D. As the organisation continues to expand beyond connectivity and into new value-added digital and smarter platforms, its role in TM has become more prominent and exciting. For more information about TM R&D and its products and services, please log on to www.tmrnd.com.my. Follow us on LinkedIn (TM Research & Development) for more news and updates.
TM's decision to exit menara KL concession
Telekom Malaysia Berhad ("TM" or "the Group") wishes to clarify that Menara KL ("MKL" or "Tower") is owned by the Government while the operations and maintenance of the tower is granted under a concession. TM via its wholly owned subsidiary, Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn. Bhd. (MKLSB) had undertaken the concession since 1996. As part of its business transformation programme, TM is focusing its efforts and resources on strengthening its core business of telecommunications and technology. After due consideration on the change in the business nature of MKL, from telecommunications services to tourism and hospitality, TM has decided in October 2021 not to renew the MKL concession and informed the Government accordingly. Subsequently in 2022, the selection process of the new Concessionaire was then taken up by the Government upon which TM was informed on the appointed company to take over the shares of MKLSB and the MKL concession. MKLSB shall continue to operate the concession and ensure the continuity of MKL operations for the Malaysian public, including international visitors. Employees will remain employed with MKLSB under the new Concessionaire for a minimum period of 3 years. This is to ensure their welfare is protected in this transition. In TM’s 3Q 2022 financial announcement to Bursa Malaysia, a reference was made in the subsequent changes to shareholding in MKLSB. TM practices good governance and transparency in our business undertakings to preserve the interest of our customers and stakeholders. TM will provide our full cooperation and disclosures as required by the authorities. Building on our commitment to enable a Digital Malaysia, TM will continue to deliver the best telco and technology services for the community, businesses, Government and industry.
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