30 Oct 2023
TM Global Expands Network Infrastructure To Boost High-Speed Connectivity For Sabah And Sarawak
KUALA LUMPUR, 30 October 2023 – TM Global, the wholesale domestic and international business arm of TM, today announced the successful deployment of two additional International Internet Gateways (IGW) in Sabah and Sarawak.
These IGWs will serve as crucial hubs for international Internet traffic exchange, reflecting the business’ commitment to continuously expand its local network infrastructure and offer high-speed Internet connectivity in East Malaysia.
This network expansion will enable TM’s customers in East Malaysia and the neighbouring region to access global internet traffic via the most efficient route. By reducing the need to route traffic back to West Malaysia, these IGWs will significantly enhance connectivity speed and reliability for businesses, service providers and their end-customers.
The two IGWs are located in Penampang (Sabah) and Stampin (Sarawak), strengthening TM Global’s existing Internet Exchange (IX) nodes across Sabah and Sarawak. The existing nodes in Sabah are in Kota Kinabalu, Inanam, Elopura, Menggatal and Putatan. Meanwhile, in Sarawak the nodes are in Kuching, Bintulu, Miri, Petra Jaya, Kuala Baram and Tabuan Jaya.
Commenting on the initiative, Khairul Liza Ibrahim, TM Global’s Executive Vice President said, “As a strategic partner to enable Malaysia’s digital agenda, the deployment of these new IGWs reinforces our mission to connect Malaysia globally.
“More importantly, these IGWs help bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak, benefitting densely populated areas and enhancing Internet coverage for communities in smaller towns and remote locations. This will help drive digital opportunities for education, job prospects and entrepreneurship that will uplift these communities into the digital economy.
“This amplified network reach also empowers TM Global to curate a more enriched digital experience, facilitating the global dissemination of substantial content at faster speeds while minimising latency. This advancement aligns with the progressive trajectory of 5G technology, demonstrating our unwavering dedication to position Malaysia as a trusted digital hub within the ASEAN region,” she concluded.
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TM R&D collaborates with Maldives’ leading digital services provider, Dhiraagu to bring ewar to businesses in Maldives
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TM turns in solid 1Q2021 performance; strong start to transformation programme
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This subsequently led to a strong 113.4% YoY growth in Group PATAMI from RM152.5 million last year to RM325.5 million. In 1Q2021, the Company invested 8.8% of revenue in capex amounting to RM247.0 million as it continued to modernise its network and technology platforms towards delivering current and future solutions for customers. Of the amount invested, 69% was for network access including JENDELA (fibre broadband expansion), 12% for core network, and the balance 19% for support systems. TM expects to meet the 2021 market guidance announced in February with revenue growth to be flat or single digit growth, EBIT to be more than RM1.6 billion and CAPEX guidance to be between 14% to 18% of revenue. 1Q2021 Business Highlights: A Strong Start to the New TM Transformation Programme The 'New TM' Transformation Programme (2021-2023), anchored on 40+ Value Programmes focusing on customer experience, revenue, cost efficiency and a future proof organisation, has seen a strong start with quarterly growth across all lines of business and improved operations. unifi maintains its strong momentum and convergence leadership with 11.9% YoY growth in fixed broadband customers to 2.44 million, with the highest ever quarterly fixed broadband customers net additions of 110k, driven by growth of unifi customer base. Whilst the MCO since 2020 has increased demand for fixed broadband, unifi has successfully converted this demand with its compelling unifi convergence proposition under the #unifiyourworld campaign, providing the best customer value for broadband, mobile and content via unifi Plus Box. This growth was also supported by the higher number of ports deployed and wider fiber network roll-out under the JENDELA programme, which TM surpassed its 1Q targets achieving 141% of its commitment. TM is also expanding the pool of network contractors to increase the capacity of its fiber expansion programme in the coming quarters. unifi also focused on continuously improving customer experience and accelerated its Streamyx migration programme in Q1 2021 to enable more customers enjoy higher speed broadband. WiFi optimisation is also an important part of getting the best internet experience, hence unifi also continues to promote the take up of Mesh WiFi to its new and existing customers. Meanwhile, its IT systems are also undergoing enhancements to provide better customer experience and cost optimisation via simplification and consolidation of platforms. Notably, unifi rolled out a new order management system that reduces order processing time by more than 60%, to improve customer experience across its sales touchpoints. TM ONE continues to enable the digital transformation journey of enterprise and public sector customers with a comprehensive suite of connectivity, data centre, Cloud, cybersecurity and smart solutions. After cautious spending in 2020, customers are now accelerating their digitalisation, and this has translated into new sales and contract renewals to provide comprehensive digital solutions, especially in key verticals such as oil and gas, the banking and financial services industry (BFSI) as well as from higher broadcast, ICT and customer projects. There is also greater traction seen for Cloud services from the Enterprise segment; whilst discussions are ongoing to support public sector data migration, as the Government's sole local Cloud Service Provider (CSP) under the MyDIGITAL blueprint. TM WHOLESALE is the preferred network infrastructure provider supporting the technology industry and is positioning Malaysia as a digital hub with strong demand from domestic and international telco and technology operators; including hyperscalers. On the home front, TM as the leading infrastructure partner for High Speed Broadband wholesale services, leveraged its superior network nationwide to support the industry's broadband growth. It is also the primary mobile backhaul infrastructure provider for the industry, which saw growth in coverage and capacity through dynamic offerings of these services. TM also recorded growth in terms of its Wholesale Data Services. Towards establishing Malaysia as an ASEAN digital hub, TM strengthened its partnership ecosystem with international carriers and hyperscalers registering higher revenue for International Data Services as compared to last year. TM expanded its portfolio of data centre customers with more major Asian and US hyperscalers co-locating at the nation's only Tier III twin core data centres at Iskandar Puteri (IPDC) and Klang Valley (KVDC). Its wholesale Content Delivery Network (CDN) services also expanded its digital media delivery network ecosystem with more new customers in 1Q2021. TM remains committed to sustainable growth, with continued emphasis on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), maintaining its strong track record as one of the 75 Bursa companies on the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index, with the full rating of 4/4. Environment: TM complies with the Environmental Quality Act 1974, and has reduced its annual carbon emissions by 13%; integrating sustainable practices in all areas of operations. Social: TM ensures the safety and health of customers and Warga TM with special working arrangements implemented and enhanced Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) towards business and customer service continuity. TM also supports the nation and communities in need through connectivity initiatives such as Jaringan Prihatin, CERDIK, MYBAIKHATI and other humanitarian aid. Governance: Committed to uncompromising integrity, TM continuously assesses the Group's corruption risk and ensures its corruption mitigation practices are independently certified. Imri Mokhtar, Managing Director & Group Chief Executive Officer commented: "We began 2021 with a positive momentum and a strong start to our 'New TM' 2021-2023 Transformation Programme. We are pleased to report a solid year-on-year performance despite these unprecedented times. We delivered good growth with our revenue up 9.9% YoY to RM2.81 billion, contributed by strong demand from our unifi, TM ONE and TM WHOLESALE customers. Coupled with our continuous cost efficiency initiatives, EBIT significantly improved 80.8% YoY to RM589.7 million and PATAMI doubled to RM325.5 million as compared to the first quarter of 2020. Under the 40+ Value Programmes, TM is reshaping our workforce into a stronger execution engine, embracing a more agile work culture with future-ready skills; focused on growing with our customers towards a more digital society, businesses, public sector services and technology industry. TM reiterates our leading role in accelerating Digital Malaysia through digital connectivity, digital infrastructure and a digital workforce. 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TM Sustains EBIT Growth in 1H 2024, Declares Higher Interim Dividend of 12.5 sen per Share
1H 2024 Key Highlights (vs 1H 2023) · Operating revenue remained steady at RM5.74 billion · EBIT increased by 14.5% to RM1.26 billion · Fixed broadband subscribers grew by 1.2% to 3.143 million · Interim Dividend declared at 12.5 sen per share, up from 9.5 sen in the previous year KUALA LUMPUR, 26 August 2024 – Telekom Malaysia Berhad (“TM” or “the Group”) today announced its financial results for the first half ended 30 June 2024 (1H 2024), remaining resilient amidst a challenging market environment. The Group recorded a 14.5% growth in Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT), reaching RM1.26 billion compared to RM1.10 billion in the same period last year, driven by continued focus on enhancing operational efficiency and effective cost management. Meanwhile, TM’s operating revenue for 1H 2024 remained steady at RM5.74 billion, reflecting consistent performance. Profit after Tax and Non-Controlling Interests (PATAMI) in 1H 2024 decreased by 8.6% to RM821.2 million due to a one-off tax credit in 2023. Nevertheless, the Group’s fundamentals remained strong and continued to underpin its growth trajectory. In line with this, TM has declared a higher interim dividend of 12.5 sen per share, amounting to RM479.7 million, an increase from 9.5 sen per share interim dividend declared in the previous year. Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM Group Chief Executive Officer, said, “Our latest Unifi UniVerse continues to excite the market. Its comprehensive suite of convergence offerings provides a seamless experience that meets the diverse needs of digital consumers. As a result, we have seen growth in our customer base, strengthening TM’s position as Malaysia’s true convergence champion. “We are also advancing Malaysia’s digital infrastructure through the development of the Next Generation Emergency Services 999 (NG999) in collaboration with various Government agencies. Leveraging advanced technologies such as data analytics and AI, this initiative will significantly improve the nation’s emergency response capabilities in replacement of the existing MERS999. “We proactively explore new business opportunities through strategic partnerships such as the recent collaboration with Singtel’s Nxera to build a sustainable, hyperconnected AI-ready mega data centre in Johor. This initiative will support high-performance computing and future cloud and AI applications for hyperscalers and tech providers. Simultaneously, we remain committed to supporting Malaysia’s 5G ecosystem, ensuring that Malaysians benefit from the latest advancements in connectivity and digital services. “We are focused on strengthening our core fundamentals, managing costs effectively, and seizing growth opportunities to ensure we stay well-positioned for the future. We remain steadfast in driving our aspiration to become a Digital Powerhouse by 2030, while positioning Malaysia as the digital hub for the region,” said Amar. Capital expenditure (CAPEX) in 1H 2024 amounted to RM460 million, representing 8.0% of total revenue. The Group plans to ramp up this investment towards the end of the year, focusing on enhancing its network infrastructure both nationwide and regionally. This includes the development of new submarine cable systems and the expansion of data centres. The Group maintains a positive outlook for the current year, aligning with its 2024 market guidance. Lines of Businesses (LOBs) Performance Unifi Maintains Leadership in Converged Services Unifi recorded a 1.2% increase in fixed broadband subscribers, reaching 3.143 million in 1H 2024, supported by customer acquisition and retention strategies. Unifi also gained positive traction with its latest mobile proposition and will continue improving and adapting its mobile offerings to better meet customer needs. During the period, Unifi launched UniVerse, a suite of its best convergence offerings for home internet, mobile, entertainment and lifestyle solutions and introduced the newest UNI5G WOW Prepaid offering with unlimited 5G + 4G data with uncapped 5G speed and rewards, catering to needs of today’s digital customers. Unifi’s most recent offer is the limited-time promotion of 200GB 5G Monthly Data Pass for just RM1. This fantastic add-on gives UNI5G Postpaid 39 customers an extra 200GB of high-speed 5G data every month, enhancing their mobile experience significantly. 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Additionally, TM One introduced Cybershield Simulation, a cybersecurity product that simulates real-life cyber-attack scenarios, helping organisations enhance their cybersecurity preparedness. On top the NG999 initiative, it has also recently successfully deployed a Private 5G network at PETRONAS LNG Complex in Bintulu, Sarawak in collaboration with the national oil and gas company, – signalling further advancements in connectivity and efficiency for the energy industry. TM One’s leadership in technology solutions was recognised with the Best Technology Solution Service Provider at the recent PC.com 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards. TM Global Strengthens Malaysia’s Position as a Digital Hub for the Region TM Global delivered a steady performance in 1H 2024, with a 0.6% revenue increase to RM1.49 billion, driven by higher revenues from managed wavelength and domestic data. TM Global is expanding its digital infrastructure, including international connectivity and data centre services, to meet the global carriers and hyperscalers’ demands. Key initiatives include the development of a mega data centre in Johor in partnership with Singtel’s Nxera, as well as expansion of its existing Klang Valley Data Centre (KVDC) and Iskandar Puteri Data Centre (IPDC). It has also made progress in deploying extensive 4G and 5G backhaul sites nationwide and increasing high-speed broadband access in Malaysia, in supporting digital inclusivity across the nation. TM Global was recognised in multiple awards - Telecom Company of the Year – Malaysia, and the Wholesale Company Initiative of the Year – Malaysia, at the Asian Telecom Awards as well as Best Operator in Emerging Market Category at the Carrier Community Global Awards 2024.
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