01 Jun 2022
TM R&D’s Customer-focused innovations recognised at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards
In-house smart solutions for Fixed Wireless Access connectivity and customer experience platform for frontliners awarded under “Connectivity-Telecommunications” and “AI-IT Services” categories respectively
Telekom Research & Development Sdn Bhd (TM R&D), the innovation arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), recently bagged two awards at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2022, organised by the Singapore Business Review.
The Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards spotlights exceptional companies who are technology disruptors that boosts Malaysia’s economy. TM’s Fast Internet for All (FIRA) solution was bestowed the award under the “Connectivity-Telecommunications” category, while TM’s Single Platform on Intelligent Customer Experience (SPICE.ai) won the award in the “Artificial Intelligence (AI)-IT Services” category.
Commenting on these awards, Dr. Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D said, “I couldn’t be prouder of my team as these awards reflect their commitment to meet the fast-evolving digital needs of today’s customers and strengthen our position as a research leader in these fields. This recognition also reaffirms our efforts in building smarter digital ecosystems to facilitate the ease with which Malaysians can embrace a more digital lifestyle, while also bringing progress to the nation.”
FIRA was introduced as a way to support the government in providing Malaysians with quality access to digital connectivity nationwide. Aimed at offering better internet service to underserved communities, FIRA uses Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technologies to improve connectivity in rural areas across Malaysia. Since its first deployment in Malacca back in July 2020, the solution has demonstrated promising success in improving download and upload link speeds compared to other broadband services. The solution has since been implemented at a rural school in Selangor and at Pusat Komuniti Desa sites under the Ministry of Rural Development. It has also supported an IR4.0 use case in Terengganu.
“FIRA is formulated to address two common issues: coverage and speed. The solution is capable to deliver connectivity up to 50Mbps within 5-8km range, compared to a traditional 4G cell within 1km range. Furthermore, with its quick deployment procedures, FIRA can help mitigate customers’ connectivity concerns in a cost-effective and timely manner,” shared Dr. Sharlene.
SPICE.ai, on the other hand, aims to assist frontliners in their daily task of addressing customer service enquiries and requests.
Dr Sharlene explained, “SPICE.ai consists of multiple components that cover different parts of an existing customer experience system. By integrating these components, frontliners gain a more holistic view of each customers’ profiles. The solution then implements real-time analytics to improve customer experience, giving frontliners the right information at the right time which allows them to deliver a better experience to customers.”
This analytics system has been deployed nationwide for nearly two years and becomes the primary touchpoint for more than 5,000 TM frontliners in most customer interactions across multiple channels. The performance of SPICE.ai has proven to be reliable and seamless even when integrated with more than 20 existing, standalone systems and was still able to relay the processed information through one single platform, on top of providing analytics and advisory.
Established in 2001, TM R&D is the innovation arm of TM Group focusing on creating smarter ecosystems to make business and life easier for a better Malaysia. TM R&D’s solutions are clustered around four pillars namely Intelligent Platforms, Data Brokerage, Connectivity/Tools and IR4.0/Digital Solutions. Growing from strength to strength, TM R&D has won multiple global awards and generated more than 2,800 Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and 1,400 digital assets to date. TM R&D’s innovations are developed in-house and cut across multiple industries such as Utilities, Retail, Agriculture, Healthcare and Education, with safety and productivity as its top priority.
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TM R&D’s Customer-focused innovations recognised at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards
In-house smart solutions for Fixed Wireless Access connectivity and customer experience platform for frontliners awarded under “Connectivity-Telecommunications” and “AI-IT Services” categories respectively Telekom Research & Development Sdn Bhd (TM R&D), the innovation arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), recently bagged two awards at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2022, organised by the Singapore Business Review. The Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards spotlights exceptional companies who are technology disruptors that boosts Malaysia’s economy. TM’s Fast Internet for All (FIRA) solution was bestowed the award under the “Connectivity-Telecommunications” category, while TM’s Single Platform on Intelligent Customer Experience (SPICE.ai) won the award in the “Artificial Intelligence (AI)-IT Services” category. Commenting on these awards, Dr. Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer, TM R&D said, “I couldn’t be prouder of my team as these awards reflect their commitment to meet the fast-evolving digital needs of today’s customers and strengthen our position as a research leader in these fields. This recognition also reaffirms our efforts in building smarter digital ecosystems to facilitate the ease with which Malaysians can embrace a more digital lifestyle, while also bringing progress to the nation.” FIRA was introduced as a way to support the government in providing Malaysians with quality access to digital connectivity nationwide. Aimed at offering better internet service to underserved communities, FIRA uses Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) technologies to improve connectivity in rural areas across Malaysia. Since its first deployment in Malacca back in July 2020, the solution has demonstrated promising success in improving download and upload link speeds compared to other broadband services. The solution has since been implemented at a rural school in Selangor and at Pusat Komuniti Desa sites under the Ministry of Rural Development. It has also supported an IR4.0 use case in Terengganu. “FIRA is formulated to address two common issues: coverage and speed. The solution is capable to deliver connectivity up to 50Mbps within 5-8km range, compared to a traditional 4G cell within 1km range. Furthermore, with its quick deployment procedures, FIRA can help mitigate customers’ connectivity concerns in a cost-effective and timely manner,” shared Dr. Sharlene. SPICE.ai, on the other hand, aims to assist frontliners in their daily task of addressing customer service enquiries and requests. Dr Sharlene explained, “SPICE.ai consists of multiple components that cover different parts of an existing customer experience system. By integrating these components, frontliners gain a more holistic view of each customers’ profiles. The solution then implements real-time analytics to improve customer experience, giving frontliners the right information at the right time which allows them to deliver a better experience to customers.” This analytics system has been deployed nationwide for nearly two years and becomes the primary touchpoint for more than 5,000 TM frontliners in most customer interactions across multiple channels. The performance of SPICE.ai has proven to be reliable and seamless even when integrated with more than 20 existing, standalone systems and was still able to relay the processed information through one single platform, on top of providing analytics and advisory. Established in 2001, TM R&D is the innovation arm of TM Group focusing on creating smarter ecosystems to make business and life easier for a better Malaysia. TM R&D’s solutions are clustered around four pillars namely Intelligent Platforms, Data Brokerage, Connectivity/Tools and IR4.0/Digital Solutions. Growing from strength to strength, TM R&D has won multiple global awards and generated more than 2,800 Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and 1,400 digital assets to date. TM R&D’s innovations are developed in-house and cut across multiple industries such as Utilities, Retail, Agriculture, Healthcare and Education, with safety and productivity as its top priority.
DNB, TM and ZTE Collaborate On World's First and Fastest 28Gbps 5G mmWave on Standalone 5G Core
CYBERJAYA, 17 October 2023 – Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), TM and ZTE Corporation (ZTE) have formed a strategic alliance to unveil the world’s fastest 5G live trial which will deliver remarkable speeds up to 28Gbps. This revolutionary technology will reshape Malaysia’s digital landscape and set a new global standard in wireless communication. An expansion of DNB’s commitment to drive 5G capabilities for the country, the partnership will leverage TM’s established network infrastructure and digital expertise, as well as ZTE’s state-of-the-art mmWave active antenna unit and cutting-edge chipset technology to deliver Malaysia's first standalone 5G core, complemented by an adaptable next generation transport network. This milestone solidifies Malaysia’s position as a frontrunner in mmWave technology, elevating industry digitalisation and consumer experiences to unprecedented levels. Through this new innovation, the strategic partnership aims to propel productivity and operational efficiency, improving customer satisfaction and generating higher demand across all sectors. It will also enhance rapid Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) connections to deliver high-quality services, video streaming, lag-free online gaming, and immersive virtual and augmented reality applications. Gracing the launch of this collaboration at TM’s Multimedia University, YB Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital, said, “This groundbreaking partnership reaffirms Malaysia’s commitment to advancing technology, propelling us into a new era of connectivity. It underscores our determination to lead the way in technological advancements on the global stage.” Ken Tan Tzi Kieng, Chief Technology Officer of DNB, underscored the significance of this collaboration, saying, “We are thrilled to be part of this strategic collaboration with TM, MMU and ZTE on the world’s fastest 5G live trial. Connectivity is a vital component of the digital economy; and 5G, with its high throughput and low latency, paves the way for Malaysia to achieve its digital aspirations. The use of mmWave spectrum in DNB’s 5G wholesale network further augments this by giving a 5.5G experience, which is a launchpad to 6G. The combination of our spectrum with TM’s SA core opens up exciting possibilities in the enterprise space, especially in the deployment of 5G private networks.” Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM’s Group CEO, said, “We are pleased to work with DNB and ZTE to revolutionise Malaysia's 5G landscape, bringing digital opportunities to communities, businesses and the government. The standalone 5G core and TM’s cutting-edge network infrastructure will establish new benchmarks in connectivity speed and reliability, pushing the boundaries of digitalisation. This will enable better user experiences, pioneer new industry growth and drive the country’s innovation ecosystem that will power Malaysia as a digital nation.” Steven Ge, Managing Director of ZTE Malaysia, concluded, “ZTE is honoured to contribute our cutting-edge technology to this ground-breaking Live Trial in Malaysia. We believe this initiative will pave the way for new possibilities in the telco industry. This historic collaboration underscores ZTE's steadfast commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology and driving innovation within the telco industry. We take immense pride in working alongside esteemed partners such as TM and DNB to bring the world's fastest 5G live trial to fruition.”
Yayasan TM, Teach For Malaysia and Enuma, inc. Bring “Sekolah Enuma” digital learning application to young students in malaysia
Offline learning tool a critical resource for parents and teachers in supporting the children especially those from underserved communities with limited access to the internet, computer devices and appropriate learning materials The pandemic and the ensuing movement restrictions have been very disruptive to students, in particular those forced to rely on online lessons but face limited access to the necessary tools and connectivity. To help address these learning challenges faced by over a million Malaysian students aged five (5) to eight (8), Yayasan TM (YTM), the foundation arm of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), is collaborating with Teach For Malaysia, a not-for-profit advocate for education and Enuma, Inc., a global company focused on digital learning programmes, to bring the Enuma School digital learning application to Malaysia. In this collaboration, YTM is sponsoring the field test of the localised version of the app, which will be known as Sekolah Enuma Malaysia, to 600 students in various communities in Sarawak, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur. Enuma School has been commercially successful in the B2C markets in the US, Korea, Japan, China and Indonesia. Its exceptional Kitkit School programme, winner of the prestigious USD15 million Global Learning XPRIZE (2019), has been used in over 50 countries through schools serving children in under-resourced environments. All its learning activities are carefully and meticulously mapped to specific learning objectives and support individualised learning paths depending on the current level of each student, so students can learn by themselves. This platform will greatly complement the current home-based teaching and learning (PdPR). Sekolah Enuma Malaysia was officially launched in a ceremony by Mohd Najib Ab Rahman, Director of Jabatan Pendidikan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur together with Izlyn Ramli, Director of YTM; and Sooinn Lee, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Enuma, Inc. This virtual session was also joined by Chan Soon Seng, Chief Executive Officer of Teach For Malaysia. Commenting on this project, Izlyn Ramli said, "This collaboration is a natural extension of YTM's existing strong support for the education ecosystem especially in promoting digital learning among pre- and primary school students. It is also aligned with Telekom Malaysia Berhad's (TM) aspiration to enable Digital Malaysia while supporting the government's agenda in digital education transformation. This offline, game-based digital application will encourage and ease the learning of Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mathematics in a fun and interactive learning process". The Sekolah Enuma field test began on 28 March 2022, involving 600 students, the majority of whom comes from the B40 communities particularly in Kuala Lumpur, indigenous communities in Sarawak and stateless communities in Sabah. Meanwhile, Chan Soon Seng said that Teach For Malaysia is thrilled to work with YTM and Enuma to address the learning challenges faced by students, including those from underserved communities with limited access to internet, devices and appropriate learning materials. "We hope Sekolah Enuma will significantly help to close the equity gap in learning across all segments of society and increase each student's learning outcomes to meet the Ministry of Education's (MOE) goal for full basic literacy and numeracy by standard three," he added. Learning with the Sekolah Enuma app will facilitate and individualise the learning path for each student through in-app placement tests and check-in quizzes, so students learn at a level and pace that is just right for them. They learn through playing child-friendly games developed by seasoned designers which make learning fun, engaging, and self-directed. The app enables each student to learn independently and be the driver of their own learning journey. The standardised content, developed by global and local education experts, is aligned with the MOE curriculum. Accompanying the app is a web-based Learning Management System (LMS) that allows teachers and administrators to manage and track the performance and progress of the students using the app. "Our app contains thousands of learning activities, dozens of games, hundreds of child-friendly e-books and videos. Many are tailor-made based on Malaysian culture and values. It works on Android tablets and smartphones and does not require an internet connection once the app is downloaded," explained Enuma's Sooinn Lee. "Sekolah Enuma is particularly suitable to be used in remote locations and communities where there is a shortage of trained teachers as well as limited internet connectivity." Corporate partners and foundations keen to support the second phase of Sekolah Enuma, which is expected to be launched in Q4 2022, are encouraged to contact Yayasan TM, Teach For Malaysia, or Enuma, Inc. Schools and communities interested in participating in this next phase are also encouraged to do the same. For more information on Sekolah Enuma, please visit www.sekolahenuma.com
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