MCMC targets 65pc household broadband penetration in 2012

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is targeting a 65 per cent household broadband penetration this year, amid the current saturated market condition, its chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi said. Last year, he said Malaysia's household broadband penetration reached about 63 per cent, compared to 31 per cent in 2009. "Since the rollout of the network in 2006, our household broadband penetration has been on a remarkable rising trend from merely 11 per cent during the period to the current outreach. "But we don't expect this number to continue... the market is saturating," he said at MIDF Research luncheon talk here yesterday. Mohamed Sharil's presentation was focused on the development of the telecommunications industry and the introduction of 2.6GHz spectrum in the country. He said although the market is saturating, there is now the need for high-speed broadband network. "When we first rolled out the high-speed broadband services, it is considered as one of the fastest and cheapest in the region. "Under the national broadband strategies, we are now working on creating the demand side," he said, adding that MCMC's role is not confined to just a regulator, but also as an enabler for other sectors in the country. "Our activities almost touch every sectors, be it in finance, healthcare or even retail," he added. Mohamed Sharil clarified that the government had yet to award the 4G, or 2.6GHz, spectrum to any telecommunications players. "What some companies are offering is actually of the 3.5G network. We don't offer the (2.6GHZ) spectrum yet," he said, without elaborating.