War of the Telco

In battles, there will always be winners, losers and lessons learnt.

You’re not Malaysian if you didn’t complain about the Internet speed at least once in your life. I personally believe there are three things in this world that you shouldn’t let them know whenever you are in a rush, which are the printer, mobile phone, and Malaysia’s Internet because then they will magically slow down or worse, malfunction. Jokes aside, the sluggish speed of our Internet has always been a hinder in our lives and work, and maybe that’s why some Malaysians are so quick-tempered. Truth to be told, Malaysia’s average Internet speed is one of the slowest in the Asia Pacific. Countries like Thailand and Vietnam have faster Internet speed at comparatively lower prices.

Such issue has been an ongoing thing since forever until the new government came into place and made a promise of faster Internet speed with a lower price. Of course, that cannot be achieved overnight but it’s definitely a good start to something better. The government should take effective measures to push current Internet service providers out of their comfort zones and prevent their monopolisation by allowing more Internet service providers to enter the market. Competition is essential for innovation otherwise the consumers will always be on the losing end and that’s not good for the country either. For short-term solutions, the service providers can consider offering discounts or promotions to stimulate price-sensitive customers.

With abundant resources and professionals, Malaysia is definitely one of the top dogs in the telecommunication field amongst other Southeast Asian countries.

Over the years, we witnessed countless companies embracing digital technology and making their products or services available through a single click. The high participation of SMEs in the adoption of e-commerce also means this will be beneficial to the Malaysian economy. All of those are only possible with the existence of the Internet, hence, the speed is almost a priority in the near future if not now. In what is deemed as an Internet revolution, this jump of improvement in Internet accessibility with increased speed at a decreased cost is indeed a stepping stone to the development of better broadband so that businesses can be upscaled to the industrial level.

With much available capacity and unutilised resources, we have nothing to lose as lower pricing will attract more Internet users which will help bring down Internet cost in the long run. So far, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is in the midst of fully implementing the Mandatory Standard Access Pricing (MSAP) for broadband services where we are seeing a cutdown in price between the range of 25-50%. By being determined on delivering the promise of better and more affordable Internet connectivity to the public, MCMC successfully broke the resistance of telecommunication companies to provide faster Internet services at a decreased price.

It’s like finding a needle in a haystack if you’re looking for anyone or any company that doesn’t use the Internet today. From being one of the countries with the most Facebook users to a sprouting haven for modern software developers and e-commerce businesses, the Internet is almost a lifeline in this vibrant country with cities that never sleep. Hopefully, with the telecommunication companies joining hands for boosted connection speed and lowered price, our country will be able to prosper even more, standing shoulder to shoulder with other developing countries.