DIGI.COM Bhd, the country's smallest mobile operator, may submit a bid as early as next week to the telecommunications regulator for a licence to offer high-speed wireless Internet services under a new technology.
Business Times was told by the people involved in preparing the submission that DiGi, 61 per cent controlled by Norway's Telenor, is prepared to spend as much as RM500 million if it is successful.
The Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access technology, or commonly known as WiMAX, is similar to a long-range version of the popular Wi-Fi technology that lets computers near a small base station surf the Internet without wires.
But while Wi-Fi's range is limited to a few tens of metres, WiMax can, theoretically, work over tens of kilometres, allowing towns or cities to be blanketed with wireless coverage.
DiGi, which lacks a Malaysian licence to sell high-speed mobile services via a so-called third-generation, or 3G, permit is seeking alternative ways to offer movies and faster Web access on cell phones.
This is to avoid falling further behind rivals Telekom Malaysia Bhd and Maxis Communications Bhd, which have started 3G services
WiMAX can be used for several applications, including last-mile broadband connections, hotspots and cellular backhaul, and high- speed enterprise connectivity for business.
Although the licence for mobile-based WiMAX will be issued this year, building a complete infrastructure could take up to three years.
Industry executives estimate the time frame, could work in DiGi's favour as it would coincide with the time when most mobile phones in Malaysia are expected to have broadband Internet access.
DiGi has thus far resisted buying network capacity from MiTV Corp Sdn Bhd and Time Dotcom Bhd, winners of Malaysia's last two 3G licences in March, insisting that it will pursue alternative technologies to compete with Maxis and Telekom.
Currently, there are no companies with the spectrum rights to provide mobile-based WiMAX services in Malaysia, although tier two telephony service provider NasionCom Holdings Bhd has a licence to provide fixed-based WiMAX services.
NasionCom is in the early stages of building the country's maiden fixed WiMAX system at a cost of about RM200 million.
NasionCom and its tier two arch rival REDtone International Bhd are also said to be planning to submit bids for the mobile-based WiMAX spectrum rights.-Bussiness Times
NOKIA Malaysia unveiled its new Nokia 8800 Special Edition at an exclusive event that brought together a group of dynamic brands at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre recently.
Models draped in creations designed specifically to complement the limited edition model, sashayed on the catwalk with the sleek Nokia 8800 Special Edition.
The event was a unique collaboration between Nokia, CitiBank and Michael Ong – Malaysia’s very own renowned and talented designer and is testament to Nokia’s dedication to connect people with style.
Nokia is able to offer this exclusive product to discerning CitiGold customers.
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Citibank chief executive officer Piyush Gupta and Cheong with models showing off the Nokia 8800 Special Edition. |
Nokia Malaysia’s general manager (Customer and Market Operations) Andrew Cheong said the Nokia 8800 marked the triumphant return of Nokia to its design heritage.
MOBILE service providers Maxis Communications Bhd, Celcom (Malaysia) Bhd and DiGi.Com Bhd are feeling the heat as the deadline for prepaid users to register themselves nears.
So far, only about one-fifth, or 4.8 million, prepaid users have registered with the respective telcos.
The initiative started about one year ago and the deadline will expire in five months.
This means that about 80 per cent of the prepaid users (about 12 million) would need to register over the next five months, averaging 2.4 million subscribers a month.
According to OSK Research Sdn Bhd, it believes that the telcos would face some downside risks in the months ahead.
The two main risks are the surge in "churn" after the expiration of the deadline and the overflow of registrations at the last minute which could disrupt front-end operations.
However, the local research house said DiGi may stand to lose more from the potential delays in the exercise, mainly because a high number of its prepaid users are foreigners who may not want to register for various reasons.
Another factor is DiGi's smaller distribution dealer networks in the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor.
"This plays a pivotal role in improving the accessibility and convenience of registration. Based on data obtained from telcos' website, Celcom has the biggest dealer network followed by Maxis and DiGi," OSK Research said in a note on the telecommunication sector.
Last year, the Government announced the registration requirement to enable the authorities to track users in a bid to prevent criminal activities using cell phones.
Based on the official guidelines, subscribers are required to register by December 15 2006, failing which their numbers will be suspended.
They will then be given 14 days thereafter to register or risk having their lines terminated. The telcos have the rights to terminate any subscriber found to have provided false information.
OSK Research added that the recent rally on DiGi's share price was attributed to rising expectations of another sterling quarterly performance. Hence there could be downside to share sentiment if actual numbers fall short of expectations.
"Note that DiGi's foreign shareholding level has reached an all-time high of 85 per cent in May, and that could trigger selling pressure on negative surprises. Another protracted concern is Telenor's requirement to pare down its 61 per cent stake (in DiGi) by the end of the year," it said.
OSK Research maintains its "neutral" recommendations on Maxis and DiGi as valuations for both stocks are fair and on par with regional metrics, while holding a "buy" call on Telekom Malaysia Bhd.
-Bussiness Times
Nokia and MobileOne (M1), one of the leading mobile and IDD service providers in Singapore, have entered into an agreement for the supply of the first High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network in Singapore. With Nokia's support, M1 can offer high-quality network coverage and the very latest multimedia services to its mobile customers.
In addition to the HSPA supply, Nokia will expand M1's WCDMA 3G radio network coverage and upgrade M1's core network as well as provides a software upgrade. Also, included are network optimization and deployment services consisting of installation, commissioning, integration and acceptance testing of the network. The value of this agreement is USD 30 million.
"This award of Singapore's first HSPA contract to Nokia is an important milestone for M1. It reaffirms our commitment to offer our customers high quality mobile services that combine mobility with higher speed and wide area coverage for data intensive business and consumer applications," says Neil Montefiore, Chief Executive Officer of M1 "With HSPA, downloading of large files, multimedia and music on the move can be done at a fraction of the normal time required. It will certainly be seen as a technology that truly enhances our customers' mobile experience and greatly improves their quality of life."
"We are delighted to be selected as the preferred supplier of HSPA networks by M1. This win clearly confirms and demonstrates M1's confidence in Nokia to deliver high-quality cutting-edge technology to mobile operators and consumers," says Ricky Corker, Vice President, Asia Pacific, Networks, Nokia. "With Nokia, operators can bring a new class of services to market quickly, cost-effectively and with the highest network performance, this shows further proof of Nokia's strength in advanced radio network technologies."
Nokia is M1's sole core network and WCDMA 3G network supplier.
In WCDMA 3G, Nokia has 60 customers to date. Nokia's high-performing HSDPA is a simple software upgrade to Nokia WCDMA networks, thus enabling a fast, cost-effective rollout. Nokia HSDPA offers almost 10-times faster data services than current 3G networks, meaning an enhanced service experience. Nokia is a leader in the HSDPA market, with a large number of HSDPA contracts. Many network operators have already opened their HSDPA networks with the Nokia solution.
With more than one million units sold since it entered the charts in March 2006, the Nokia 3250 music phone is quickly earning a reputation as a must-have summer accessory - storing up to 750 songs (1 GB) of high quality music and sporting a 2 megapixel camera in a unique design.
"As the world's largest manufacturer of digital music players, Nokia continues to lead the way in making mobile music widely accessible," says Heikki Norta, Senior Vice President of Nokia's Lifestyle Products Group. "As we enter the summer holiday season, the Nokia 3250 is an ideal travel companion - it stores all your favourite songs, records fondest summer memories, and even has an off-line mode for those endless long-haul flights."
From a technical standpoint, the Nokia 3250 music phone is based on S60 3rd Edition software and Symbian OS - which can turn a smartphone into a versatile portable music player capable of playing a wide array of digital music formats such as MP3, WMA, M4A, AAC and eAAC+. In addition to making it easy to load and transfer music, the S60 3rd Edition software allows people to purchase music and share their musical experiences and recommendations with their friends.
"S60 3rd Edition software introduces a new level of flexibility and security, enabling easy creation of devices and applications targeted to mass markets. The success of the Nokia 3250 clearly demonstrates that consumers value the extensibility that an S60 device offers," adds Norta.
The Nokia 3250 music phone began shipping in March 2006, reaching the milestone of one million units sold in less than four months.
Specifications | Date Announced | 2005, 3Q | | Network Technology | GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 | | Dimensions (mm) | 103.8 x 50 x 19.8 | | Weight (g) | 115 | | Available colours | Pink, Black, Green, Silver | | Display | | Screen Size | : | 176 x 208 | | Screen Color | : | TFT 262K colors | | | Design | | Type | : Others | | Soft Keys | : 2 | | Other Keys | : Music keys: Play/pause, stop, rewind and forward | | Antenna | : Fixed Internal | | | Memory | | Internal(MB) | : 10 | | Expansion | : microSD (up to 1GB), 128MB included, hot swap | | | Battery | | Battery Type | : Li-Ion 1100 mAh | | Stand-by (hrs) | : 245 | | TalkTime(min) | : 180 | | | Entertainment | | Ringtones | | Polyphonic | : 64-chord polyphonics | | Customization | : eAAC+, MPEG4 AAC, MP3, ARM-NB, AMR-WB, 64 polyphonic MIDI, RealAudio Voice, RealAudio7, RealAudio8, WMA | | | MP3 | Yes | | FM Radio | Yes | | Video Record | Yes, 15 fps (up to 1 hour) | | Video Support | MPEG-4, H.263, Real Video | | Audio Support | MP3, eAAC+ (equalizer, stereo widening, reverb, bass boost), Flight Mode | | Voice Support | Command, Dial, Recording, Speaker | | Games | Punkwigs, Snakes | | Messenging | | SMS | Yes | | MMS | Yes, MMS OMA 1.2 specification allows you to send/receive messages up to 300 kB in size. | | EMS | No | | Email | SMTP, POP3, IMAP4 | | Instant Messenging | Wireless Village | | Push to Talk | Yes | | Connectivity | | Bluetooth | Yes | | EDGE | Yes, up to 236.8 kbps | | Support 3G | No | | Data Types / GPRS | Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots) | | Infrared (IrDA) | No | | USB Port | Yes | | Software | | Java (J2ME) | Yes ,MIDP 2.0 | | WAP | Yes Ver 2.0 | | Platform / OS | Symbian 9.1 - Series 60 Rel 3.0 | | Browser | xHTML | | Predictive Text Entry | T9 | | Other Application | Windows Media Player, Real Player, Nokia Audio Manager 5.0 | | Personals | | Themes | Yes | | Caller ID | Picture | | ProfileID | Yes | | Camera | | Lens Type | CMOS, 2.0 Megapixel | | Digital zoom | 4x | | Max. Resolution | 1600 x 1200 | | Flash | No | | Night Mode | Yes | | Extra Features |
| | Photo Format | JPEG (1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480) | | Video | Yes, 15 fps (up to 1 hour) | | Video Format | 176 x 144, 128 x 96 | |
A new report from analyst firm Juniper Research predicts that Broadcast Mobile TV will reach revenues of $11.7bn worldwide by 2011. Japan is predicted to lead the market with revenues reaching $2.9bn and the US will follow closely at $1.8bn. The UK is also predicted to be a key market at $989m.
Although Japan is initially offering a free service on its ISDB-T ‘One Seg’ network, Juniper Research predicts that it will start charging for the service in 2008. Japan, US and UK markets are prime breeding grounds for mobile television viewing mainly because of the large appetite for TV viewing.
Although South Korea has had a head start in broadcast Mobile TV with its DMB efforts, Japan and the US will overtake it in terms of the number of subscribers, purely based on the larger mobile subscriber base. Of the overall broadcast Mobile TV subscriber market Japan, US and South Korea will make up 39%, with the other major markets being Germany, Italy, UK, India and China, making up 36% by 2011. Juniper Research has short listed 26 key countries/regions around the world for broadcast Mobile TV services.
Aditya Kaul, Senior Analyst at Juniper Research and report author stated that, “2006 has been an interesting year for Mobile TV with a large number of announcements concerning broadcast Mobile TV trials and rollouts, many of them timed with the World Cup in mind. The key highlights have been an increased uptake in streamed Mobile TV services and surprising results from broadcast Mobile TV trials, showing a dramatic increase in the average time spent by the consumer on watching Mobile TV”
However, there is still some skepticism in the degree of success for broadcast Mobile TV. “Broadcast Mobile TV is definitely a step in the right direction but its success will depend on many factors such as the type of content, content rights, security, spectrum availability, business models, regulation and quality of indoor coverage”, Aditya adds.
A whitepaper and further details of the new study ‘Mobile TV: The Opportunity for Streamed and Broadcast Services, 2006-2011 (second edition)’ is available at www.juniperresearch.com. Alternatively contact Michele Ince at michele.ince@juniperresearch.com, Telephone +44 (0) 1256 830002/476200. -Juniper Research
DEVELOPING mobile applications used to be really complicated, even for experienced programmers, but that has changed today, according to Microsoft Corp.
Tan Loke-Uei, technical product manager of Microsoft’s mobile and embedded devices division, said that several years ago, even the simplest mobile application needed many hours or work and lines of complicated codes.
“But today, the latest software tools and technologies make things relatively simpler for software developers, he said during a talk on creating mobile applications using the new managed application programming interface (API) for Windows Mobile 5.0.
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Tan Loke-Uei, technical product manager of Microsoft Corp’s mobile and embedded devices division |
With Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK (software development kit), Visual Studio 2005 and .NET Compact Framework 2.0, he said, developing software for smartphones and Pocket PCs has become a lot speedier. Tan gave an example: He showed a program that uses the API to retrieve the GPS (global positioning system) coordinates of a smartphone running Windows Mobile 5.0 and coupled with a GPS device.
The program only had 10 lines of code. Without the new managed API, he said, it would have had several hundred lines of code.
“Mobile applications involving GPS used to be such a headache (for software developers) but now, it is so simple,” he added.
According to Tan, the API is like a collection of common codes that can be used and reused to write different programs.
Microsoft, he said, has been building APIs for years. “We abstract all those difficult parts to make life easier for developers,” he added.
To further illustrate his point, Tan showed a program designed to send an SMS (short message service) message via a cellphone.
It took more than 20 lines of complex C++ programming codes to achieve what could be done using only two lines of C# codes with Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK and the new managed API.
“Remember how we (developers) used to spend hours trying to do this? Now, all it takes is just two lines,” Tan said.
He said the advancements in technology allow not only developers to quickly accomplish more, but also makes the development process more accessible to less technically inclined – such as anyone wanting to create software for their own mobile device.
For such programmers, he said, the best place to start would be the Windows Mobile Developers Wiki website (http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility/wiki).
Tan was speaking at Microsoft’s Mobile and Embedded Developers Conference 2006 in Kuala Lumpur recently.
More than 1,000 Windows mobile application developers from various parts of the country attended the event, which is held annually.
So long as there is a Wi-Fi hotspot within a certain radius, Malaysian mobile users would be able to make long-distance phone calls for free or at discounted rates from end-August.
That is what telco start-up The Red Snapper (TRS) is working to provide – voice over Wi-Fi. Currently, free calls are available but one needs to get onto the Internet to be connected. With TRS' proposition, all one needs is just a mobile phone equipped with a Wi-Fi chip.
TRS inked a deal with Jaring recently to be its network partner so that users can register for the service and download a dialler (soft client) to enable them to make calls via Wi-Fi or global system for mobile communication (GSM) networks.
Even though calls are free and unlimited to at least 23 destinations globally, a monthly charge is applicable for the TRS connectivity. Users could also enjoy free calls within the TRS community, said TRS chief executive officer Braham Singh.
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Braham Singh |
TRS has also roped in the Perak State Economic Development Corp (SEDC) to be its investor and a shareholders’ agreement was signed two weeks ago.
Singh told StarBiz that TRS would hold over 50% stake in a joint venture – Asia Gateway Communications – and SEDC the balance, to offer the service. The paid-up capital of TRS is RM50mil.
He said besides Malaysia, the service – voice over Wi-Fi cellular or voice over GSM - would be launched in the Philippines, Taiwan and Maldives by end-August.
A new switch would be deployed at Perak’s information and communication technology (ICT) hub at Bandar Meru Raya in Ipoh for the Malaysian connectivity. Currently, TRS has a switch in Hong Kong, where the service is already available. TRS has also decided to set up its headquarters at Meru Raya, which would be a flagship venture for the Perak Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).
“Why pay premium prices for long-distance calls when TRS has a facility that allows users to make free or discount calls from mobile handsets?” Singh said, adding that interconnection arrangements with large carriers were in place for the IDD calls.
TRS' target market is the enterprise group but the service will also be offered to individuals.
Singh, chief operating officer Rais Hussin and chief financial officer Asad Sultan founded TRS over a year ago. The three partners are long-time friends who decided to slug it out together.
Although they now have the Perak SEDC as investor, Asad said TRS was also in talks with potential technology and private equity investors from Hong Kong and the Middle East –who were keen to take a stake in the company given the exponential growth that was expected from the service.
The company now has an application service provider licence but Rais said to expand the scope of services the company would be seeking network service provider (NSP) licence and MSC status.
Rais said TRS had also secured another project to offer wireless accessibility in Perak from the Perak state government.
“The initial contract is worth RM2.4mil and would be funded by the state,” he said, adding that TRS would initially deploy citywide Wi-Fi coverage in Ipoh, using Altai long-range Wi-Fi base stations (for which TRS is the sole agent in Asia).
“The initial roll-out is expected by end-August this year to coincide with the launch of the Perak MSC,” Rais said.
Perak has an ambitious plan to turn Perak into an ICT hub and has crafted a five-year roadmap. For that it has set aside RM1.3bil. Perak is also one of the several states under the 9MP that would be turned into MSC cyber centres. -theStar
Less than 30% of prepaid mobile phone users have registered their lines despite the Dec 15 deadline drawing near.
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission southern regional head Zulkarnain Mohd Yasin said of some 17 million prepaid users in the country, only 4.78 million have registered.
He said he was confident the number would rise sharply as the deadline neared, because Malaysians tended to do things at the last minute.
However, Zulkarnian warned that the deadline would not be extended as enough notice had been given by the authorities.
He said the errant users could continue receiving calls for 14 days after the deadline before their line was terminated.
“But they cannot make calls during the two weeks. Once the line is terminated, the account is gone for good,” he said after the launch of the state-level World Telecommunications Day celebrations at Danga Bay here yesterday.
He said the authorities would hold a road show in every state to raise awareness. He added that prepaid users need only produce their MyKad to register. -theStar
