THE country’s largest mobile operator, Maxis Communications Bhd, aims to maintain its mobile data revenue growth this year with more content downloads and higher third-generation (3G) customer base.
The company is on track to double its 3G customer base this year to more than 446,000 users. It had 380,000 active 3G users as at April this year.
Maxis’ mobile data revenue, meanwhile, grew 21 per cent to RM393 million in the first quarter of this year.
For the full-year 2006, mobile data revenue increased by 29 per cent to RM1.34 billion. Non-voice revenue represented more than 20 per cent of the group’s revenue.
“We hope to maintain the growth rate this year, with the possibility of exceeding it” Maxis head of product and new business Dr Nikolai Dobberstein said in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Music download, games downloads, and Internet surfing are expected to be the main drivers for non-voice sales growth.
As the market becomes saturated and voice call rates get cheaper, mobile operators do not want to be too dependent on voice services.
Dobberstein was speaking to reporters after a signing ceremony between Maxis and 18 external content providers. Among others, the telco hopes to work with them to protect consumers from unsolicited content, SMS scams and spam activities.
“We hope to reduce spam activities by 80 to 90 per cent once the solution is installed” said general manager and head of products and infotainment business T. Kugan.
The anti-spam solution, which cost some RM3.5 million, is expected to be installed in July.
Dobberstein added that Maxis plans to introduce itemised billing for its 6.94 million prepaid customers. It is also investing more than RM1.5 million over the next 12 months to promote and strengthen the quality of its content providers.
The 18 external content providers, known as Elite Partners, include Ahead Mobile, Arthatek Resources, Dapat Vista, Didadee, Dubaitech marketing, Ecentury, FunMobile, Gen-X Technology, Isentric, KotaEmas Edaran, Macro Kiosk, matrix Internet and Wireless, MNC Wireless, Mobile Touchtek, Nexnation Network, N-Visio, Yo Mobile and Zed Mobile Malaysia.-Btimes
