It is confirmed, TM could celebrate Hari Raya with joy since the Government has awarded the HSBB contract to a Government related company- Telekom Malaysia.-source
So, TM will now build the high speed broadband infrastructure, operate as an ISP and then say that they will open the infrastructure to other ISPs in the country.
Jaring has been offering dial up services way before the TMNet dial up service. Back then, Telekom owns the fixed line network and Jaring was offering dial up service using TM fixed line. And suddenly TM had the license to become an ISP which later started marketing its dial up services and after that it’s so called broadband service-Streamyx. Today, Jaring is so far left behind compared to the market share that TM owns in broadband.
The simple reason is that TM is the largest, biggest, widest fixed line operator in the country that helped it become the largest, biggest, widest(sorry, this is the new term used by Celcom) fixed broadband provider in the country since fixed broadband runs on fixed line.
The same case here, now TM is building the new HSBB network with the Goverment support, owns and operate it, and here is where the term “monopoly” applies.
Well, go to the regulator and they will say, “No worries, we will ensure that the network is open and other ISPs can also use it”. But how do they define “open network” when one company builds it, operate and compete with other ISPs within the same infrastructure?
The other day, the KTAK Minister was saying that “some” ISP has been fined for not providing the speed that they offered but the Minister declined to reveal the name of those ISPs. The question here is, what this majority voted Government is hiding from the “rakyat” and who’s side is it on? The Goverment related company-TM or the “rakyat”?
If this Government is on the “rakyat” side, then I think that KTAK and MCMC must reveal the names of those ISPs that is cheating their subscriber’s money by not offering the speed that they had promised.
(Note: This article is written based on a personal opinion, it is not related to any organization and may not be considered as a statement)
