After more than 7 years of lobbying, Telekom Malayisa (TM) could possibly get more spectrum in the 850Mhz Band.
Yesterday, a “Ministerial Determination” was posted on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) website relating to the reallocation of the spectrum in 850Mhz band.
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima TPr Annuar Haji Musa, the Minister of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM) ‘determined’ that frequencies between 824Mhz to 834Mhz paired with 869Mhz to 879Mhz will be relocated. The term of the spectrum assignment will be for 5 years.
While the “Ministerial Determination” did not mention any details about Telekom Malaysia, it is the only Mobile Network Operator (MNO) offering the 4G LTE services using the 850Mhz band.
Telekom Malaysia currently has a 10Mhz (2x5Mhz) spectrum in the 850Mhz B5 band, which makes up a large portion of its 4G LTE network, but with limited coverage nationwide compared to other major Mobile Telcos. A report from Digital News Asia in 2014 said that TM has been lobbying for an extra 10Mhz spectrum in 850Mhz band.
The new “Ministerial Determination” would free up an additional 20Mhz (2x10Mhz) spectrum in the 850Mhz band and could improve the unifi Mobile 4G services, if these spectrum were to be awarded to Telekom Malaysia.
At the moment, Telekom Malaysia is also offering its unifi Mobile 4G service using the TDD 2300Mhz (30Mhz Band 40) it obtained from Packet One Networks (P1) and TDD 2600Mhz (20Mhz Band 38).
[Download PDF]– “Ministerial Determination” on the 850Mhz band
