The next Megatrend - 4G Mobile Broadband

The Malaysian media often call me “Mr. Broadband”.  I am flattered and somewhat bashful at such an extreme definition, but it does describe what I believe in. In 2005, I was the CEO of TMNet, Malaysia’s incumbent fixed broadband provider. My team worked relentlessly on making quality broadband a reality in Malaysia and as a result, in some eighteen months, we saw our subscriber-base increase from 250,000 to the unbelievable 1 million.

I have always believed in the dream of Broadband for All and in empowering people through broadband. Broadband is a right and no longer a privilege. It is a necessity and no longer a luxury. The convenience that broadband provides in so many aspects of our lives is so ingrained in our everyday life that without realizing it, it is something we can’t do without.

However, looking at the fixed broadband landscape, I had an epiphany of sorts. Looking at the evolution of voice and how cellular technology completely transformed the landscape, I became a true believer in broadband mobility. At this point, I made it a point to leave the fixed broadband market and start working on the next wave – the wave of “wireless mobility”, where ubiquitous and ever-present connectivity will empower Malaysians to discover, experience and do more. According to the World Bank, every 10 percent increase in broadband penetration helps to increase a country’s economic growth by 1.3%.

There is a massive pent-up demand for broadband in Malaysia. Currently, the country’s household broadband penetration hovers around 25% while the government has set a 50% penetration rate target by 2010. It’s going to be a steep climb as delivering the broadband Internet access throughout Malaysia is a challenge because of several factors. Firstly, our population is spread out all over the land and laying fibre-optic cable to all these locations is very expensive. On the other hand, wireless technologies have until recently not had the necessary range and have lacked the bandwidth to make them a viable solution.

Today, WiMAX has emerged as the obvious best possible choice.

As an advocate of WiMAX, P1 is looking forward to contribute towards the government’s broadband aspiration. More importantly, we are going beyond borders to promote WiMAX in other countries across the region. I see our counterparts in Japan, Russia and Europe doing the same and it is this that will propel WiMAX forward – the realization that, as operators, we have a bigger role to play in the WiMAX ecosystem.

Adoption of WiMAX technology is one thing, advocating WiMAX is another and the future of WiMAX is truly in our hands.

As cellular technology rewrote the book of voice in the past, WiMAX too will completely change the fixed broadband world. P1 is tremendously proud to be within an alliance that is looking ahead to realize the wonders a WiMAXed world can unlock.

That is what the “WiMAX Revolution” is all about.