Saturday 27 November 2010

A very preliminary thought on the 700 MHz spectrum.

PM Najib shouldn't be talking to heads of Malaysian telcos to explain MCMC's decision to award YTL a 5 year head start in operating the 700 MHz spectrum. What he should do is to CANCEL that decision. The public has had enough of this idea of parceling out economic and business exclusive enclaves to selected people.

In America, which is much larger than Malaysia, the cost of building a nationwide wireless network over the 700 MHz spectrum is around $2 billion. That's about RM 8 billion. Award this contract to build the infrastructure to Telekom Malaysia. Then open bids for all operators to get a slice of the business by renting the facilities provided for Telecom Malaysia. Bring back the glory days to Telekom Malaysia before it was disemboweled and cannibalized by corporate raiders and bean counters who were and are glorified as terrific business leaders.

The costs are lower in rural areas, due to less interference issues and wide-open spaces. That's because each tower broadcasting at 700MHz covers twice as many square miles. Some estimates say that a single 700 MHz tower can cover 20-miles.

Cancel the decision to award to YTL. Instruct the MACC to study the decision making at MCMC. See whether executives from MCMC have been spending inordinate time at Marriot or Pangkor Laut.

32 comments:

  1. Please Pm Najib,take this preliminary advice and you might see more will come to your fold more than than if you decide to built the crooked bridge

    ReplyDelete
  2. now, although the practice of direct negotiations is a practice that i abhor, but come on, give the contract to Telekom? are you mad? they can't even provide proper internet connections to Malaysians as it is.
    i think there should be a proper open tender, with proposals sent directly to the Ministry of Communication. It is their project right, or at least it is in their purview.

    ReplyDelete
  3. telekom cant provide the proper services becaus eof the people quality issues. i am saying because it belongs to the givernment, let it lay down the infra. then call the operators to bid for portions of the airwaves.
    like British Rail. the govt lays down the infra. private operators provide the coach services. they differ in terms of services and marketing.
    its madder to give it to YTL.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dtk Sak says: "i am saying because it belongs to the givernment, let it lay down the infra. then call the operators to bid for portions of the airwaves."

    I agree with that :)))

    Sahabat Melayu

    ReplyDelete
  5. and the beneficiary has the temerity to claim its god sent. he took us for a big ride with the IPP project and now with this special prize at the people's expense. Darn, UMNO for once stop your cronyism else malaysians will view your 1malaysia as just mere sloganism.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hahaha Dato', I like this one...spending time in Marriot and Pangkor Laut... wow!
    But just hang on there as Jibby will very soon make a U turn...
    Keep healthy sir, GE is around the corner and you need to be in Parliament.... sebab yang lain semua dunggu.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes Sir, I sokong you 110%. Giving to TM is one thing but we must get the best brain in TM and revamp the TM management.

    Presently, giving license to TM (they have the most licenses in hand) but the present leadership under someone (sounded like a password in Ali Baba & the 40 thieves ! :-D) doesn't know how to exploit. It is more like "seperti kera diberi bunga".

    An eg in point is the launch of HSBB. TM have laid out 1 million HSBB ports but the take up rate is only 12k. The reason, 1) roll out plan is screwed up.High demand areas are not serviced. 2) no market feedback to study demand. I live in PJ but there is no service. Any enquiry will be answered with the reply, we will notify you later !

    I think it is time that govt reverse the brain drain to the private sector. All GLCs should start to attract the best talents. After all the eventual beneficiaries will be the Rakyat because the profits goes to treasury. Yes BN can turn the voting sentiment if they have the political will to look after the pocket of every rakyat. Reward the best talent that brings the fruit to the treasury.

    The private sectors they know how to survive so long as the environment is conducive to do their business.

    At the end of the day, all the public goods is not FOR SALE or the must be clauses where the govt can out the whip if the concessionaire misbehave.

    Please continue to speak with your conscience. The nation needs you but you dont necessary need the nation !

    ReplyDelete
  8. Assalamualaikum wbt Dear Datuk,

    1.Frequencies are like land - it is an asset.It can be valued.And once you have infrastructure utilising the frequencies, then you make money.

    2.Unlike land, frequencies ALL belong to the country,ie. the rakyat and the government is the caretaker of this asset.

    3.In most of the countries belonging to the ITU - International Telecommunication Union, the frequencies are tendered out.The best offer to the nation - rakyat, will get the frequencies.Malaysia is a member of ITU.....

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Sakmongkol

    I am 100% with you on this. There is some explaining by government to do why they keep giving out monopolies and always no tenders. We also need some explanation from MCMC.

    But Sakmongkol, this government will never learn. Isn't it time to try something new?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dato,

    Agreed what was said.

    Please note awarding the 700 Mhz to YTL is already a competition to TM which are embarking on government fund (err public money) to lay HSBB and to provide IPTV. RM 5 billion if anyone can recall.

    As usual someone in the government or related agencies have screw-up big time to see the different.

    ReplyDelete
  11. dato.

    "i am saying because it belongs to the givernment, let it lay down the infra. then call the operators to bid for portions of the airwaves."

    What about that BIG undang?

    TM employes tons of Malay (whom's performances r been questioned by u).

    Moreover, what about the unwritten govt rule on any new tech ventures, be that petroleum, telecommunication, green (???), Malay companies MUST have the first bite, irrespective of their capabilities/experiences?

    What a twist to a transparent & open bid!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I say this for Najib - This is the era of GTP.

    -E.G.

    ReplyDelete
  13. tolong lah...ytl dah ada ipp...dah buat banyak buit dah kaya raya....beri lah kepada yang lain...orang lain pon nak hidop juga....pm najib tolong buat lah sesuatu yang betul2 ikhlas untok raayak jelata...tunjok lah kepimpinan mu...

    ReplyDelete
  14. MR Prime Minister,

    The company that you awarded IPPs, licenses and Big Contracts are really subscribing to your idea of 1Malaysia in their organizations. Not too long ago telecommunication expertise were majority Malays. It is no longer the case now.

    The Malays now only held high positions in Human Resource dept, Government Liaison and awarding contracts and licenses through government agencies.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sak,

    Before you continue with your suggestion of awarding TM the project, TM should replace their management and staff with the right calibre people to improve their services. I propose that TM should employ Quiet Despair as he surely has the credentials since he had lived and worked in the US and he claims to be smarter than most people that we know.

    ReplyDelete
  16. i guess LTE is still in formative stage...and no clear cut leadership on tech.Infra and handsets/devices needs to be synchronised to get max benefits.

    Its not so simple...

    Best is to set service standards,roll outs and charges and call for open bids.I would love to think that an all you can eat option of RM 30 per month for broadband should be the starting point.

    TM have many mid frequencies that they hv failed to leverage on.The HSBB is failure too.
    But Dato ..you really have the knack to identify key issues.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Dua sen,
    Your idea is good but is there any intention to put the best brains in GLC? You just can't have clever people when there is ulterior motive. Kacau daun maa..

    Anyway, I salute Dato Sak for speaking out.

    ReplyDelete
  18. YTL had a real run in RMK9 with the corrupt Effendi Norwawi at EPU. Who is is donkey now?

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dear All,

    I disagree with Dato's criticism on one account. I see that YTL's forray into the telco sector will result in competition to Maxis and I am a simple guy.

    An enemy of my enemy is my friend. As such YTL is my friend.

    But my eventual hope is that both entities are engaged in price wars, have to spend billions in infra, and get upturned by a third party - TNB perhaps with the internet via powerline and some femto cell system.

    All those who are opposed to this must see this as an exercise in competing against that arrogant organization head quartered next to KLCC

    ReplyDelete
  20. gomen ni tak habis habis bela cina bg kaya

    ReplyDelete
  21. YTL does not have the expertise nor does it have the RM8 billion. It will borrow from banks with its letter of recommendation from Min of Finance and roll that money elsewhere and then delay, ask for an extension, borrow more money and then launch the service...much like its 4G-Yes service.

    Why can't we have fair open tenders so that companies from abroad with their expertise can jv with local companies and share knowledge can help in buiding this infrastructure? Most GLC like Khazanah, TM, Syabas, etc are already employing unqualified Malays thru' their abang/adik networks, so you can forget about hiring expertise or stopping the brain drain. No qualified experts will be willing to work under these so-called VPs and Senior VPs who cant even string a proper sentence in English much less provide the needed technical expertise.

    The most YTL can do is to give out their contracts to a foreign company or hire Mat Sallehs at inflated salaries to keep the facade of a professional network provider..

    ReplyDelete
  22. To put up the infra (towers, etc) to link up the whole semenanjung with a 700 MHz wireless internet service will cost abt RM 250 mil to RM 300 mil only. Speed not as fast as wimax. But can do some 1Mbps - so much faster than streamyx.

    If YTL or Govt says it'll cost many RM biilions to do the infra...it's bullshit.

    The 700 to 800 MHz for just a state or two in the US was auctioned off for some USD 29 billion a few years ago. They're really beach-front properties.

    700 to 800 MHz were previously meant for analogue TV channels and public safety channels - like police, ambulance, etc.

    If YTL really got the spectrum for a song - then it would be the biggest scandal in the history of the nusantara. Suharto's misdeeds wd look like a mere spate of shopliftings in comparison.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Dato, you are saying give everything to TM, I agree on condition TM must be revamped.TM is monopolised, like you say, 'abang adiks' sitting there doing nothing but dishing out thing s for their own benefits. Clean TM starting from it's TOP especially those 'sitting ducks' at the helm of TM but know nothing about the industry. They are only serving their masters thats UMNO.
    Clean TM then you start with your proposals but before that throw UMNO out for they cannot be REFORMED.

    ReplyDelete
  24. With all due respect Dato'.

    There is no way a GLC can run the business more efficiently than the private sector. Giving it to TM would be against making our domestic economy more competitive and is the kind of thinking that has seen our economy stagnate in the last 10 years while other countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam have forged ahead.

    Its unfortunate, but don't see TM being successful abroad, able to compete with the rest of the world. As a Malaysian, Petronas and YTL make me proud. They compete with the world's best. And win. YTL owns the no 1 ranked water company in the UK and power producer in Singapore. What is obvious is that they have the talent to manage, compete and win against the world's best in open competittion.

    Furthermore, what we want as the rakyat is an alternative to the MONOPOLY that is Astro. It is bleeding me dry, raising prices and I have no choice. It makes me very angry.

    Any competitor that comes in should be given the same grounds to compete. Astro was given free spectrum and a 17 year satellite monopoly. If we charge for spectrum it will only be charged back to consumers.

    The question is how did Ananda get away with this?!!

    Furthermore, this is not a telco issue. It is a pay TV issue where our friends at Astro/Maxis are trying to spin it to protect their own interests.

    In MCMC's plan, they have decided that the migration to digital TV be done by 2015, and 700MHz is allocated for digital TV. If YTL does it for the Govt for free by end-2011 in exchange for the 700, then Malaysia gets its digital dividend 4 years early. This spectrum such as 800MHz can be auctioned off.

    What the Telco guys are after is not 700MHz, but 800MHz like in the UK, where they have just announced 800MHz and 2.6 MHz for LTE. I have attached a BBC article on this.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10792404

    As the rakyat, we want choice. For better TV and cheaper prices. What I really want to see is the move to create strong competition to Astro so that we as consumers get to enjoy the benefits. No monopolies.

    Honestly, I don't care who breaks this monopoly, but YTL are the only party who have come closest and I don't think it will do anything but good for the consumer.

    This 700MHz stunt is just a ploy by Ananda to protect his interests, both in the Pay TV and Telco space.

    This is what needs to be STOPPED.

    ReplyDelete
  25. With all due respect Dato'.

    There is no way a GLC can run the business more efficiently than the private sector. Giving it to TM would be against making our domestic economy more competitive and is the kind of thinking that has seen our economy stagnate in the last 10 years while other countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam have forged ahead.

    Its unfortunate, but don't see TM being successful abroad, able to compete with the rest of the world. As a Malaysian, Petronas and YTL make me proud. They compete with the world's best. And win. YTL owns the no 1 ranked water company in the UK and power producer in Singapore. What is obvious is that they have the talent to manage, compete and win against the world's best in open competittion.

    Furthermore, what we want as the rakyat is an alternative to the MONOPOLY that is Astro. It is bleeding me dry, raising prices and I have no choice. It makes me very angry.

    Any competitor that comes in should be given the same grounds to compete. Astro was given free spectrum and a 17 year satellite monopoly. If we charge for spectrum it will only be charged back to consumers.

    The question is how did Ananda get away with this?!!

    Furthermore, this is not a telco issue. It is a pay TV issue where our friends at Astro/Maxis are trying to spin it to protect their own interests.

    In MCMC's plan, they have decided that the migration to digital TV be done by 2015, and 700MHz is allocated for digital TV. If YTL does it for the Govt for free by end-2011 in exchange for the 700, then Malaysia gets its digital dividend 4 years early. This spectrum such as 800MHz can be auctioned off.

    What the Telco guys are after is not 700MHz, but 800MHz like in the UK, where they have just announced 800MHz and 2.6 MHz for LTE. I have attached a BBC article on this.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10792404

    As the rakyat, we want choice. For better TV and cheaper prices. What I really want to see is the move to create strong competition to Astro so that we as consumers get to enjoy the benefits. No monopolies.

    Honestly, I don't care who breaks this monopoly, but YTL are the only party who have come closest and I don't think it will do anything but good for the consumer.

    This 700MHz stunt is just a ploy by Ananda to protect his interests, both in the Pay TV and Telco space.

    This is what needs to be STOPPED.

    ReplyDelete
  26. With all due respect Dato'.

    There is no way a GLC can run the business more efficiently than the private sector. Giving it to TM would be against making our domestic economy more competitive and is the kind of thinking that has seen our economy stagnate in the last 10 years against other countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam.

    Its unfortunate, but don't see TM being successful abroad, able to compete with the rest of the world. As a Malaysian, Petronas and YTL make me proud. They compete with the world's best. And win. YTL owns the no 1 ranked water company in the UK and power producer in Singapore. What is obvious is that they have the talent to manage, compete and win against the world's best in open competittion.

    Furthermore, what we want as the rakyat is an alternative to the MONOPOLY that is Astro. It is bleeding me dry, raising prices and I have no choice. It makes me very angry.

    Any competitor that comes in should be given the same grounds to compete. Astro was given free spectrum and a 17 year satellite monopoly. If we charge for spectrum it will only be charged back to consumers.

    The question is how did Ananda get away with this?!!

    Furthermore, this is not a telco issue. It is a pay TV issue where our friends at Astro/Maxis are trying to spin it to protect their own interests.

    In MCMC's plan, they have decided that the migration to digital TV be done by 2015, and 700MHz is allocated for digital TV. If YTL does it for the Govt for free by end-2011 in exchange for the 700, then Malaysia gets its digital dividend 4 years early. This spectrum such as 800MHz can be auctioned off.

    What the Telco guys are after is not 700MHz, but 800MHz like in the UK, where they have just announced 800MHz and 2.6 MHz for LTE. I have attached a BBC article on this.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10792404

    As the rakyat, we want choice. For better TV and cheaper prices. What I really want to see is the move to create strong competition to Astro so that we as consumers get to enjoy the benefits. No monopolies.

    Honestly, I don't care who breaks this monopoly, but YTL are the only party who have come closest and I don't think it will do anything but good for the consumer.

    This 700MHz stunt is just a ploy by Ananda to protect his interests, both in the Pay TV and Telco space.

    This is what needs to be STOPPED.

    ReplyDelete
  27. With all due respect Dato'.

    There is no way a GLC can run the business more efficiently than the private sector. Giving it to TM would be against making our domestic economy more competitive and is the kind of thinking that has seen our economy stagnate in the last 10 years against other countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam.

    Its unfortunate, but don't see TM being successful abroad, able to compete with the rest of the world. As a Malaysian, Petronas and YTL make me proud. They compete with the world's best. And win. YTL owns the no 1 ranked water company in the UK and power producer in Singapore. What is obvious is that they have the talent to manage, compete and win against the world's best in open competittion.

    Furthermore, what we want as the rakyat is an alternative to the MONOPOLY that is Astro. It is bleeding me dry, raising prices and I have no choice. It makes me very angry.

    Any competitor that comes in should be given the same grounds to compete. Astro was given free spectrum and a 17 year satellite monopoly. If we charge for spectrum it will only be charged back to consumers. The question is how did Ananda get away with this?!!

    Furthermore, this is not a telco issue. It is a pay TV issue where our friends at Astro/Maxis are trying to spin it to protect their own interests.

    In MCMC's plan, they have decided that the migration to digital TV be done by 2015, and 700MHz is allocated for digital TV. If YTL does it for the Govt for free by end-2011 in exchange for the 700, then Malaysia gets its digital dividend 4 years early.

    What the Telco guys are after is not 700MHz, but 800MHz like in the UK, where they have just announced 800MHz and 2.6 MHz for LTE. I have attached a BBC article on this.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10792404

    As the rakyat, we want choice. For better TV and cheaper prices. What I really want to see is the move to create strong competition to Astro so that we as consumers get to enjoy the benefits. No monopolies.
    Honestly, I don't care who breaks this monopoly, but YTL are the only party who have come closest and I don't think it will do anything but good for the consumer.

    This 700MHz stunt is just a ploy by Ananda to protect his interests, both in the Pay TV and Telco space. This is what needs to be STOPPED.

    ReplyDelete
  28. With all due respect Dato'.

    There is no way a GLC can run the business more efficiently than the private sector. Giving it to TM would be against making our domestic economy more competitive and is the kind of thinking that has seen our economy stagnate in the last 10 years against other countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam.

    Its unfortunate, but don't see TM being successful abroad, able to compete with the rest of the world. As a Malaysian, Petronas and YTL make me proud. They compete with the world's best. And win. YTL owns the no 1 ranked water company in the UK and power producer in Singapore. What is obvious is that they have the talent to manage, compete and win against the world's best in open competittion.

    Furthermore, what we want as the rakyat is an alternative to the MONOPOLY that is Astro. It is bleeding me dry, raising prices and I have no choice. It makes me very angry. Any competitor that comes in should be given the same grounds to compete. Astro was given free spectrum and a 17 year satellite monopoly. If we charge for spectrum it will only be charged back to consumers. The question is how did Ananda get away with this?!!

    Furthermore, this is not a telco issue. It is a pay TV issue where our friends at Astro/Maxis are trying to spin it to protect their own interests.

    In MCMC's plan, they have decided that the migration to digital TV be done by 2015, and 700MHz is allocated for digital TV. If YTL does it for the Govt for free by end-2011 in exchange for the 700, then Malaysia gets its digital dividend 4 years early.

    What the Telco guys are after is not 700MHz, but 800MHz like in the UK, where they have just announced 800MHz and 2.6 MHz for LTE. I have attached a BBC article on this.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10792404

    As the rakyat, we want choice. For better TV and cheaper prices. What I really want to see is the move to create strong competition to Astro so that we as consumers get to enjoy the benefits. No monopolies.

    This 700MHz stunt is just a ploy by Ananda to protect his interests, both in the Pay TV and Telco space. This is what needs to be STOPPED.

    ReplyDelete
  29. mohdk.

    i said let the infra be done by the govt. others later rent the space from the infra the govt build. see the difference? the actual services of LTE are provided by a a few operators who will be differentiated by their quality service and marketing prowess.
    my question is why should YTL be given the head start while the other 4 telcos are not? YTL doesn't have the experience.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sak,

    Stop being a sour grape. There are also lots of UMNO linked companies without any experience in anything except to enrich themselves who are given projects left, right and center by the government. I'm sure you know who these companies are...... so stop being a hypocrite.

    ReplyDelete
  31. TM is the right operator , as the the neutral infra provider , they have all the best hill , the cost will be cheaper . Let s content provider like RTM , Media Prima and YTL to lease channel from TM . What MCMC should do is to remove content monopolies by ASTRO.
    TM board ,Ceo and management should be replaced , no imagination and vision since Khazanah took over.

    ReplyDelete