REDUCE RATES FOR BASIC BROADBAND INTERNET SERVICES

I would like to congratulate the launch by our Prime Minister, Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak of the new Telekom Malaysia Bhd's new UniFi high speed broadband (HSBB) service. The rates for the new services start at RM149 for a 5 Mbps package.

I can understand that the rates may be on the high side for any ordinary Malaysians, but that is the price to pay for a new technology and high standard internet services. The availability of the new high speed broadband (HSBB) services would remain a dream for many ordinary Malaysians as the rates are too high at this stage.

On a more important matter, it was disappointing to see that there was no announcement for the reduction of the rates for the basic broadband internet services.

Currently, the basic rates for Telekom’s streamyx broadband internet services are RM66 for an unlimited 512 kbps package and RM88 for an unlimited 1 Mbps package.
[source:http://www.streamyx.com.my/get_streamyx/get_streamyx.php?id=getstreamyx_package_standard ]

In line with the government’s effort to increase the penetration of internet services to all Malaysian, the basic rates for broadband internet services must be reduced to make it more affordable to all Malaysians. That I believe is the best method to increase penetration of internet services to all Malaysian by making it more affordable.

The previous announcement in the last budget to allow the RM500 tax relief for internet service charges are only savings enjoyed by those who are in the higher income bracket while the package for the RM50 netbook with broadband services are only meant for university students.

There was no provision in the last budget to promote internet services to the ordinary lower income Malaysians.

As such, I would like to call upon the government to review the existing basic rates currently charged by Telekom Malaysia Bhd for their 512kbps and 1Mbps streamyx broadband internet services.

I believe that the rates should be halved to RM35 and RM50 for the 512 kbps and 1 Mbps unlimited broadband internet services.