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Markets, Malaysia, Asia: Maxis Communications and Irish remote communications specialist Altobridge, have announced an agreement to deploy remote GSM wireless communication systems to communities and enterprises cut off from standard telecommunications...
A new Altobridge wireless platform makes it possible for people in remote communities to communicate cost effectively using standard mobile phones. The development has drawn on the company’s experience in satellite communications for the aeronautical and maritime industries, where it is a world leader. Chief Technical Officer of Altobridge, Richard Lord, said, “Any wireless service that costs operators more than US$10 per month per subscriber, for small subscriber groups, is not going to succeed in emerging markets. The business case just doesn’t work. “Altobridge has used its significant experience in combined satellite and cellular technology in the Aeronautical and Maritime industries to address the key market segment of remote wireless communications. Our solution has demonstrated satellite bandwidth requirements of between 5 kbits/s and 8 kbits/s per call and, as it is a unique, ‘On-Demand’ architecture, further savings of up to 50% are possible with VSAT systems based on Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA),” Lord concluded. Maxis Chief Technical Officer, Rolf Marthinusen, stated, “Altobridge’s solution for remote wireless communications allows us to provide necessary telecommunication service to secluded communities across Malaysia. “In tandem with the Malaysian Government’s Time 2 expansion plan, we have successfully deployed and built a total of 1,048 sites, with more to follow. To date, Maxis has deployed more sites under the T2 programme compared to other cellular network operators in Malaysia. The remote GSM project with Altobridge will significantly further expand our coverage to these rural communities,” Marthinusen added. The Time 1 and Time 2 mobile expansion projects were launched by the Malaysian government in 2004. Time 1 focused on the capital Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. Time 2 includes the rest of the country with focal points at commercial areas, highways, major towns and tourist spots. To date, Time 1 has achieved 100% coverage and Time 2 stands at 79%. Maxis Group are a major Malaysian mobile telecommunications group serving nearly 13 million customers. It has operations in Malaysia, India through subsidiary, Aircel Limited, and Indonesia through PT Natrindo Telepon Seluler. It is the sixth largest public listed company in Malaysia with over 5,000 employees. more info: |
Date: 18-19 November 2008